Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?

Today I had the privilege of visiting an institution of higher learning.  I went to listen to a speaker who came to talk about the ultimate purpose of Christ's coming to earth.  The speaker gave a passionate lecture for about 40 minutes.  He was very engaging and clearly he possesses a wonderful gift of communication.  The speaker concluded that Jesus came to this earth to establish the kingdom of God.  With that I heartily agree, but still it begs the question:  What is the kingdom of God and how did Christ instruct His followers to establish it?

According to the speaker, the kingdom of God is essentially the reign of Jesus Christ over all the earth.  He explained that Christ's kingdom is ultimately established through the means of social justice - feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc.  He said that "justice, and love, and changing the structures of the social order" are the reasons for which Christ laid down His life on Calvary's cross.  As the speaker brought his message to a conclusion, he urged the students and faculty to "change the world through social justice."

I found myself nodding in agreement with much of what the man said.  He said things that I wish every church could've heard.  But still, I found myself wondering, "Did Jesus really come to change the social order?  Was that His ultimate purpose for coming and dying on the cross?"

I'd like to submit that Christ did not come simply to change the social order.  His coming was not just about feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and relieving the burdens of the afflicted.  While Jesus certainly did all those things (and much more), that was not His ultimate purpose for coming to earth.  Even Jesus acknowledged "the poor you have with you always" (John 12:8).  Now matter how much "social justice" we do, there will always be those who have a multitude of physical and material needs.

So why did Christ come?  Christ came to this earth to pay the penalty for our sins through His death on the cross.  By dying in our place, Jesus satisfied the wrath of His holy Heavenly Father.  His death on the cross has opened wide the gates of heaven to all those that will place their faith in Him.  Jesus also came to make disciples out of each one of us.  That means He has commissioned us not only to follow Jesus, but to teach others how to do the same.

Let me explain.  When Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus, Saul was a murderer.  In fact, he was going to Damascus to kill Christians.  Saul was in a state of reprobation (rejected by God), but Jesus wanted to do a work of transformation in his life.  Jesus said it was for this purpose that He wanted to send Saul to the Gentiles:  "to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me" (Acts 26:18).

In other words, Jesus did not come merely to change the social order.  He came to transform human souls - to turn us from darkness to light!  Don't get me wrong.  There's nothing wrong with changing the natural order of things, but lasting change will never occur until sins have been forgiven and souls have been saved.  You can feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and relieve the afflicted all you want, but until Christ transforms human souls it's all for naught.

I've written this post for this reason:  We need to be careful that we don't change the Gospel of Christ from a life-transforming message into a humanitarian campaign, otherwise known as "the social gospel."  I'm convinced that Christ and his followers would not have even recognized such a perversion of the Gospel.  Remember, Paul challenged the Galatians with these words:  "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:6-8).

So what is the true Gospel?  Why did Jesus really come?  This same Paul provides us with the answer: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).  May we never tire of sharing the Gospel of our Lord with both the rich and the poor - the blessed and the afflicted.  Then, and only then, will the social order be radically changed for the glory of God.