Growing up, my mother used to ask dad to perform some task around the house which wasn’t an ordinary chore, and often his response was something to the effect that would get around to it, but he didn’t have the proper tool at that time. I bring this up, because I was afforded the opportunity this week in my discussions in the community to bring up this concept of things being useful for the purpose they were made. Everything man has devised has been wrought for a purpose, hasn’t it? We build tools to break the soil and plant the seed and pluck the crop. We made walls for safety and roofs for shelter. Likewise in our modern era, technology and time march on seemingly in a cadence that is ascending so fast we can but barely keep up. In all of this though, we as humans continue to innovate and make tools for a purpose and for their use.
What happens though when that which was good for its use; a tool like a gun, bow, knife, etc. ceases to be put to use in the task for which it was created? Of course this is easy for us to answer. Many of us have experienced the tragedy of loss that can be brought on by such abuse – for shouldn’t that be what we call it when such tools are misused? The word “misuse” doesn’t quite ring strongly enough for such times, does it? The problem is that we live in a world where so often, men want to blame the tools for the misuse which was perpetrated using that tool. That kind of mindset is largely the problem that has plagued man since the very first sin and the ensuing curses. We as humans were created in the image of God (Gen 1:27-28; Gen 2:7) and were given life and freedom to be, do, and choose. The command which God had given to man – “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over” [it](Gen 1:28). Man was created and made for this purpose. Further, Gen 2:15-17 tells us that the man was placed in the garden and was to tend and keep it. God gave to man all manner of herbs and plants as his meal, and simply stated that “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” When Adam and Eve ate from the tree which God had forbidden, they ceased to be useful for the purpose to which they were created. They were abusing God’s creation and so in their selfishness, and being self-willed, they used the created object – man, a servant for God in a manner for which it was not created; namely to serve self.
God created for Himself his own chosen people from a man who was as good as dead along with a wife who was past the age of child bearing (I would refer you to the Abraham story in Genesis). This wasn’t to bring glory or honor to Abraham, but it was for God’s own glory. To Abraham’s descendants was written [Isa 43:7 NKJV] “7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Man then being created is a vessel made to serve its maker; when we lose sight of our place, we start to think in improper terms. We start to serve other gods. We serve the god of self (isn’t that the lie that Satan told Adam and Eve? “you will be like God”), we serve gods which we have made for ourselves (material things, possessions, other people). My point is that when we start to honor and glorify anyone and anything other than God, we become that which was created for a purpose – to serve God, and we are using the created for an improper purpose – namely sin. Paul was writing about their liberties and the things they were consuming, but to the Corinthians he tells them to bring glory to God in all that they do (1 Cor 10:31). That is what we have been made for, and that is what we as a redeemed people are put to the task to complete- Glorifying God. God is the creator of the created. We the created continue to create things just like our creator whose image we were created in. He will use us as instruments of His, in similar fashion to the things which we create have a purpose and a plan for which we create, we are created to fulfill His purpose and plan. [Isa 54:16-17 NKJV] 16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy. 17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue [which] rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness [is] from Me,” Says the LORD.“ It has always been that God is the source of righteousness and so He has called all people to be His own chosen people through Jesus Christ. He has chosen us by means of the Redeemer and so we must be useful to Him and allow ourselves to be used by Him.
That requires us to be diligent in our preparation that our usefulness is complete. This requires our study and knowledge of His word: “[2Ti 3:16-17 NKJV] 16 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This requires us to put off things of the world and become people of God. – [Rom 12:2 NKJV] “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” And when we do these things, we will begin to spread His word and will and bring others to Him. We will commit such to others and they will in turn commit it to others further and so the Gospel will go forth and we will fulfill what God Has set for us to do. [2Ti 2:2 NKJV] 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. The preacher declared: [Pro 16:1-8 NKJV] 1 The preparations of the heart [belong] to man, But the answer of the tongue [is] from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man [are] pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. 3 Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. 4 The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. 5 Everyone proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD; [Though they join] forces, none will go unpunished. 6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD [one] departs from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.