Our Purpose in His Glory

Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

From the very dawn of creation, a magnificent blueprint for divine-human partnership has been unfolding, revealing the unchanging heart of God and His grand design for humanity. This is not a new idea, but an eternal truth: God has always sought an intimate collaboration, inviting us to participate in the breathtaking display of His glory across the cosmos. This profound purpose, woven into the fabric of existence from the beginning, continues to define our identity and calling today.

The Genesis Blueprint: Our Original Calling

Our journey into this divine partnership begins in the book of Genesis. Here, we discover that humanity was not merely an afterthought, but the climactic act of God's creative work. Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV) declares, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"    

This passage reveals a foundational truth: we were created in God's image, endowed with capacities for relationality, reason, and moral discernment, setting us apart from all other creation. The mandate to "subdue" and "have dominion" was not a license for exploitation, but a profound call to responsible stewardship and careful management of His world. Humanity was appointed as God's "vicegerent" or "representative" on earth, tasked with ruling and caring for creation as God Himself would. This implies an inherent partnership, a co-laboring with the Divine in the ongoing management of the world. This original mandate of representation and co-stewardship serves as the initial blueprint for divine-human cooperation.  

Israel's Sacred Trust: A Nation Chosen to Reflect

As the narrative of humanity unfolded, marked by the disruption of sin, God's plan for partnership did not falter. Instead, it evolved through a series of pivotal covenants with the nation of Israel, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His redemptive purposes.  

The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17)  was largely unconditional, rooted in God's sovereign promise to make Abraham "a father of many nations" and to bless "all the families of the earth" through his "seed" (Genesis 12:2-3). This established Israel's initial representative role: not just for their own benefit, but as a channel of divine blessing for the entire world.  

The Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19-24)  at Mount Sinai was a conditional agreement, where God provided the Law, including the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) , as a framework for Israel to live as a holy people, set apart in proper covenant relationship with Him. Israel was chosen to be a "special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 7:6). Their fame and reputation, as Ezekiel 16:14 declares, "Your fame went out among the nations because of My splendor which I had bestowed on you,"  illustrating their divinely appointed role as a visible manifestation of God's glory and character to the broader world. However, Israel's history is tragically marked by repeated "backsliding" and disobedience , highlighting humanity's inherent inability to achieve righteousness through self-effort. This failure underscored the need for a deeper transformation.  

The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7)  was again unconditional, promising an enduring dynasty and a messianic lineage, pointing profoundly to Jesus Christ. This covenant demonstrated that God's overarching plan would not be thwarted by human sin, but secured by His own faithfulness.  

Despite Israel's struggles, God's response was persistent calls to repentance and unwavering promises of restoration. The prophetic voice, through figures like Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, consistently called Israel back to their representative mandate, while also foretelling the coming Messiah who would perfectly fulfill God's promises.  

Christ, The Perfect Partner: Fulfillment and Foundation

The arrival of Jesus Christ marks the pivotal moment in the continuity of God's plan. He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to "fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). His life of perfect obedience, His sacrificial death, and His glorious resurrection represent the culmination of God's redemptive work, restoring the broken relationship between God and humanity.  

As the ultimate "seed of Abraham," Jesus is the one "in whom all the families of the earth are blessed" (Galatians 3:8, 14). Where Israel, as a nation, often failed in its representative role due to sin , Christ perfectly embodied the ideal human representative God intended from Genesis 1. His perfect obedience and sacrificial work provide the means for humanity's redemption, thereby enabling a new and effective form of divine-human cooperation and representation through those who are united with Him.  

The Church's Unfolding Purpose: Grace-Empowered Glory

Following Christ's ascension, the establishment of the Church marks the continuation of God's plan in a new, expansive phase. The Church is understood as the "true Israel," encompassing both ethnic Jews and Gentiles who are united to Christ by faith. This is not a replacement, but a fulfillment and expansion: Jesus brings the "people" and "place" aspects of God's plan to their ultimate goal, where God's people are now all who believe in Christ, and their "place" is the kingdom of God established in Christ.  

This brings us to the profound truth articulated in Ephesians 2. Paul emphasizes humanity's prior state as "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1) , utterly unable to initiate reconciliation with God or perform truly good works from their natural state. But then, a radical transformation occurs: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)" (Ephesians 2:4-5).  

Paul unequivocally states that salvation is "by grace... through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This firmly establishes that human effort or merit plays no role in earning salvation. This foundational truth reveals that true divine-human cooperation in the New Covenant era is entirely God-initiated and God-enabled.  

And for what purpose are we saved? Ephesians 2:10 provides the answer: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them". The Greek word for "workmanship" (poiēma) conveys the idea of a masterpiece, something skillfully crafted by God. We are God's deliberate creation, remade and re-purposed in Christ with a specific objective. These "good works" are not the    

cause of our salvation, but its divinely intended result and purpose. They are the natural outflow of a new life in Christ, empowered by His Spirit.  

Crucially, these good works are "which God prepared beforehand". This implies that God has a unique, pre-ordained plan for each believer's service and contribution to His kingdom. The Holy Spirit actively changes our thoughts and inclinations, aligning our desires with God's will, thereby enabling us to walk in these prepared works. This means God's plan for humanity to represent Him has never changed; only the    

means by which humanity is enabled to fulfill it has progressed—from inherent capacity, to the Law, and now to grace-empowered new creation.

The Church, a unified body of reconciled Jews and Gentiles, now serves as the primary vehicle for God's ongoing plan of global representation. This diverse yet unified community demonstrates God's reconciling power and love to the entire world through their collective "good works."  

An Invitation to Awe-Inspiring Partnership

God's fundamental plan for humanity to partner with Him in manifesting His glory and goodness to the world has never changed. It has progressively unfolded, deepened, and broadened, ensuring its ultimate realization through His sovereign grace and the Spirit-enabled obedience of His people.

To partner with the Creator of the universe, to be His hands and feet, His voice and heart in the world, is not merely a duty but an unparalleled privilege. It is a testament to a love that has never wavered and a purpose that remains eternally steadfast. As believers, we are invited into this awe-inspiring work, living out our purpose by displaying His glory through true partnership, every single day. What an incredible calling!