Himself

“What’s is the goal of christianity?”

This isn’t a question that I thought was important to me. Being a believer for many years and knowing that I was saved, I didn’t think much of what else there could be after believing, until I heard a sermon on this topic. It suddenly struck me how imperative this question is, being the very fundamental question of why I believe in the very first place.

It would be strange, I thought, that if some non-believer would ask me a question like, “What do you look for in being christian?” and i couldn’t truly answer. Probably, my answer would be along the lines of, “Going to heaven”, or ”Becoming a good person”, but I never really knew the true answer myself.

It is sad because many christians like me do not see the ultimate goal of believing or the ultimate purpose why we believe. To many, believing is strictly for the purpose of forgiveness of sins and getting to heaven and that is the very end. This in itself is not wrong, but it isn’t our goal. As Devern Fromke once put it, heaven is not our goal, but a destination. Believing is, in actual fact, just the beginning. Therefore, there has to be a goal, an end that we should look for.

What then is our goal?

Does God offers salvation to mankind with nothing else after that?

I stumbled upon a song that I would like to share. It is titled ‘Himself’:

Once was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His word;
Once His gifts I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone. 

Chorus
All in all forever, Jesus will I sing;
Everything in Jesus, And Jesus everything. 

Once ‘twas painful trying,
Now ‘tis perfect trust,
Once a half salvation,
Now the uttermost;
Once ‘twas ceaseless holding,
Now He holds me fast;
Once ‘twas constant drifting,
Now my anchor’s cast. 

Chorus 

Once ‘twas busy planning,
Now ‘tis trustful prayer;
Once ‘twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care;
Once ‘twas what I wanted,
Now what Jesus says;
Once ‘twas constant asking,
Now ‘tis ceaseless praise 

Chorus 

Once I hoped in Jesus,
Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying,
Now they brightly shine;
Once for death I waited,
Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored
Safe within the veil

This song tells of our purpose and goal for believing in Christ.

Our goals are not the blessings of God, not the feeling of salvation, not the gifts God gives and not the healing he bestows, as the 1st stanza of the song suggests. Our Goal is summed up in one word: CHRIST.

Just as Paul in Philippians 3: 14 puts it plainly, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”

That was Paul’s goal in whatever he does and it should also be our goal. This is what we should press on for. It is not for what God can give us, but rather, it is the person Himself. The goal is in God, in Christ Jesus.

As Christians, let us press on toward that goal, which is God, to know him more deeply and intimately.

In the Image of God

Today I would like to share this beloved song of mine that has really touched my heart over the past few years. The song centres upon the image of God. The 1st stanza with have what God has done for man and in the 2nd stanza we have what man ought to do. Here are the beautiful lyrics:

In the image of God,
Man was made long ago,
With a purpose divine,
Here His glory to show;
But we failed Him one day,
And like sheep went astray,
Caring not for the cost,
We His likeness have lost,
But from eternity,
God had in mind -
The cross of Calvary, 
The lost to find,
From his heaven so broad,
Christ came down earth to tread, 
So that man might live again,
In the image of God. 

Now that I have believed,
And the Saviour received;
Now that I from the guilt,
Of my sin am relieved;
I will live for my Lord,
Not for gain or reward,
But for love, thinking of
What His grace has restored.
I’ll never comprehend,
Redemption’s plan,
How Christ could condescend,
To die for men.
Such a Saviour I’ll praise 
To the end of my days,
As I upward, onward, trod
In the image of God.

I’ve been reflecting about the image of God for quite a while. What did it actually mean when God said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” in Genesis 1:26a? Does it mean that we look like God? Yes, I think perhaps we are like God in some sense, not be a physical likeness, but nevertheless, a spiritual likeness. We have the spiritual attributes of God like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness to a certain extent, despite our fallen nature.

But the word ‘image’ actually reveals something more stated in the song

The purpose of being God’s image is to show his glory. An image is a reflection. Likewise, we are a reflection of God’s glory. When others see us, theywould see him.

What a wonderful thing it is if we could live out this purpose that he has for us from the very beginning, to be his image, the reflection of his glory!

Submission

The path that I have trod,
Has brought me nearer God,
Though oft it led through sorrow’s gates .
Though not the way I choose,
In my way I might lose
The joy that yet for me awaits

Refrain
Not what I wish to be,
Nor where I wish to go,
For who am I that I should choose my way?
The Lord shall choose for me,
‘Tis better far, I know,
So let him bid me go, or stay

The cross that I must bear,
If I a crown would wear,
Is not the cross that I should take;
But since on me ’tis laid,
I’ll take it unafraid,
And bear it for the Master’s sake.  Refrain

Submission to the will
Of him who guides me still
Is surety of His love revealed;
My soul shall rise above
This world in which I move,
I conquer only when I yield.

Refrain