Eternal Purpose of the Child of God in Scripture
The eternal purpose of the child of God is rooted in God's own eternal nature and His unchanging decrees, which encompass all things that have been or will be [5]. God's purpose is described as eternal, with the designs of His heart enduring through all generations [1]. This divine eternality is a foundational concept, as God has no beginning and no end [13]. His "everlasting arms" suggest His eternal existence, omnipotence, and care [9].
The concept of "eternal life" is central to understanding the eternal purpose of God's children. In the Old Testament, this expression appears in Daniel 12:2, referring to "everlasting life" [2]. In the New Testament, it is frequently used, appearing in passages such as Matthew 7:14, Luke 10:28, and 1 John 5:13 [2, 4]. Eternal life is presented as the comprehensive future of the redeemed and stands in opposition to "eternal punishment" [2]. It signifies the ultimate reward and glory that God's children will receive [2]. The apostle John writes to believers, stating that he has written so they "may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God" [4]. He further connects eternal life directly to Jesus Christ, stating, "This is the true God, and eternal life" [6]. This eternal life is the permanent consummation of abiding in the Son and in the Father [12].
The "children of God" are those who are brought into a gracious relationship with God through adoption [7]. This adoption is a New Testament concept, frequently mentioned in passages like Romans 8:14, 19; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:5, 6; Philippians 2:15; and 1 John 3:1, 2 [7]. This stands in contrast to the Old Testament usage of "sons of God," which could refer to the pious descendants of Seth (Genesis 6:2, 4) or angels (Job 1:6; 38:7) [7]. The newness of life that a believer receives from Christ is intrinsically linked to this eternal life [2].
The eternal purpose for God's children is intertwined with the eternal nature of God Himself. The same Greek words (aion, aionios, aidios) used in the New Testament to describe the eternal existence of God (1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 1:20; 16:26) are also used to describe the eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matthew 25:46) and the eternal life of the righteous [3]. This linguistic consistency underscores the unending nature of both eternal life and eternal death [3].
The immutability of God, His unchanging nature, is also crucial to understanding His eternal purpose for His children. Malachi 3:6 states, "I change not," which is interpreted as God's immutable faithfulness in fulfilling His promises [14]. This unchangeableness ensures that His purposes, including those for His children, will be brought to fruition [14]. The Lord's purpose is eternal, and His designs endure through all generations [1].
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, plays a pivotal role in the eternal purpose. He is celebrated as both the creator and the one who will bring the created order to an end [11]. While all created things will eventually wear out, the Son of God will live forever [11]. His name and reign are also described as enduring forever [10]. John Gill, commenting on Psalm 72:17, explains that Christ's name enduring forever signifies that "he himself should continue in his office for ever: his throne is for ever and ever; of his government there will be no end; his kingdom is an everlasting one" [10]. This eternal reign of Christ is directly connected to the eternal security of His spiritual seed. Gill, in his commentary on Psalm 89:28, interprets "His seed also will I make to endure for ever" not as a lineage of earthly kings, but as the Messiah's spiritual seed—those adopted through Him, regenerated by His Spirit, and born again in His church [8]. This enduring nature of Christ's spiritual seed denotes the final perseverance of believers [8].
The eternal purpose for the child of God, therefore, is not merely a prolonged existence but a participation in the eternal life that is found in Christ, secured by God's unchanging nature and His eternal decrees. This purpose culminates in the "Sabbath of rest" for the redeemed [2].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 33:11 (BBE) — The Lord's purpose is eternal, the designs of his heart go on through all the generations of man.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Eternal life — This expression occurs in the Old Testament only in Dan. 12:2 (R.V., "everlasting life"). It occurs frequently in the New Testament (Matt. 7:14; 18:8, 9; Luke 10:28; comp. 18:18). It comprises the whole future of the redeemed (Luke 16:9), and is opposed to "eternal punishment" (Matt. 19:29; 25:46). It is the final reward and glory into which the children of God enter (1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Rom. 6:22; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 5:21); their Sabbath of rest (Heb. 4:9; comp. 12:22). The newness of life which the believer derives from Christ (Rom. 6:4) is the ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Eternal death — The miserable fate of the wicked in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7). The Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the penal sufferings of the lost as the "everlasting life," the "eternal life" of the righteous. The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion, aionios, aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of God (1 Tim. 1:17; Rom. 1:20; 16:26); (2) of Christ (Rev. 1:18); (3) of the Holy Ghost (Heb. 9:14); and (4) the eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matt. 25”
- 1 John “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. -- 1 John 5:13”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- 1 John “We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. -- 1 John 5:20”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Son of God — The plural, "sons of God," is used (Gen. 6:2, 4) to denote the pious descendants of Seth. In Job 1:6; 38:7 this name is applied to the angels. Hosea uses the phrase (1:10) to designate the gracious relation in which men stand to God. In the New Testament this phrase frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to God by adoption (Rom. 8:14, 19; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 4:5, 6; Phil. 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2). It occurs thirty-seven times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour. He does not bear this title in consequence of his mirac”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 89:28: His seed also will I make to endure for ever,.... Not a race of kings from David, which ended at the Babylonish captivity; not the natural seed of David, not the Messiah himself, who sprung from him, but the Messiah's spiritual seed, which were given him by the Father, adopted through him, regenerated by his Spirit and grace, begotten through his Gospel, and the ministry of it, and born again in his church, and to whom he stands in the relation of the everlasting Father, Isa 9:6. The "enduring" of these "for ever" may denote the final perseverance of particular belie”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 33:27: 33:27 God’s everlasting arms suggest his eternal nature (he has always existed and always will), omnipotence (power), and care. God’s power would evict the Canaanites from the Promised Land so that Israel could enter and occupy it.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 72:17: His name shall endure for ever,.... As a King; for he is chiefly spoken of here in his kingly office: not merely the fame of him; for so the fame of an earthly king; even of a tyrant, may continue as long as the world does; but the meaning is, that he himself should continue in his office for ever: his throne is for ever and ever; of his government there will be no end; his kingdom is an everlasting one; he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and on the throne of David, for ever and ever: he shall have no successor in this his office, any more than in the priestly o”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 1:10: 1:10-12 These verses, quoting Ps 102:25-27, celebrate the Son as both the creator and the one who brings the created order to an end. All created things will wear out like old clothing, and the Son will discard them (cp. Heb 2:5; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1). By contrast, the Son of God will live forever.”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 2:25: this is the promise--Eternal life shall be the permanent consummation of thus abiding in the Son and in the Father (Jo1 2:24). he--Greek, "Himself," Christ, "the Son" (compare Jo1 1:1). promised-- (Joh 3:15, Joh 3:36; Joh 6:40, Joh 6:47, Joh 6:57; Joh 17:2-3).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 33:27: Scripture reads everlasting to teach that it shall always be so. The hand will not weaken, and your covering ( ma’on ) will not be removed, for He is the eternal God. The meaning of kedem (everlasting) is that God has no beginning and no end. Scripture speaks in human terms when it speaks of beginning and end. 180 In reference to God. The Gaon says that and underneath means and underneath God. He did not explain anything.”
- Malachi (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Malachi 3:6: the Lord--Jehovah: a name implying His immutable faithfulness in fulfilling His promises: the covenant name of God to the Jews (Exo 6:3), called here "the sons of Jacob," in reference to God's covenant with that patriarch. I change not--Ye are mistaken in inferring that, because I have not yet executed judgment on the wicked, I am changed from what I once was, namely, a God of judgment. therefore ye . . . are not consumed--Ye yourselves being "not consumed," as ye have long ago deserved, are a signal proof of My unchangeableness. Rom 11:29 : compar”