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Few people recognize the difference between function, purpose, and mission. Nevertheless, they are distinct.
Function is descriptive of the specific action or task that an object was created to fulfill. For example, the New Testament church was designed with the function of facilitating shared life fellowship between God and mankind. In contrast, purpose can be defined as the reason why something exists. The purpose of the New Testament church is to practice shared life fellowship with God. Mission is a special assignment or directive designed to contribute to the fulfillment of purpose. The mission of the New Testament church is to cultivate and guard the privilege of its shared life fellowship. |
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Purposeful Performance
Unfamiliar with the eternal purpose and mission of the New Testament church, many believers seek meaning in life through performance for God. However, discovering a sense of purpose in performance is not congruent with the will of God. Instead, it is symptomatic of fallen life and an aberration of God’s intent for mankind. Purpose of Mankind God created mankind for the extraordinary purpose of enjoying Him through intimate shared life fellowship. It allows Him to demonstrate the attributes of His nature for the benefit of the angelic host. Fellowship between God and the first man, Adam, was initiated when God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of [eternal] life (LXX - zoe).” (Genesis 2:7) Joined as one, God and Adam were able to enjoy intimacy of fellowship in unparalleled fashion. The intimacy of fellowship between God and Adam was demonstrated by their interaction in the renovated Garden of Eden. It was a special place. Suitable to accommodate the presence of God on earth, it was holy and perfect. In addition, the renovated Garden of Eden was characterized by incomparable beauty. God enjoyed “walking” in the renovated Garden, but not necessarily alone. Therefore, He made the intentional choice to walk in the Garden with the first humans. Fulfilling their intended purpose, Adam and Eve responded with the simple choice to enjoy His presence. After Adam committed the original sin, however, he was by necessity separated from God. The result was devastating. Among other consequences related to the separation, Adam no longer understood his purpose in life. |
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Jesus’ response to Martha was, “you are worried and bothered about so many things.” In contrast, He clarified, “Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Norman Douty adds, “If I am to be like Him, then God in His grace must do it, and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner I will be delivered from another form of bondage (law). Throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from His likeness. What shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, You cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. You have been in the arena, you have been endeavoring, you are a failure (under law), come out and sit down, and as you sit there behold Him, look at Him. Don’t try to be like Him, just look at Him. Just be occupied with Him. Forget about trying to be like Him. Instead of letting that fill your mind and heart, let Him fill it. Just behold Him, look upon Him through the Word. Come to the Word for one purpose and that is to meet the Lord. Not to get your mind crammed full of things about the sacred Word, but come to it to meet the Lord. Make it to be a medium, not of biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. Behold the Lord.”8 |
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New Testament Church Mission
Before the fall of mankind, it was clear to Adam and Eve that their fundamental purpose in life was to enjoy God through intimate, shared life fellowship. Their corresponding mission in the Garden was to cultivate and protect their privilege of intimate, shared life fellowship with God. The divine purpose and mission for mankind was not revised after the Fall. Like Adam and Eve in the Edenic Age, the purpose of the eternal New Testament church is to enjoy God through intimate, shared life fellowship. First and foremost, its corresponding mission is to value the intimacy of its shared life fellowship with God by cultivating and guarding it. Secondarily, the mission of the New Testament church is to “go… and make disciples of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:18-20) However, it is not fulfilled by the man who goes but by the God who sends. God alone is capable of making disciples. The New Testament church cooperates by faithfully seeking to meet conditions favorable for Him to work. There is no condition more favorable for God to work than the practice of shared life fellowship. It was designed to allow for the manifestation and fruitful overflow of the Spirit of life (zoe) on earth. Thus, faithful sharedl life fellowship constitutes the means by which the New Testament church bears eternal, living (zoe) fruit in New Testament quality and quantity and consequently, makes disciples. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:19-21; cf. 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:1) Jesus Christ ensured the fulfillment of His command to “Go…and make disciples.” He first said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth,” and second, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Therefore, Christ not only assured His disciples that He had the authority necessary to fulfill the command but promised that He would be personally present with them at all times and in all circumstances. By going into all nations, the disciples were responsible for entering into conditions favorable for Christ to work on earth. However, they were not responsible for the outcome. It was the responsibility of Christ alone. If the New Testament church had remained under the rule of law, it would have been obligated to “Go…and make disciples” by its own effort. However, the ecclesia is not under the rule of divine law. Consequently, going and making disciples is not an act of human effort but faith alone. Therefore, the contribution of the church in making disciples is not trying but trusting. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) There is no more extraordinary privilege than to enjoy shared life fellowship with God. Satisfying the very reason for which mankind was created, it constitutes the pinnacle of human experience. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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