Almost all religions across the globe has a “goal” of some nature. If you ask anyone who is practicing their religion seriously, one of the primary goals, to the extent that I have observed, is to “go to Heaven / be with God” when they finish life on this side of Earth.

That being said, have you ever stopped to think what is the goal for a Christian?

The Scriptures does talk extensively about Heaven, which is the dwelling place of God. It is a place of splendor, beauty and most importantly a place of absolute purity and Holiness. Albeit, is getting to Heaven the ultimate goal of the Christian? What does God say about the PRIMARY goal for a Christian? What do the scriptures teach?

To get to the end goal, we’ve got to visit the garden! 🙂 Come along and let’s think it through together.

When God created Adam and Eve, the Bible teaches us that they were made in “His image”. For a long time I thought it was the Physical attributes of God. Like…Blue eyes, black hair, tall, etc… Don’t ask me how I came up with that list! Lol! Coz the Bible does teach that God is Spirit!

It took me a while to figure out that “image” meant the characteristics/nature of God. If I may expound: God is Holy; Righteous; Just; full of Compassion; there is no darkness in Him; the fruit of the Spirit overflows in Him (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience….).

When God made Adam and Eve, He made them in such an amazing fashion that there was NO darkness in them. That’s what God meant by “His image”.

“God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.” Ecc 7:29

If we go back to Genesis and give a quick read, one of the things that God told Adam as soon as He was created in “God’s image”, was to multiply and have ‘dominion’ over the Earth. God ruled and reigned over all creation. He gave the same degree of authority to Adam and Eve, to rule and reign over the Earth.

“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28.

As we all know, when Man sinned, a GREAT disruption occured to this mirror image of God (in Adam). All the Holy characteristics that God had placed within Adam and Eve was marred by the gory of Sin. Also, fellowship between God and Man was cut off due to the presence of sin. The power to rule went over to Satan from the hand of man.

But God, who is rich in mercy, fought the greatest battle ever fought in History, on the Cross of Calvary and restored EVERYTHING back to Man. 1. Relationship with God. 2. Image of God. 3. Authority and Dominion of God.

The goal of a Christian now is therefore NOT to just get to Heaven. If that was the PRIMARY GOAL of God for You and me, He would have taken us to heaven, the moment we were saved (the moment we repented of our sins).

The primary goal of God for you and me, is that we be ‘conformed to the IMAGE OF CHRIST JESUS’ himself, through a continual relationship with God Almighty, being prepared to rule and reign in the ages to come, which was what Adam was created to do in the first place!

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,” Romans 8:29

This is the same theme we see in the garden. God had created Adam in the image of Christ (God), that he may have dominion over Earth through a relationship with God!

Only the people who have the image of God, will be given the authority to rule and reign. If we don’t have the image of God, we can’t have dominion either.

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” 1 Cor 6:2

“If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.” 2 Tim 2:12.

In the garden, God’s image was just ‘given’ to man. But after the fall, God as the potter, is chiseling out His image in us. The process may be painful, but the reason is because the purpose is great!

God intended for the World to be ruled and reigned by the righteous. Take a quick look around the world. Show me a single government that rules in 100% righteousness. We can’t. Coz it doesn’t exist. But the coming Kingdom is not going to be like that. It is going to be ruled and reigned over by SAINTS who have gone through trials and battles and hardships, now having the ‘image of God’ in them, who will be fully ready to rule with Christ in the Kingdom to come.

Every trial and battle in this life has eternal purposes. That’s the reason why Paul said what he said,

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Cor 4:17.

The next time, you are thinking of your end goal as a Christian, remember your ultimate goal is NOT just to get to Heaven, (as important as it may be to live a Holy life in the sight of God,) but our goal (or rather God’s goal for us) is to BECOME like Christ in thought, word and deed!

Every action of ours springing from the pure River of Love, to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. For we are being prepared for a Great, great Kingdom. One that will be full of Joy and Peace. ❤️

“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13.

Blessed Season! 🎄🎄🌟🌟

P.S Take a look at this in-depth article about being transformed to the image of Christ by Bro Ebinezer Perinbaraj, a long time missionary of FMPB, and Founder and President of Gospel life resources/ Gospel life.tv. You can read his article here:

Beholding Christ