FUTILITY AND SUCCESS

FUTILITY AND SUCCESS

Ecclesiastes 1:2-12:8 addresses several aspects of futility, emptiness, which sometimes comes as worldly fulfillment.

But worldly success is not true success.

True success is accomplishing God's assignments.

Since God alone is the sovereign authority over the universe, then God's agenda is the only valid agenda.

Success is a matter of accomplishing God's mission.

ANALOGY

The conflict between God's view of success and man's view of success can be seen in this analogy.

A person is employed by another person. He is given his assignment, he is provided the tools, he is trained, he is financed by the owner to do the job. However, the person sets his own schedule, rather than abiding by the owners schedule. He only dabbles in his appointed task during his working hours. Instead, he spends time, energy and supplies on his own personal projects. He accomplishes the tasks on his "to do" list, but the company objectives remain undone.

Likewise, God is the Owner, Manager and CEO, the Head of the Church. He is the Lord and Master of those who believe. We have been bought with the price of Christ's sacrifice, therefore we are not our own, but His. Our abilities, our time, our energy, our lives are His. We are ransomed, redeemed for His purposes, not our own. Our salvation is a gift. But our submission, our obedience, our service to Him is required.

Those who claim to be Christians, but are not yielding to Christ as Lord are not even saved (Ro. 10:9-10). Those who are not bearing spiritual fruit will be cut off and burned (Jn. 15:6).

WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS.

Romans 6:16-22

(16)  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

(17)  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

(18)  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

(19)  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

(20)  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

(21)  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

(22)  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

(19)  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

(20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.