How the Trinity Determines Our Purpose
Before we existed, was God lonely and needing someone with whom to fellowship? Of course not! Because He has always existed as a trinity of persons who share the one, undivided essence of deity, the Godhead has forever been in fellowship as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What this tells us is that the decision to create was not out of need for others, but out of a desire to share His love with others. The angels were created for that reason, and so was the human race. Relationship is the essence of existence. When God made us He made us in His image so that we could have relationship with Him and each other.
When the Bible says, “God is love,” (1 John 4:8,16) it is because relationship is the very purpose for which we were created and love is its greatest currency. When Jesus wanted the disciples to know what it was they could do to convince the world that He was the Messiah, He said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Love doesn’t just make the world go round, it makes the universe go round! We were made to reflect the love of God to others. When Paul wants to describe the life worthy of the calling we have received as Christians in Ephesians 4-6, it all comes out in terms of love for one another: “speaking the truth in love” (4:15), “builds itself up in love” (4:16), “live a life of love” (5:2), “love your wives” (5:25), “Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love” (6:24).
If loving relationship is not the focus of your life, whether that is seen in the way you care for your immediate family or the larger family of the world, you are not reflecting the Trinity. You were meant to be a love factory, a love machine in the holiest sense of those words. Being made in the image of the Holy Trinity means your purpose in life is to mimic them by loving as they love, by making relationships the priority over tasks, accomplishments, success, money, and all the other things people vie for.
About the Author
Randall Johnson
A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.