As human beings our lives are largely consumed by those things that we think are important at any given time. In reality, however, those things we think are so important are really of fleeting significance, and will soon be forgotten. Those things that truly are important, however, and that are of lasting significance, are commonly given scant attention. Mankind’s destiny is not only a subject about which most people know almost nothing, but it’s also a subject to which most people give little thought or concern.
As Christians, however, we are instructed by our Master, Jesus Christ, to make God’s Kingdom not an afterthought, but the central focus of our lives (Matthew 6:25-34). Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50). The revealing of what is indeed a mystery, something unknown to most people today and throughout history, mankind’s destiny, the destiny God has in mind for every human being who is willing to meet his terms, and in particular the destiny he has in store for us if we remain faithful, is the subject of this article.
The apostle Paul wrote, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (I Corinthians 2:7-10).
God has revealed through his word, inspired through his Spirit (II Peter 1:19-21), the “mystery,” the “hidden wisdom,” that most of mankind remains blind to, despite it’s having been plainly revealed in Scripture, yet not understood even by most who claim to be Christians. It has been revealed that “Christ is the firstborn firstborn from dead ” (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5). The fact that Christ is the firstborn from the dead means that there are others to follow. In commenting on Revelation 1:5, A. T. Robertson writes, “The first-born of the dead (ho prototokos ton nekron). A Jewish Messianic title (Ps. 89:27) and as in Col. 1:18 refers to priority in the resurrection to be followed by others” (Word Pictures in the New Testament, vol. VI, p. 286). Commenting on the same verse, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “…the Father has raised Christ from the dead, pledging him as the first of a great company who will follow….”
Scripture reveals that just as Christ was resurrected others will be in the same manner, to share in his eternal life and in his glorified form (Romans 6:5; 8:11, 16-17). Human beings were created with a predetermined destiny in mind, predestined, if yielding to his will, to be conformed to his image (Romans 8:29)., Jesus was accused of blasphemy for saying he was Son of God (John 10:31-36; Matthew 26:63-65). The Jewish leaders who accused him understood what this meant. They understood that to be the son of God in a full sense implies that you are God, in the sense of sharing his nature, just as the son of a human father shares with his father the same nature. We should not be surprised that some others, too, have been accused of blasphemy for teaching the Biblical truth that human beings were created with the potential of becoming God’s sons, in the likeness of Jesus Christ, and that we were created for that very purpose.
Yet, it’s clearly revealed in Scripture that those resurrected to eternal life in God’s Kingdom will bear the image of Christ, partakers of the Divine nature, sharing his glory (I Corinthians 15:20, 22-24, 47-49; Philippians 3:21; II Peter 1:4; I John 3:2). Why do many who claim to be Christian want to ignore such clear statements of Scripture and deny that God has such a glorious destiny in store for mankind?
God offers us the gift of eternal life (Mark 10:30). What is the meaning of the Bible, when it says we may inherit eternal life? William Barclay, in commenting on the meaning of aionios (eternal) in connection with eternal life wrote, “…eternal life is nothing less than the life of God himself” (New Testament Words, p. 37). “Life is of value when it is nothing less than the life of God–and that is the meaning of eternal life” (p. 41). “The ultimate destiny of the Christian is a life which is none other than the life of God himself” (p. 35).
Irenaeus was a Church leader in the second century (died about 200 A.D.). Although Irenaeus was affected by the corruption of truth that characterized the professing Christian churches of his era, in some areas of doctrine his understanding remained fairly sound. He was a product of the so-called School of Asia Minor, the area where the Apostle John and Polycarp ministered. The influence of John and other of the original Apostles of the first century remained strong in Asia Minor long after pervasive Hellenistic influences had displaced genuine Biblical truth elsewhere in the Roman Empire. Polycarp had been a disciple of John, and was a principal leader of the Church in Asia Minor from the latter part of the first century until his death in mid-second century.
Irenaeus had been a student of Polycarp, and he taught that the divine plan was for man to become like God. In answer to the question, “why did God become human?,” Irenaeus said, “In order that we might become Gods, that is, Godlike” (J. L. Neve, A History of Christian Thought, Volume One: History of Christian Doctrine, p. 81). This is probably a paraphrase of Irenaeus’ statement, “For it was for this end that the Word of God was made man, and He who was the Son of God became the Son of man, that man, having been taken into the Word, and receiving the adoption, might become the son of God” (Against Heresies; III, XIX). In the same context, Irenaeus wrote of the potential for human “promotion into God.” He also wrote, “…we have not been made gods from the beginning, but at first merely men, then at length gods” (Against Heresies, IV, XXXVIII). Hippolytus (170-236 A.D.) was a student of Irenaeus. He wrote, “If, therefore, man has become immortal, he will also be God” (Discourse on the Holy Theophany, Sec. 8). This understanding, remnants of which survived for more than a century after all the apostles had died, eventually became all but completely suppressed in the professing Christian world under the weight of massive heresy and apostasy.
Over a period of 100 years, the Trinity replaced the Biblical teaching of God’s nature. In the Bible God is pictured as a family, to which he has planned to add sons through the conversion and regeneration of human beings. In the Trinity doctrine, the godhead is closed, and becoming like God in the Biblical sense is rendered impossible (for more on the Trinity see our article “Origins of the Trinity”).
By the time Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, arrived on the scene, apparently even most among Sabbath keeping Churches had lost sight of the Biblical teaching concerning man’s destiny. Under Mr. Armstrong’s leadership, however, that knowledge was restored to the Church of God and proclaimed to the world. After Mr. Armstrong’s death in the mid-1980s, his successors led a massive apostasy in the Worldwide Church of God, and did everything in their power to suppress and destroy the knowledge of the true Biblical teaching concerning man’s destiny. However, this facet of the message concerning God’s Kingdom is emphatically taught in this Church, the Messenger Church of God, and hopefully we’ll be able to spread this knowledge everywhere before Christ’s return.
The faithful shall share rulership over the nations with Christ in the resurrection (Revelation 2:26-27). Meanwhile, with the help of God’s Spirit we are to be overcoming our flesh and become renewed or refashioned spiritually into the image of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10). If we are growing spiritually we are being changed to same image (II Corinthians 3:18). Christ dwelling in you is your hope of glory (Col. 1:26-27; cf. “Christ in You—the Hope of Glory”). To that end we must be yielding to Christ, repenting of our sins, allowing him to reshape us after his nature and likeness. If we do that, and continue to do it faithfully to the end, we will fulfill the destiny for which we were made.
Unless otherwise noted Scripture taken from the New King James VersionTM
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Copyright by Rod Reynolds 2025
Messenger Church of God
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