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Life has definite meaning and definite purpose. The Holy Bible is our source for everything pertaining to life and godliness as described in 2 Peter 1:3. Although the atheistic theory suggests that man is here simply by a series of random accidents. It takes little depth of thought to say that man just happened to be here and when he dies, he is just dead. You might expect to hear this from a 6 year old but not from those who hold doctorates in philosophy.
What then is our purpose for existence? Only a few scriptures are required to see and understand why we are here and what we are here for. Consider the beginning of time as we know it. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." (Genesis 1:1-4). And then in the same chapter and verse 26:
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
When we consider the eternal existence of an almighty God, one who lacks nothing. One who is Omniscient, meaning “one having total knowledge“ Can you imagine such? It is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend that God knows every minute thing there is to know. And it is equally as difficult to comprehend that He is Omnipotent, capable of performing any task regardless of the complexity of it or the power needed to perform it. He is Omnipresent, another difficult to understand and unique
characteristic. The reason for our difficulty in understanding these attributes is simply that we cannot conceive of existence outside that of the physical being. Our minds being confined to the physical details of the brain cannot see the immensity of the mental power possible when unrestricted.
But this Almighty and All seeing Spiritual Being whose existence has been forever, at some point in this existence decided to create this universe and man. (ref. 2nd paragraph above) His revealing Himself to mankind was by miraculously speaking to man via dreams or visions, through chosen men, prophets, etc. who would declare His will. Until the fullness of time would come that he would send His son to the earth in a fleshly body to suffer for the sins of mankind. And to install a plan, which was conceived before the creation, to redeem men from their sinful state.
Why did God desire, or see fit to create this universe for man? God is a being which is the epitome of virtue, morality and love. He wanted to create physical man, instill within him a soul (spirit) who could inherit eternal life with Him, IF they would obey and serve Him under a system whereby they also had free moral agency. He wanted man to have complete faith in Him, respect and honor Him to the degree that such a superior being should be. Check these scriptures.
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before h im in love:"(Ephesians 1:4) [Notice the time this choice was made…jhh]
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)
There are other scriptures which add to the above, however, these give the precise reason for mankind’s existence. And since God’s purpose for the universe and specifically this earth for man, with all of it’s problems, sorrow and pains, was purposely designed to offer mankind a choice for eternity. Often people will question why a God of love, compassion and caring would subject His creatures to such horrible trials. The answer is clear. God could have chosen to create beings to live without allowing them free moral agency. Place them in an environment where there was no sins possible for them, but what would this have accomplished for Him?
His desire is that man will trust Him to the extent that they will be willing to suffer whatever may come in the flesh. Consider the life of the Apostle Paul. No man is recorded to have gone through a life of hardship and trials as much as this apostle, yet he said he considered all gain.
Pay attention to the following scriptures of and about him:
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Philippians 3:8)
“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands." (2 Corinthians 11:25)
Paul was an especially chosen man by Jesus Christ after His ascension and it is readily obvious why. It was because he was such a determined servant to accomplish whatever was required of him. Of course few, if any, others have undergone so much for the cause of Christ. But he, and all of the other chosen apostles, save one, went on courageously teaching Christ and Him crucified until they sacrificed their very life for Him. Only John (according to legend) was spared that he died of natural causes.
So, this is what man is here for, to serve and worship an Almighty God for a few short years in order to obtain a life forever and forever in glory with Him. It is the duty of man, it is the meaning of our life. So, “…choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."(Joshua 24:15)
Footnotes:
(All scripture references are from the King James version of the Holy Bible. All conjectures are those of the author)
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born September 20, 1930 near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace in 1997, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of religious and political conservative articles and links to many other sites. http://hebronics.org/index.html
I DO BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS SO COMPLEX, THAT KNOWING ANY MORE THAN WE DO AT ANY ONE TIME, WOULD BE OVER WHELMING AND THEREFORE POSSIBLY INTERPETED WRONG. I THANK THE AUTHORS OF THE BIBLE AND THEIR INTERPETATIONS OF SAID PAST EVENTS AND THINGS TO COME. I BELIEVE IN OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. THIS ARTICLE WAS INFORMATIVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO READING MUCH MORE ON THIS SUBJECT.
Thank you Friend, for reading and comenting. Life is complex. But the almighty God surely had His reasons for creating this universe and those of us who have inhabited it. Thas reason was to have glory and honor shown Him, which He well deserves. And man has had other ideas and have chosen to ignore Him. So the calamities that befall us can be charged to no one but ourselves. At least those of our number who do ignore Him.
» left by Rose Ann from San Antonio, Texas (175 days 15 hours ago.)
Thank you for this information. I am happy to know that we all have a purpose and that is to know, love, and serve God. Now the complexity of this is to not be afraid and do as God has callled us for. My prayer is that all of us will do as Paul did and continue to follow the call of God for our lives. I thank you again for following your purpose. In Christ, Pastor RoseAnn
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