Our Divine Purpose

Understand Our Divine Purpose

… And the first man of all men I have called Adam …
~ Moses 1:34 ~

One of the primary reasons we came to earth was to gain a physical body—a temple in which our spirits could dwell and through which we could control the coarser elements of the universe called matter. Indeed, without a body, we could not enjoy a fulness of joy. Said the Prophet Joseph Smith: “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.” The Savior assures us that happiness. Through his death and resurrection, he gifted immortal, glorified bodies to us all following our time in mortality.
~ R. Val Johnson – Ensign, 1993: The Purpose of Life ~

In Word: How often have you given over to ask those important questions: Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? It is one of the most important revelations and truths a person receives when they realize their divine heritage and come to understand their divine purpose in this life. Humanity was the pinnacle of God’s creation. And there was a significant purpose in creating each one of us.

One of the blessings of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in these last days focuses on helping us understand our divine purpose in life. It is this unique perspective that brings us to understand the love and grace our Heavenly Father has toward us. It is the blessings that flow from the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ that enables our Heavenly Father’s plan. What is this plan? We refer to it as the plan of happiness or the plan of salvation. And as much as it is God’s desire and purpose to bring about our own immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39); how much more do we fully understand our spiritual purpose here in this life? We are to be justified through the plan of happiness. Sanctified through the Holy Spirit, and receive our reward within the eternities with Christ (See Moses 6:39).

Our purpose in this life is to grow, gain experience, knowledge, understanding, and to face those trials that help mold and shape us. Scripture teaches that when we come unto Christ and follow Him, we will become like Christ. It is through the plan of salvation that we experience a “fullness of Joy” and not the joy the world gives unto us (see, John 15:11). It is the joy of peace in our lives when we endure and overcome as Christ has endured and overcame (see Hebrews 12:2). And our purpose is to cultivate a rich, deep, and meaningful fellowship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. For Christ said that the purpose of eternal life is to know God and Jesus whom the Father had sent (see, John 17:3)

In Deed: Faith is vitally important in developing a rich and meaningful fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Faith in His Son, Jesus Christ who fulfilled his mission and purpose as the lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8). Through Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, God’s purpose, is fulfilled. We only need to walk in faithful obedience, repent and seek forgiveness, and strive to humble ourselves and to become like our Savior. To understand our purpose in life is to understand who Christ is. To acquaint ourselves to His sufferings and become perfect as our Heavenly Father in Heaven is perfect. Many do not fully comprehend what it means to be perfect. To us, it means to be complete in knowing who we are and our purpose in this life. And such personal revelation and truth comes through the power of the Holy Spirit when we seek to understand and apply the scriptures into our lives. It does not mean that we become perfect where we are sinless – for that will never happen in this life. We seek to be complete in who we are in our spiritual character and live according to the will of our Heavenly Father.

Take a moment to Ponder: Our Heavenly Father is a God of order. There is a purpose in all things. Through the creation – we discover the sense of meaning and purpose that appears to elude many people. Individuals who are lost and seeking some means of significance in their lives. Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ we not only understand who we are, each one of us comes to understand our purpose in life. And that purpose is to experience life where we are able to use moral agency to grow, to increase in learning, and to become complete in Christ. Some say, and teach, that our Heavenly Father did not need to create earth or humanity and that because He did, our purpose is to glorify Him. Yes, this is partly true. We are to glorify our Heavenly Father. Yet this is not our only purpose. Scripture reveals that our purpose in this life is to become like Jesus Christ – complete in the knowledge and understanding of spiritual truths, conforming to God’s will through obedience, and faithfully enduring and overcoming the snares and temptations of the adversary. Consider the following questions:

• Am I seeking happiness from the world or am I seeking after that spiritual joy through Jesus Christ?
• What purpose do my present circumstances and trials present for me to exercise faith in God and Christ?
• How does knowing my spiritual purpose help me endure faithful and withstand temptation?
• In what way have I doubted my own purpose, questioned who I am, and felt lost because of it?

Throughout our study of the Old Testament, we will see many men and women of faith falter, experience temptation, and go through harsh treatments from family, friends, and others. From them we learn how they were able to faithfully endure and receive blessings – temporal and spiritual – in this life. How we come to understand these things and seek God’s wisdom and personal revelation in applying those spiritual truths into our own lives will guide us toward a greater sense of purpose and meaning. Furthermore, we come to understand the purpose and meaning behind Christ’s infinite atonement.