While the church today is filled with so much activity and programs with all manners of topics and themes, it is expedient to go back to the scriptures to rediscover the real goal and the actual point of the Christian journey. A quick look at the prayers and writings of the early church in the verses below provides some key answers.
1. TO BE PRESENTED HOLY, BLAMELESS AND WITHOUT BLEMISH IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
· 1 Thess 5:23 – Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
· 1 Thess. 3:13 – so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people)
· 1 Thess 2:19 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
· 1 Cor. 1:8 – And He will also confirm you to the end [keeping you strong and free of any accusation, so that you will be] blameless and beyond reproach in the day [of the return] of our Lord Jesus Christ
· Eph. 5:27 – so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless
· Phil 1:10 – so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]
· Col. 1:22 – yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach
2. TO BE JOYFUL AND FAULTLESS IN GOD’S GLORIOUS PRESENCE
· Jude 24 – Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight
3. TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST
· Rom. 8:29 – For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.
4. TO STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD
· Col. 4:12 – Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.
5. BEING PERFECT/COMPLETE IN CHRIST
· Col. 1:28 – We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed].
6. TO CARRY OUT GOD’S WILL AND BE PLEASING TO HIM
· Heb. 13:21 – equip you with every good thing to carry out His will and strengthen you [making you complete and perfect as you ought to be], accomplishing in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
· 2 Cor 5:9 – Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.
7. TO REACH ONENESS IN THE FAITH
· Eph. 4:13 – until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].
8. TO BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD
· Eph. 3:19 – and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
9. TO OBTAIN THE GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS
· 2 Thess 2:14 – It was to this end that He called you through our gospel [the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection], so that you may obtain and share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
10. TO BE FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
· Phil. 1:11 – May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
While not an exhaustive list, the ten key points above show clearly that the goal of Christ's sacrifice and the goal of the Christian journey is not earthly things. The whole end goal of our meetings, our conferences, our seminars, teachings, our gatherings, our prayer meetings, our prayer stretches, our vigils, our bible studies, our outreaches, our miracle crusades, our deliverance sessions, our retreats should be to attain the points above and not to become rich, famous, or to become a star. It is not to acquire any earthly thing that perishes, it is not to make it big, it is not to be comfortable, and it is not to become great by worldly standards.
