The Eternal Purpose of God in Christ

The Eternal Purpose of God in Christ

1. God in the Beginning

The foundation of all truth begins with this simple statement: In the beginning, there is one God. He is eternal, self-existent, and sovereign over all things. Yet, the mystery of this one God is revealed in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not three gods, but one God in perfect unity, dwelling in eternal fellowship and love.

2. The Counsel of God before Time

Before the world was formed, God’s triune counsel was already at work. The Father, Son, and Spirit knew all that would unfold in history. Nothing happens outside His sovereign plan. In that eternal wisdom, God determined to elect and choose a people in Christ. This is what Scripture calls predestination before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–5). The elect are not chosen randomly, but according to God’s gracious will and purpose, in Christ.

3. The Creation of Humanity and the Fall

God created man and woman in His own image, giving them dignity, responsibility, and fellowship with Him. Yet Adam sinned and brought death upon the human race (Romans 5:12). The image of God was marred, and mankind became separated from its Creator. But even in judgment, God’s purpose of redemption continued to unfold.

4. God’s Saving Acts in History

In the days of Noah, the world was corrupt, but God preserved His promise through the Ark, saving eight persons by water (1 Peter 3:20). This was a picture of salvation through judgment, pointing forward to the greater rescue in Christ.

Later, God called Abraham, a man who believed in Him (Genesis 15:6). Through faith, Abraham was counted righteous, and God chose him to be the father of many nations. From Abraham came Jacob, and though Jacob was weak and flawed, God sovereignly chose him and his descendants to bear the covenant promises.

5. The Coming of Christ

In the fullness of time, the Son came into the world as a man—Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Anointed One, the Christ. He preached the Gospel of the kingdom, calling all people to repent and believe. His mission was not merely to teach but to die on the cross, offering Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Scripture affirms that God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and through the death and resurrection of Christ, salvation is made available to all.

6. The Work of the Holy Spirit

After Christ’s ascension, God sent the Holy Spirit to apply His work of redemption. The Spirit convicts hearts, grants grace, and draws people to faith in Christ. Without the Spirit’s work, no one can truly believe. The Spirit seals believers as God’s own and guarantees their eternal inheritance.

7. The Elect and the Call to Believe

Those who respond in faith to Christ are revealed to be God’s elect—the chosen ones who were predestined in Him before the foundation of the world. Yet Scripture also calls every person to respond. Faith is not forced; it is both a divine gift and a real human responsibility. Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

8. Conclusion: The Call of the Gospel

The grand story of Scripture reveals both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. From the eternal counsel of the triune God, to the cross of Christ, to the work of the Spirit, salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. And yet, the Bible presses upon us the urgency of response: People must make a choice to believe in Jesus Christ. Those who believe are safe in His eternal love, saved by grace, and kept forever as His own.