Day 7 of the 40 Days of Purpose

“The Reason for Everything”

It seems the favorite question of a child is, “Why?” And I am not sure that this is really different for adults! The ultimate answer to the question, “Why?” is – God. And the ultimate purpose of God for our lives is that He might be glorified (Eph. 1:3-14).

Another often asked question is, “What am I supposed to do?” In today’s study I find myself in contradiction with the answer given. Although I agree wholeheartedly with the principle behind the answer given, for one’s salvation is based on a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, however, I cannot find an example in the Bible of the prayer for the acceptance of Jesus as given on page 58 (“Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.”) as the way of initiating that saving relationship. When I am asked the question by a sincere seeker of God’s teaching concerning receiving forgiveness through Jesus, I point people to examples in Acts of others who long ago asked that question, for example Acts 2:36-38:

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." {37} When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" {38} Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:36-38 NIV)

I would encourage the reader of The Purpose Driven Life that has not had a similar experience as the one in Acts, to keep praying and reading to discover God’s purposes for your life; but be careful to answer your questions with Bible answers. Saul, who would later be known as the Apostle Paul, was told after his encounter with the Lord in a blinding light to go to a man by the name of Ananias to find out what he should do. He was told, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16 NIV) You will notice that indeed he was told to call on the name of the Lord, but it was in the process of being baptized washing away his sins. Warren discusses baptism more in the book on Day 15 (pp. 120-121) and encourages baptism to be an immediate response as “an act of initiation,” but he doesn’t connect it to the receiving of forgiveness through prayer on Day 7 There is no denying that we are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9) and that our relationship with Jesus is initiated by faith, but included in the New Testament answer to what one should do in faith is the response of repentance and baptism. . I would encourage you to put Day 7 and Day 15 together, and more than that, put the Bible examples of the answer to “What am I supposed to do?” into the total equation.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, {27} for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal 3:26-27 NIV)

“Clothed with Jesus,” now that is receiving Jesus!

David