The Eternal Purpose of God

By Theron Jack Fox Jr.

The Eternal Purpose of God is written to show God’s great desire to have a family created out of love in the Godhead and expressed in the angels, Adam and Eve, in Israel, and finally, in the church—all named in heaven and in earth after Christ. It expands on holiness and the behavior that God expects and then apostasy of each family and, finally, the eternal blessing God intends for all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973661535

Theron Jack Fox Jr.

Theron “Jack” Fox Jr. is a retired teacher, pastor and counselor in Pennsylvania. He was also a vocalist with “The Fox Family”, a gospel singing group which toured the eastern United States in the 1970’s. Jack and his wife, Carol, currently reside in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Jack has also written articles, booklets and a book, The Privilege of Caregiving, documenting his experience caring for his first wife, Wanda, through cancer and her passing. The Eternal Purpose of God is a timely, Scripture-based exploration of the will of God in all things. Readers will appreciate the variety of Biblical quotations covered, as well as the discussion of contemporary issues. This can be addressed simply by adhering to the principles laid out by the Great Designer.

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Copyright © 2019 Theron Jack Fox Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-6154-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-6155-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-6153-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906874

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/7/2019

CONTENTS

Dedication

Foreword

Section 1    Finding God’s Eternal Purpose

Section 2    God’s Eternal Purpose

Section 3    Living in God’s Eternal Purpose

DEDICATION

T he purpose of this writing is for the purification, holiness and hope of the true church. However, I wish to dedicate the work of this book to my wife, Carol Louise Courter Updegraff Fox, who endured many hours alone as I wrote the book. I especially thank her for the time she spent re-writing, adapting and editing from my handwriting, which was often unreadable. Many misspelled words and Bible terms were rejected by the computer spell-check, even if they seemed fine since they appeared in Webster’s Dictionary. (Examples – Beelzebub or revellings). She had to figure out how to deal with these problems and correct my Bible reference errors.

So, thank you very much, Carol, for your invaluable help throughout this process, and I give you my love and appreciation as together we plan to distribute this information. We do this as a team as unto The Lord.

Also to my daughter, Heidi and her husband, Jim, who first encouraged me to write these thoughts on the Eternal Purpose of God. For months, they worked feverishly to prepare a place for us to live near family and friends and provide a place for small group Bible studies.

Also to my two sons, Theron and Todd, that they may have a lasting Biblical legacy as a reminder to live out God’s Eternal Purpose in their lives.

FOREWORD

I highly value those who have carefully studied the Scripture in the original languages and teach it both systematically and exegetically. I especially value their exposition on the portions I am using in this writing. However, I would like to share some thoughts I derived from these particular scriptures, Ephesians Chapters 1 through 3, pertaining to God’s Eternal Purpose in Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His whole family.

My hope is that the readers who describe themselves as being in this chosen family will … give diligence to make their calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never fall (II Peter 1:10).

Honest evaluation must be given to the words written in God’s Book, the Bible, by our willingness to believe, obey and follow His Word. God has … called us according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow (in love), He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son (not just to save us from hell)… whom He called He also justified … and glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)

We must also renew our efforts and disciplines to fulfill His purpose for us while we live here on earth. This will prepare us for the Eternal Purpose of glorification in His Heavenly Family. As you read, may you commit to a fresh surrender of yourself to God’s way in every aspect of your life, as part of His Family. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith …. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Christianity is more than a religion. It is a total way of life, Christ’s life in and through us. Christianity is fast being hindered by governmental restrictions while encouraging false faiths. The name of Christ is a stumbling block to many and a curse word to others. According to John 10:10, our enemy the devil, is trying to … steal, kill and destroy … all things pertaining to Christ. Sadly, as Ecclesiastes 10:1 shows, some professing believers, by a little folly, are causing a stink after they have been held in good reputation, wisdom and honor. We are at a crossroad in America. We are losing our religious freedom. We are at a place where we, as individual believers, must do as the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:27, … I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [rejected]. Following Jesus Christ is a high and holy calling, so we must live with eternity’s values in constant view, so that we will fulfill the Eternal Purpose that God has for us.

God’s wisdom concerning every area of life is revealed for us to read and learn in the Bible. If you want God’s view on all matters, read The Book and you will see the mind of God revealed to man. It is far superior to our minds. Isaiah 55:9 says … My ways (are) higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Romans 11:33 tells us that God’s wisdom and knowledge are unsearchable and His ways are past finding out. God has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness … (II Peter 1:3). This is why my subject is not supported and strengthened by materialistic and humanistic thoughts, but by the thoughts expressed in Scripture that were inspired by God.

You who call yourselves Christian should be reading the Scriptures over and over again. Have you read the Bible through even once?

True Christianity is revealed in the Scriptures and is demonstrated by a life of worship and pious living, serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Hear the description given by the Lord’s brother in James 1:26-27. If any man among you seems to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is in vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

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SECTION 1

Finding God’s Eternal Purpose

Alfie

I n my mind, I hear the refrain of the song Alfie, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and recorded in 1966 by Dionne Warwick. The song expresses much of the world’s sentiment and confusion about life, love, eventualities, and purpose.

What’s it all about, Alfie?

Is it just for the moment we live?

What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?

Are we meant to take more than we give?

Or are we meant to be kind?

And, if only fools are kind, Alfie,

Then I guess it is wise to be cruel…

I know there’s something much more…

What is life? What is love? What are we doing here? What is our purpose for living? We are born, we live, we work, we eat, we sleep, we get old, and we die. Why? Where did this all come from? Is it all by design or chance? What chance is there that we are here by design and why?

Any Hope

Am I floating through this cosmic comedy of confusion of highs and lows, pain and suffering, uncertainties with some joys and sorrows, while waiting to see how I am going to die? Is all I do vanity that will vanish like a burst soap bubble and disappear in a moment? Is this the lucky you/lucky me syndrome with lots of bad luck thrown in to keep Murphy happy? Ask people on the street or in the mall, What is the purpose of life? and be ready for some everything-under-the sun answers that can be very confusing and depressing. I did this, and the answers reveal some very lonely, confused, concerned, and often hopeless people. It seemed that only people of faith had any direction.

Having lived three-fourths of a century, I can say with some assurance that I have more questions now than answers as opposed to when, fresh out of college, I thought proudly and foolishly that I had all the answers. Oh, how often the youthful, impetuous, know-it-all attitude, with its unfounded cockiness for sure, would rear its ugly head.

In addressing the subject of life’s eternal purpose, I would hope to help anyone who is searching, hurting, doubting, or confused and may be hanging by a thread to know that there is absolute truth to make life purposeful. This truth can set your spirit free and answer the question, Is life worth living?

Sourcing

In order to get the best information available, I have researched many occupations. I have sought out people of various intellectual and educational levels and have read many of the most inspired books and letters written by them as they walked through life. One of these, an animal husbandman, wrote extensively of his life lessons as he learned in each phase of his life. After years as a shepherd, he became a musician, then a military genius, a family man, and finally a political giant. Failures, flaws, mistakes, and successes are all included in his writings. We call him David.

Another writer was raised