A reader asked me, “What is the meaning of life”. I will attempt to answer that question. I’ll start by saying, without God it doesn’t mean much. If life is just some freak accident, it has no meaning at all. We can all just continue in our self-centered ways and do all we can to please ourselves at anyone else’s expense. I envision a godless society as total anarchy, without a code of conduct or rules to govern it. If on the other hand there was a designer or creator it holds these things must exist. And not only a code of conduct and rules or laws, but there must exist a documented purpose for our existence. God’s existence is central to the question concerning the meaning of life.
I believe we have all of these requirements documented in our Bible. Most professing Christians will tell you our code of conduct and laws come from God and are documented in the Bible. Most can direct you to the passages that prove this. They will point to the creation in Genesis as documented evidence that we have a creator and to Exodus for the giving of the law by God himself. Included in that law are the basic tenants of our behavioral code. Love! Love God and love your neighbor. Included in the first five books of the Bible are detailed instructions on how to live using these tenants. What is safe to eat and what is not, how to treat afflictions and disease. It even instructs us to forgive debt and return property to original owners every 50 years. This only summarizes a few of the many instructions from God on how to conduct ourselves. The point I’m making is, we were furnished with all necessary instructions by our creator. But did he say what our ultimate purpose is? He did!
God wants to increase the size of the God family and the purpose of life is to qualify for adoption into that family.
Philippians 2:14-15 (KJV)
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Romans 8:16-21 (KJV)
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
John 1:12 (KJV)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
God created man to look like God.
Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)
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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
We are named after God.
Ephesians 3:14-15 (KJV)
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
We are to love God and love one another.
1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
We show that love by obeying God.
1 John 5:2-3 (KJV)
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Love is the meaning of life.
John 14:21 (KJV)
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
James 2:8 (KJV)
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
God rewards those who follow this law of love.
John 14:15-18 (ESV) “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Jesus is preparing a place for those who love God and man.
John 14:2-3 (KJV)
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
That place will be brought to earth.
Revelation 21:2-7 (KJV)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
God intends for us all to be family, free of strife, disease, pain, suffering, and even death. Yes and that will be here, on earth. Do you believe Jesus?
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