Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that learns from the mistakes of people who take its advice.
(For those of you who don’t possess a funny bone, ALL of these welcome intros are humor. They should never be taken literally. Yes, there are people who read these articles who don’t understand comedy, hence, this remark.)
The other day, I saw a pastor ask this question on an online thread: “What is God’s mission?”
The responses were the typical evangelical and mainstream answers:
- To make disciples.
- To get others saved.
- To make the world a better place.
- To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
I used to believe all those things in my early Christian walk before God’s eternal purpose was unveiled to me.
The answer to the question “What is God’s Mission?” is what the New Testament calls “the eternal purpose.”
That’s the goal of making disciples.
Ask yourself, HOW did the apostles — the audience to whom Jesus gave the so-called “great commission” – get fulfilled?
You’ll never find them “making disciples” the way contemporary Christians do.
No, it’s obvious how they did it in the first century and that’s been lost to us. (My gratis ebook Discipleship in Crisis goes into this.)
The goal of making disciples is the eternal purpose of God.
The goal of salvation isn’t heaven or getting others saved.
It’s God’s eternal purpose.
And neither is “the mission” to make the present world a better place.
The eternal purpose of God is the grand narrative of all Scripture, and yet, even though some authors (myself included) have written many books on it, numerous articles on it, delivered countless conference messages on it, dedicated innumerable podcast episodes to it, the typical Christian still has NO idea what it is.
Once a Christian “sees” the eternal purpose, they’ll never recover.
I speak from experience.
When I posted the above, a number of people asked, “What is the eternal purpose?”
Lucky for the human race :-), we’ve put all the resources we’ve produced on the topic onto one page.
I trust the content will revolutionize your life as much as it has mine.
Don’t keep the word, spread it.
P.S. Last Thursday, I asked you to fill out a quick 3-question survey. For those of you who did, thanks so much. I will be addressing your answers in the days to come. (For those of you who didn’t, there’s still time to fill it out. It only takes a few minutes.)
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Your Greatest Struggle
Thanks a lot Frank, will definitely read everything Sparks has written on it at some point.
Frank, love your work on the eternal purpose. Can you list names and resources of other authors talking on it throughout the history of the church? I’ve looked up myself, but can’t really get further on the past then watchman nee.
T. Austin-Sparks and DeVern Fromke are the only two I’d recommend beyond the resources listed on this page (which should take a person well over a year to get absorb and digest). https://www.frankviola.org/2015/05/28/theeternalpurpose/
The drip-drip effect is key here. I’ve never met a person who “got it” on the first read or listen. Myself included. It’s too deep and too vast.
Thanks! I really appreciate your reply. However, if I can add to my question: I’m looking for authors along church history, or even more specifically, the first ones to talk about it.
Let me explain myself, I am from Brazil, and I’ve been first exposed to the concept of Eternal Purpose 5 years ago. It did change my life, and I really can’t think of a better framework from which to understand scripture.
However, it bugs me, that I can only find references to the eternal purpose on the 20th century and onwards. At least obvious references, there are indirect references everywhere.
It bugs me because I think it’s such a major thing. How come it’s not a more prominent a topic along church history? So I am looking for roots of this framework of thought.
Sorry for the long comment! It’s really precious having your insight into this.
Sparks is the first to speak on it that I know of, at least with any clarity.
After the first century, the Christian faith was quickly influenced by Greco-Roman paganism and many precious truths were lost.
Luther, for instance, was among the first to restore justification by faith.
Wesley, sanctification.
The Pentecostal/Charismatics restored the understanding of the Holy Spirit’s power and His gifts.
In the same way, Sparks restored the understanding of God’s eternal purpose.
Just below where you mention your book Discipleship in Crisis it says “The goal of making disciples *is* the eternal purpose of God.”
(** added for emphasis)
Is this a typo that should read “isn’t”?
Thanks. I do appreciate your humor.
Not a typo. The goal of everything I listed IS the eternal purpose.
Was that not clear to you?
My dad turned me on to your work. I’m in my 30s and he’s in his 50s. Reading From Eternity to Here now, half way through. Wow! What a book! Insurgence is next. Love the podcasts and your humor.
Thanks for putting all of this on one page. I’m going to work through it this weekend. Oh and I LOVE the humor! Keep it up. I’m 28.
Jeff
Thx. Jeff. Hope you are impacted.
Wow! I just read some of the articles on your eternal purpose page and heard one of the messages. It’s so powerful. I’m 33 and will be sharing this with my friends. They all think the mission is to glorify and enjoy God forever. Thank you!
Awesome! The 20s and 30s are the “main” audience for my work. My heart is focused on the next generation. I think all older believers also should be, though many are not. Thanks for sharing the link!
This article was absolutely PROFOUND. Organized religion has completely missed the eternal purpose of God from the Word gitgo.
It’s not just “organized religion.” It’s virtually absent in most groups that gathering outside traditional churches.
The person who posted the question and those who answered were Christians outside the institutional church.