Teaching the Whole Purpose of God for the Salvation of Sinners

This is a Bible study – perhaps a series of studies. It's to your advantage to read it all, along with all the included Scriptures.

Adam and Eve in the garden, Noah in the ark, Daniel in the lion's den, Jonah in the belly of the big fish, Lazarus coming forth from the tomb – these and many more unusual Bible stories are often ridiculed because the sceptics have not understood their place from God's perspective. Why was Noah in the ark? Why was Daniel in the lion's den? Why was Jonah in the belly of the fish? What is the meaning behind Jesus raising Lazarus from death? If sceptics spent more time asking why, and less time ridiculing unusual things they don't understand, they would see what God is doing.

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Acts 2:23-24

And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:25-27

The Greek word for "plan" and "counsel" is boulē. It means 'purpose.' In Acts 20:27, 'the whole purpose'. We repeat: the whole purpose. Jesus' death was in God's purpose. Paul declared God's whole purpose. Jesus' death was the focal point of God's whole purpose.

"The boulē was an advisory citizen body of the Athenian democracy. Members had to be over 30 and citizens could serve on it twice, which was more than other elected offices. There were either 400 or 500 members of the boule, who were selected by lot in equal number by each of the ten tribes. In Aristotle's Constitution of Athens, he attributes to Draco a boule of 401 members, but Solon is generally taken as the one who started the boule, with 400. The boule had its own meeting house, the bouleterion, in the Agora."

-    Source: The Ancient Greek Council, thoughtco.com

The boulē or advisory council that the inspired Paul talks about – the purpose of God – was in the true and living God's mind – His own advisory body: the Godhead, comprising Father, Son and Holy Spirit!! Before the foundation of the world, this divine council came up with a plan to redeem sinners and take them to heaven to live eternally. Ephesians 1:3-14.

In Acts 20:25, Paul says he went about "proclaiming the kingdom," while in verse 27, Paul said he "did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God" – the whole purpose or plan of God.

When we today proclaim the kingdom of God, we must proclaim the whole plan of God – not just a few favourite proof texts! The whole purpose gives you the big picture: how God has worked through people, nations and events over thousands of years; i.e you see God's divine plan at work in history to suit His purposes. When you understand the importance of explaining God's purpose, you understand why many sermons in the New Testament are long! In fact, the whole Bible is explaining the whole purpose of God! The Bible is a very long sermon!!

While preaching in Pisidian Antioch, Acts 13:16-41, Paul said:

"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation … 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, "'You are my Son, today I

have begotten you.'

34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this

way, "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, "'You will not let your Holy One see corruption.' 36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37 but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: 41 "'Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.'"

42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:26,32-48.

 

Boulē is used here in verse 36 to say that David "served the purpose of God in his own generation." Are you serving the purpose of God in your generation?

Then in verse 34, Paul speaks of the connection between "the holy and sure blessings of David", and the resurrection of Jesus! Compare Romans 1:1-6. The whole sermon connects God's promise to Abraham, Israel's exodus out of Egypt, and then David, with the salvation of all sinners in Jesus. It discusses the whole purpose of God to save all people – Jews and Gentiles. It is a great place to do evangelism with a non-Christian. It gives spiritual perspective!

Notice the idea of purpose or intent in verse 46-47, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" "It was necessary"! Why was it necessary? Because it was in God's purpose!!

'Boulē' is found in some dozen places in the New Testament. Here's one other of those significant places:

When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. Luke 7:20-30.

John's baptism was in God's plan, but rejected by some Pharisees and Lawyers. Jesus' baptism is also in God's plan, as is plain to see:

And Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16

Sadly, today, many reject God's purpose when they distort that purpose by claiming water baptism is not essential for salvation. They do this because they have not bothered to look at God's whole scheme. God has a purpose for faith, a purpose for confession of faith, a purpose for repentance and a purpose for baptism. But shallow Bible study misses all this. It's why 2 Timothy 2:14-15 is so important for Bible teachers. Read it now.

Messing with God's purpose is a terribly dangerous – not to mention - "God-dishonouring" thing to do. Beware!

Luke 23:51; Acts 2:23; 4:26; 5:38; 27:12,42; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 1:11 and Hebrews 6:11 are the other places boule is found. (Acts 13:46, referred to above, uses different words for "it was necessary.") Here's one of those, but try reading all of them!

