Purpose Statements of Apostle Paul

Today I'm continuing to look at Biblical passages that talk about purpose.

Yesterday we looked at what Jesus said about his purpose. Today we'll look at what the Apostle Paul said about his.

A brief scan of Paul's letters reveals the following:

• "[God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors..." (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
• "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
• "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)
• "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:10-11)
• "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle..." (2 Timothy 1:5-7)
  

In what manner does Paul go about living out his purpose?
He serves God, "with my whole heart." (Romans 1:9)

Why does Paul live out his purpose so passionately?
"We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (Colossians 1:28-29)

Where Jesus' purpose is clearly self-defined (notice how often Jesus talks about his mission saying, "I"), Paul understood his purpose as one given to him through God's calling.