All bible quotes not otherwise marked are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016)
I think this blog has been in some ways telling you the purpose of your life from it’s inception. A lot of people no doubt wonder what life is all about and is there a purpose. So I thought I’d address it in a more direct way and perhaps in a more purposeful way for you my reader specifically.
We start out this life lost, though as children God covers us with Christ’s grace until we reach the age of accountability, and at some point we got saved. That means we were born again. We became a new creation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Now that we are Christians why doesn’t God just take us to heaven? Why do we stay on this sinful earth full of sinful people? We are in a constant war with the flesh. It’s a struggle.
Galatians 5:17
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
When we are saved, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That Spirit urges us to do God’s will. Our flesh though is opposed to the Spirit.
We are also in a war with Satan and his minions.
Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
We are in a war on this earth. It’s not a war against our fellow man. It’s a war against the spiritual forces of evil.
Ephesians 2:1-3
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
The prince of the power of the air is Satan himself. Satan is the one working in the children of disobedience.
A lot of what Christians lack today is perspective. They seem to forget that the people they are meeting on the street who are lost are the agents of Satan. Our job is to turn them. Our job is to add them to the army of Christ. It is not to condemn them because they are condemned already. They are walking corpses and will remain so until they become children of God.
I was told once that employees want three things. They want to do something interesting. They want to get paid well for it. They want to feel like what they are doing is making a difference. Why is that? Why do employees seek to have those things? Is it the fact they are created in the image of God. Their soul yearns for the things of God.
The ultimate job is serving God. It is fascinating work. You get to meet all sorts of people and you get to plumb the depths of His word. The pay is out of this world literally. It is eternity with God. And last but absolutely not the least, you are making a difference. We all want our lives to have meaning.
Let me give you a football analogy. If you played high school football, you would have liked to go to the state championship and win it. I think if you were on such a team your satisfaction would be far greater if you got to play in the game. Right? If you sat the bench through the whole thing there would be some joy in seeing your school do well and being on the inside but surely that does not compare to making tackles, throws, catches, and blocks in the actual game. You’d feel far more like you were part of it if you participated.
Guess what? God is looking at you and reaching out his hand. Come on, I am sending you into the game. The ultimate game of life. You don’t want to sit on the bench and watch the world move around you. This team is a championship team. God’s gonna win. Our victory is assured. Satan’s team was lost before it all even started. Don’t you want to be part of that?
My observation about lost people and I’m not talking about those who aren’t saved. I’m talking about people who seem to have no purpose in life. They wander about without any direction. Those kinds of people are most likely to be depressed, taking drugs, and getting into trouble. Their lives lack purpose. We humans are created in the image of God. We crave meaning. These lost souls need meaning in their lives. Meaning is something God offers us plentifully.
I will answer the question asked in the title of this post. What is the meaning of life? We are still here because God wants us to have a meaningful life in service to Him. He wants us to have crowns to throw at His feet. He wants us to look back on our lives and know that we were part of the grand plan. He used us to advance the gospel and accomplish His will.
We want to do something that matters. God’s calling you. Are you going to answer?
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Matthew 36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
So in short. Trust in the Lord. Acknowledge Him. Love God and others. Obey God. Fear (respect) Him.
Thank you for reading. There will be more God willing. I love you all. I pray God blesses your mission.
What is the purpose of life?
Hello John, I love your work. I invite you to subscribe to my feed as well. I am building a family of like minded believers who passionately enjoy writing and sharing Christ. Bless you, Jim.