Coming to the Father

When Jesus came to earth, His ultimate purpose was to bring to the Father those who would turn to Him. Scripture states this truth in many places, such as the following:

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18, NASB)

Why did Jesus die? “That He might bring us to God.” Jesus was not the end; He was the way. He said that Himself, quite emphatically, in John 14:6:

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’” (NASB)

Jesus is the way, but the Father is the destination. I think that, many times in our Christian faith, we really miss the purpose of God. We talk a great deal about the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, our Intercessor, our Mediator, and so on. All of these terms are wonderful and true, but they stop short of God’s purpose. God’s purpose is not merely that we should come to the Son, but also that, through the Son, we should come to the Father.