Bible Study #2: Your Purpose
as a Born Again Christian
Purpose of Study: for student to understand their primary purpose as Christian is through love to serve others.
I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John
6:38 . . . I always do the things that are pleasing to Him. John 8:29
Jesus’ purpose on this earth was to do the will of the
Father, and to do the things that are pleasing to Him.
This is also our purpose.
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you
complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in
His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Hebrews 13:20-21
(Note: help the person to understand Jesus’ purpose and their purpose is same - John 20:21)
To accomplish your purpose to do God’s will, and do the things that
please Him, then you must know His will, the things that please Him.
What is the will of God for Your life?
The Bible identifies for you some statements which summarize all of God’s
will for your life, the things that are pleasing to Him. Thus, these
statements summarize all God wants you to be and do as a Christian.
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him, 'You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and
the Prophets. Matthew 22:36-37
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has
fulfilled the law. 9 . . . and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up
in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no
harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity
for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one
word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14
(NOTE: Emphasize these texts are summary statements of God’s will;
point out Romans 13:9 -“ summed up”)
Jesus summarized all of God’s will in two commandments: love ___God ,
and love your ___neighbor .
The Scriptures written by Paul summarized all of God’s will in one
commandment: love your ___neighbor .
How can Jesus’ two commandments (love God and love others) be the
same as Paul’s one commandment (love others)?
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love
his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And
this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1 John 4:20-21
Loving God means I must love brother (others - my neighbor.
To separate loving others from loving God is impossible!
The command to love your neighbor requires first you love your God!
(NOTE: help person understand you cannot hate a person and love God, this is impossible)
What does it mean to love your neighbor?
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the
flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in
this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14
Paul’s two statements are the same truth.
To __love your neighbor is to serve your neighbor
Thus, your purpose statement that summarizes all God wants you to be
and do is: Through love (loving God and loving others)
serve one another (your neighbor)
Your purpose statement is confirmed by Jesus’ life
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many. Mark 10:45
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ
did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell
on Me. Romans 15:2-3
"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet. John 13:14
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you
also love one another. John 13:34
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6
In your own words summarize the essential truth of these verses:
(NOTE: Help person understand Jesus came to serve not be served, and has shown us that we too must serve rather than be served. Serving others is how we love God and others. Emphasize - Christianity is not about you, its about God and others; use “ JOY” - Jesus first, others second and you last)
Who is your neighbor?
Read Luke 10:29-37. From this text write a definition for your neighbor:
A neighbor is whoever God puts in our life to serve and meet their needs
Read Mark 10:43-44. Who are you to serve?
I should be slave to all
Read Galatians 6:9-10. Who are you to serve (i.e., do good to)?
I should serve all men, especially those of in the church
Who gives you the opportunity in Galatians 6:10 to do good to your neighbor?
God gives us the opportunity to do good
Why must you do good especially to those who are believers (your
church family)?
My doing do by serving my church family gives a good testimony to those in world looking at the church
(NOTE: Emphasize the importance of good testimony - if the church is not serving one another inside the walls of the church, why would anyone want to be a part of the church)
What sets you apart as a Christian from the world in the
area of serving others?
You have heard, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love
your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for
those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven; . . .46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? . . .47 "And if
you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Matthew 5:43-47
The world hates its enemies but the Christian loves______________
his/her enemies .
Thus, my neighbor is anyone who has a need, including my enemies.
(NOTE: Emphasize that God’s love is sacrificial love that sacrifices self for the benefit of others, even God’s own enemies. We as Christians must have this same kind of love - its what sets us apart from the rest of the world)
How can you love your enemies?
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled
again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
From what bondage has Christ freed you (see John 8:34)?
Christ has freed us from the bondage of sin, i.e., serving self
According to Romans 6:6-7, how were you freed from the bondage of sin?
Christ enabled us to crucify old man (self) - become dead to sin and serving self
What is our old man (Romans 6:6)? Look at the texts below from
Galatians 5 to find the answer:
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25
The old man is our flesh nature with all its lust, passions, and
desires. (Read Romans 8:5-8 to learn more about our flesh nature)
(NOTE: help person to understand mind set of flesh is choice to please and serve self - self is lord and in control - when we let self control produces death - sin. Point out in vv7 mind set on flesh/self is hostile to God. Emphasize when self is in control - you cannot please God - fulfill God’s purpose for your life - consequences - no life or peace, vv6)
The old man, our flesh, is our natural self centered nature we all are
born with. Our self centered nature is not able to love our enemies!
You are able to love your enemies because you have been set free
from the slavery of serving self and your natural lusts,
passions and desires!
You have been freed from serving self to serve God by serving others.
How Do We Crucify Our Old Man, Our Flesh?
Read the following texts and identify what it means to crucify the old man.
Romans 6:6-7; 11-14 Make choice to die to self - not let sin reign or control you - not to let self and sin be your master, AND to choose to serve God (by serving others)
Galatians 2:20 it is no longer I who live - I am not in control of my life - its is Christ lives in me - I have given control of my live to Jesus and His Holy Spirit that dwells in me - I live by faith in Jesus
Matthew 16:24-25 Once for all deny self (renounce self as Lord ie salvation confession - turn from self to Jesus as Lord; take up cross - continue to die to self daily; follow Jesus - fulfill your purpose just like Jesus fulfilled His purpose - Do will of Father and please Him by serving others
(NOTE: help person understand what it meant to Jesus’ disciples when He said, “take up your cross” It meant they must be willing to die for Jesus - give their own lives for Jesus. Primarily that meant dying to self and giving Jesus full control of your life - for daily see Luke 9:23)
(NOTE: Help person understand meaning of vv25 - must lose life - die to self to gain life - if self is serve - seek save life - life is lost - suffer loss of that which seek to save)
God’s Summary Statement for His Purpose for My Life
Through love , serve one another.
Such a statement keeps you properly focused. Servanthood must be the
foundation for every interpretation and application of Scripture to your life.
Write below your own personal purpose statement as a child of God: