One Incredible Goal

The Bible focuses on one fundamental outcome, one incredible goal—for God to increase His family! This is the incredible human potential.

King David of Israel once asked the awesome Creator God why He was so interested in man.

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).

David had an inquiring mind. He wanted to know why God has given us such an incredible human potential. He knew that God watches over man because of man’s great potential and that He does not want anybody to lose out.

As sure as humans will die, they will also have the opportunity to be rescued in one of the promised resurrections (Revelation 20:5-6). At the beginning of a 1,000-year span some few will become spirit beings in a first resurrection. The majority, however, will awake again as mortals at the end of the thousand years, in a second resurrection (Ezekiel 37:1-14). Still human, they will have their eyes opened and be able to finally understand and choose their incredible potential.

The Scriptures abundantly picture mankind’s potential, and indeed it can be said that man’s potential is the very reason we have a Bible. It is God’s instruction book about man’s potential.

Is man just an animal?

Just like an animal, man is bound to die; but unlike the animals, his opportunity for an incredible potential beyond the grave is also sure. In so many ways we humans are similar to the animals, but the Great God is much more mindful of us.

A newborn baby knows no more than any flesh-and-blood animal at a similar stage in life—and generally less, since humans don’t have the same level of instincts. Humans and animals are both subject to death. Just like the animals, man is very much subject to aging, and every year a man lives he loses an average of at least 1 percent of his life.

There are, however, monumental differences. Unlike the animals, man is continually building on and improving his knowledge, his skills and his creative ability. He explores, composes, paints, invents, diagnoses, etc. His knowledge is continually being updated, added to and improved upon.

Some might say that with the scale of man’s intellect, he deserves something more than the animals deserve. Or, because man is flesh and blood like the animals, they might say that his vast intellect is trapped within an animal kind of body. Birds build nests, spiders spin webs and beavers build dams; but creatively these are ceilings they can never go beyond.

So, how does this “incredible potential” square with the fact that we are so much like the animals—both on a one-way journey to eternal death?

Mortality and immortality

The fact is that man’s life-long journey to eternal death can be diverted onto the alternative route of eternal life. Eternal life is a prospect for mortal man just as eternal death is. We have been given freedom to choose.

Were we born to bridge the gap between what is a very animal, temporary existence, and the spirit, eternal existence we can have? Our Bibles leave us in absolutely no doubt that we can contemplate, pursue and achieve a life that is not temporary but prolonged indefinitely.

Bridging the gap

Has this gap between being mortal and becoming immortal ever been bridged? Yes, Someone has already bridged the gap between being human and being immortal. It is He who took it on Himself to die for our sins, enabling “many” more to see and achieve their incredible potential (Hebrews 2:9-10).

Not only did Jesus Christ pass from mortal into eternal life, but through His sacrifice He paved the way for many others to embark on that same existence.

Because man is in so much debt due to sin, he could not possibly accomplish it. Somebody had to pay the cost. Jesus Christ’s shed blood was that cost. He paid for and secured our incredible potential.

That is why God is so very mindful of man. Mindfully He sent Jesus Christ that He might die for us. It is only through Christ’s sacrifice that man can achieve the great potential of eternal life.

Why is God so mindful of man? God is nurturing His future sons and daughters and hoping they will join Him for eternity. We all have that choice.

Read more about that incredible goal to be in God’s family forever:

• Imagine!
• The Mystery of the Kingdom

Eddie and Sandra Johnson serve the membership in the Tonbridge, England, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. He is an ordained elder.