This grace was given to me…and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 3:9-11 NKJV).
…having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -in Him (Ephesians 1:9,10 NKJV).
For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (Colossians 1:9,19; 2:16,17 NKJV).
Hall Powell’s “An Easter Story…God’s Ultimate Purpose”
I note that in the New Testament letters of Ephesians, Colossians, and Romans there is a great emphasis of presenting and explaining God’s ultimate purpose for His creation of earth and mankind to the original readers of those letters from the Apostle Paul. Of course, all of the whole Bible is about God’s will and purpose, and the intent of this article is to offer a brief compilation of the ultimate purpose of the 66 books of the Bible. Please, bear in mind that this “compilation” is my own understanding, based on my many years of searching the Bible. I believe the Bible to be God’s Word, and in my many years of teaching and presenting the Word of God, I have observed that many people who consider themselves as being followers of Christ Jesus, really don’t understand God’s ultimate purpose for mankind. In much of institutional Christianity the emphasis has been that salvation is the ultimate purpose; going to heaven instead of hell, instead of knowing God and His ultimate purpose which includes why He created mankind in His own image. Understanding Redemption in its true definition, and not making it another word for Salvation, is so critical for understanding God’s ultimate purpose. While redemption includes forgiveness and salvation, it is much more comprehensive in its scriptural meaning. I hope the following will be true revelation for some and confirmation for others.
When God reformed the created earth that had been destroyed by a cataclysmic interruption (Genesis 1-3), He cast Satan to the earth before He created mankind in His own image and likeness and called him Adam. Satan was created before Adam. Adam was created into a perfect environment with an innocent spirit as his life source. God allowed that innocence to be tempted. Why? Earth was going to become stage-center for the showdown between Jesus and Satan.
Prior to the creation of Adam, Satan, a spirit being, despised Jesus, the Son of God, and made the decision to be like Him. Satan wanted His own kingdom, the one that God the Father had promised His Son. Satan rebelled against God and God cast him out of His presence and he was given the earth and its surrounding environment as his kingdom. He became the “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30). Thus, sin entered creation, with God’s permission, and all of the heavenlies, all of the celestial beings were witnessing the challenge to God’s sovereign authority that was known as His Kingdom. Game on!
In the beginning…God said, “Let us make man in our image and likeness.” Mankind was to be indwelt with an innocent spirit (sinless) with free will to obey or not obey God. The whole universe, all creation, would be able to witness the showdown between God’s Son and Satan. They would experience God as pure and perfect love and His power to create and sustain eternal life and no other authority in the heavenlies would overcome His solemn rule and reign. God’s Son would be the first-born of a new creation: man indwelt by God’s very life as his and her life source. It is the Life of God’s Son given Him through the Holy Spirit Who will join man’s spirit with Himself, making man one with Himself (Colossians 1:27). God’s Son will be the first-born and the Head of a new spiritual body which is His Body (the Church) in an individual and collective presence “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord“ (Ephesians 3:10,11NKJV). All things in heaven and earth will be brought together in and through this body (the Church) as God’s means of ruling and reigning throughout all eternity. God’s Son will become the second Adam-man Who will redeem mankind from the fall of the first Adam, putting man back on the original plan of Kingdom rule.
So, God creates Adam in the midst of the enemy camp, the earth and its atmospheric surroundings as Satan’s kingdom, knowing that man’s innocence would be lost through the willful disobedience of Adam when tempted by Satan. As a result, all of Adam’s descendants were born with a sin-nature under the control of Satan (See Genesis 5:3). The only way for Adam’s sin of wanting to be an independent self be taken away from mankind was for sin to be destroyed and mankind be given another chance to live by God’s Spirit, not the spirit of Satan.
So, God Himself, as He planned before creating the world, sent His Son in human form to be born of a human mother who was impregnated with a sinless life source by the Holy Spirit. God’s plan was to bring forth a totally innocent, sinless baby who would live a life without sin in total obedience to the Father. As he matured, he would be transformed into the perfect Man. His innocent spirit would be united with the Holy Spirit and the Father would announce, “This is my beloved Son” (See John 1:32).
Jesus had to grow and learn through obedience to the Father so that He could withstand the coming trial of being made sin so that He could spiritually die with it, putting sin to death, to accomplish the work He was sent to do. “It is finished” (John 19:30). When sin was destroyed on the Cross and Jesus’ arch enemy, Satan, was defeated, the way of redemption was made available for all mankind. Easter!
The Cross of Christ represents two challenges: First, death to self; Second, going on to maturity as an overcomer who inherits the promises of being in God’s Kingdom. Easter is the celebration of the victory of Jesus over Satan and his evil forces. The heavenly showdown is won by Jesus Christ. The angels attested to it. What were they saying? “…to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord…having made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself , that in the dispensation of the fulness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. (Ephesians 3:10,11; 1:10 NKJV).
The Greatest Story Ever Told
The greatest story ever told, as stated above, also offers “whosoever” the opportunity to participate in God’s ultimate purpose: “Yet to all who received Him (Jesus, the Son of God), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). In Him we have redemption through His sacrificial death on the Cross, the forgiveness of sins, because of God’s undeserving mercy and love. The Apostle John goes on to say very simply, “This is the victory (over the opposition of Satan) that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he or she who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Finally, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God ” (1 John 5:11-13).
About The Author:
Hall Powell has served as Senior Vice President of Development Systems International (DSI) for more than a decade and has over 40 years of fundraising experience, including 19 as a fundraising consultant. He has provided campaign and development counsel to a wide variety of institutions throughout the country, with special emphasis in the healthcare field. Prior to joining DSI, Hall was senior consultant with the fundraising consulting firm Alexander Hass of Atlanta, Georgia. Previously, Hall served as the Executive Vice President of the Memorial Health Foundation, Inc. in Savannah, Georgia, and the founding Executive Director of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation, Inc., in Wilmington, North Carolina. He spent more than four years as the founding Director of the Amethyst Foundation in Charlotte where he played a significant role in the development of a nonprofit management seminar for Winthrop University. He also served as Director of Graduate Administration at Winthrop and was responsible for directing the Executive MBA Program as an Associate Professor in the Management Department. A seasoned lecturer in the nonprofit sector, Hall has also been an instructor with the Duke University Nonprofit Management Seminar. A Certified fundraising Executive, Hall Powell has served on the national board of directors of the National Society of Fundraising Executives, now known as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). He has also been instrumental in forming two AFP chapters. He holds an undergraduate degree from Guilford College and an MBA from Winthrop University. Hall Powell also engaged in graduate studies at Columbia International University. In his role as a fundraising counselor, Hall Powell is a strong advocate of the underlying philosophy of “donor-centered fundraising,” meeting the need of the donor to give, not putting the needs of the nonprofit organization as the primary motive for the donor/institution relationship. With this underlying philosophy for building comprehensive fundraising programs for institutions he served as Chief Development Officer, and for those he serves as fundraising counsel, he supports the Major Gifts Ramp Up Model. The model, accurately presented in 13 chapters built upon tried and proven best practices for successful major gifts fundraising, emphasizes building capacity for the nonprofit organization and long-term donor relationships. Finally Hall, is the author of The Missing Link: A Guide to Spiritual Reality
