Man Headed for the Goal

June, 2006

by: Walt Bertelsen

Why do you do what you do?

There is always a reason behind what we do. It may not be in the forefront of our thinking all the time, but it’s there nonetheless. It’s helpful to be reminded of the reason—and it’s essential to recognize when we don’t know it.

Why do you read your Bible? Why do you spend time in prayer? Why do you do anything related to the Christian life? Well, your first answer might be something like, “God commands us to…” or, “for the glory of God,” or, “so I can be more Christlike.” Those are all good reasons, certainly. But you and I know that, because we are sinners, and because of our flesh, we can do good for all the wrong reasons, and even for evil reasons. Because of the deceitfulness of the flesh, good Christians can go through the motions day after day, thinking something like, “I’m doing this to please God.” I don’t question your motives—but I would like to help you think through why it is God has you do what He tells you.

I want to focus your thinking on the Apostle Paul, and on the main reason he did what he did. It was Paul, after all, who said, “imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). Paul gives several reasons for doing things throughout his letters. Some of these leave us wondering and anxious. For example, in 1 Cor 9:27, there is that frightening statement about being a “castaway” or “disqualified.” Is Paul writing this because he is not sure of making it to heaven? If you have read Paul’s letters, you know that that is manifestly not the case. There can be little doubt of Paul’s being certain of his eternal destiny: “…to depart and to be with Christ” (Phil 1:23).

With Paul’s assurance in mind, I would invite you to read his letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, then pay close attention to some things I’d like to highlight for you.

Paul had come to Christ in an unusually dramatic fashion. But, other than his Damascus Road conversion, he was like many other really smart men who know they are smart: he was a brainy, self-righteous and vicious legalist, determined to put down (or kill) everyone (including Christians) who disagreed with what he believed was the right way to God. But, when he found Christ, he rightly counted knowing Christ to be beyond everything else in life—the surpassing worth and value of knowing the Master is priceless (3:8). From there on, all of his energies were focused on one thing: to be found in Him relying on God’s righteousness by faith, to know Christ with every fiber of his being, and to know in his own life the power of the resurrection and share in His suffering, “if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead” (3:11). That last line often gives pause. But Paul had no doubt about attaining to the resurrection (1 Cor 15). It was what he had preached all his Christian life. Rather, he was painting a vivid picture of the longing of his heart—and the resulting determination to fully know God—now and in eternity.

Paul was determined to live the reality of what Jesus prayed in the garden (John 17:3): “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” This is what eternal life is: knowing God. It’s about a relationship with the sovereign, almighty Master who laid down His life for your sake.

For the Olympian, all of his training is focused on winning the gold. For us, Christian man, all of our training (disciplines such as reading the Bible, prayer, service) and all that God sends into our lives to purify us, is so that we might know Him, and know Him in intimate fellowship. Nothing more glorifies God than that His children pursue the goal for which He designed them: eternal life. What drives what you do? Are you determined to know Him?