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guaranteed of our inheritance until we acquire

possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-14

Are you in the purpose of God? Has God worked in your life "all things according to the counsel of his will"?

He certainly wants to! The question is: do you want to be in God's purpose?

Some questions for thought:

1.    How do Adam and Eve fit into God's purpose?

          Just read Romans 5.

2.    Is the devil real, and how does he relate to God's purposes?

       Read Genesis 2 and 3; Mathew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:7-8, and Revelation 12.

3.    Are Noah, the ark and the flood part of God's purpose?

       Read Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:22-37; 1 Peter 3:18-22. God will not forever tolerate evil.

       Judgment is real, just as salvation is real. A real Noah helps us to understand this as reality.

4.    What about Abraham and Sara?

       Next to Jesus, Abraham is the most important person in the Bible! That "the just shall live by faith" is a         promise God first gave to Abraham, and later to a prophet. Genesis 15:1-6; 22:1-18; Habakkuk 2:4.

5.    How does God use Israel in His purposes?

       Read Matthew 1.

6.    Why is David such an important figure in God's plan?

       As well as being in the line of kings leading to Jesus, who will be the Son of David, David helps us understand how a Jew could live under the Law of Moses, and love that Law, yet realise that forgiveness comes only through God's grace. Read Psalms 32, 51 and 119.

7.    What about prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Micah, Jonah and Malachi.

       Jonah and the big fish, so often thought of as a mythical story, is in fact God's way of showing His  impartial love of all people, as well as being a type of the resurrection of Christ after 3 days.

       Would Jesus compare His resurrection after three days to a mythical story unworthy of belief??

       When you read the whole Book of Jonah, the fish bit is only part of a much bigger purpose. It is why God

regurgitated Jonah from the fish after 3 days that is the real point. But people who zero in on one unusual aspect, but miss the context, fail to see the importance of God's overall purpose, and thus resort to ridicule. When you don't understand something, ridicule it!! Why? Because you are only interested in serving your own interests. You are not interested in the things of God, or even whether there is a god. You just want to live in your own little world, oblivious to God's purpose for you.

8.    What use are the numerous genealogies we find in both Old and New Testaments?

       These family trees are as real as your family tree. They are not composed of make-believe people.

       All the names mentioned in those genealogies fit nicely into God's purpose. Try 1 Chronicles 1 – 8 and Luke 3:23-38.

9.    Why do we have an Old Covenant and a New Covenant?

       The Old one served its purpose and was then replaced by the New one! The Old anticipated the coming of the Saviour. Luke 24:27,44-47; John 5:39-40; 2 Timothy 3:14-17. The New reveals that Saviour. Read the following in the New Testament to get a snapshot of Jesus the Lord and Saviour: Mark chapters 1, 2 and 8; John 1:9-18,29; 2:18-22; 12:23-32,42-50; 15:26-27; 16:1-15; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 8:1-13; 9:11-14,27-28; 10:1-18; Revelation 1:12-18; 7:9-17; 11:15; 12:10-11.

10.  How is Jesus the fulfillment of all this?

       Try reading Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 3:19-26; 10:1-17; Galatians 3:1-29; Hebrews 10:1-23.

When you look at the whole Bible to see how God has planned His work, and worked His plan, you see clearly that

many characters, places and events, assumed by sceptics to be mythical, are actually factual - having important parts to play in God's plan. Serious misunderstandings occur when you separate unusual incidents from the larger context. From the day of Adam and Eve, and the later promise made to Abraham, God worked in the lives of an enormous number of people until Jesus was "born of a virgin, born under the Law" – born to save believers from their sins so they could live forever with God.

God desires the salvation of all men, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, but saves only those who want to be saved. John 5:39-40.

God has a purpose in sin, suffering, tragedy, and sorrow.

He has a purpose for grace, faith, healing, joy and plenty.

He has a purpose for the material as well as the spiritual.

He has a purpose for the now, the future, and eternity.

He has a purpose for you.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes said,  "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1, but read to verse 8.

It's all in His big picture. And yet, as Paul said under divine inspiration:

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

In Ephesians 1:11, quoted earlier, 'purpose' is prothesis, while 'counsel' is boulē. In Romans 8:28, "purpose" is "prothesis," which means setting forth, intending, predetermining.

But whether the word is boulē or prothesis, we can be sure that God works all things after the purpose of His will!

Isaiah 46:5-11.   The Bible reveals that purpose. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Without that purpose, life has no purpose.

 

David Hunter