September 21-September 27

Our Eternal Purpose
Chris Jones
St. Louis, Missouri

Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus is a letter we can all appreciate because he speaks to all of us. He reminds us that we were chosen to be reconciled with him and that we are blessed. Paul also reassures us that it is by grace we are saved though our faith. He calls us all to live a better life in his eternal unity and to imitate Christ’s love of his father. While this letter may have been intended to speak to the Ephesians, It sure seems as if he were writing it to me.

Paul starts us off with the wonderful accolade that we are a blessed and chosen people - we were predestined to be his children. God choose all of us to be with him through the reconciliation of his son Jesus. Paul also reminds us that his holy spirit is our deposit of our greater reward and inheritance in heaven. Do we always feel chosen? Do we act in ways that demonstrate our acceptance of this reward?

The cross brings us all together. It doesn’t really matter where we come from, our cultural or geographic heritage; God brings us all together through the sacrifice of his son. Labels such as democrat, republican, conservative, liberal, wealthy, or poor are simply divisions that we put ourselves in. At the cross, we are all the same; sinful and desolate beings brought together not by ourselves, but through our faith in him.

Because of our faith and unity in Christ, we are called to do better. While we live in this world, let us not live of this world. We are a separate people chosen as God’s children. Let us live like his children; by imitating his love, his grace, and his purpose. We need to seek and change our old path to life, to a fuller and richer path. Paul certainly speaks to a number of issues in our life and not just the big indiscretions. It seems that the little ones are the hardest to change.

We are called to a higher and godlier purpose. We have already accepted the challenge. Let us now begin living it with the full and complete understanding that we are on the winning team.

[Chris Jones has attended the McKnight Road Church of Christ since the doors opened. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia. He now resides in Brentwood, Missouri with his wife Amie, and children Bradley, Lainie, and Tristan. In addition to being involved in his church, Chris enjoys camping, hiking, climbing, and all things outdoors.]