Before you begin ...
Bear in mind that the best way to discover the purpose of any creation is to ask its creator. Here we are looking at Jesus as the Creator of everything (including us). So when we ask why we were created we are really asking what His motivation and intent was for creating us. How He accomplishes this is another question and the answers are revealed in the Bible. Only first understand that we all live by some kind of ideology or worldview influencing our thoughts as we seek to discover meaning, purpose, and honest answers to our deepest longings. So it is with this in mind and to that end, since the biblical worldview is seen through the work of Christ in His Word, that if we want His answers we must start with …
The Biblical Background
Before He formed the heavens, the angels, and man; God (the Trinity) obviously made the decision to create them. And God's greatest creative work would be mankind made in His image to be His holy family. So the Bible teaches that every human being (including yourself) originated in the mind of God and was formed by Jesus (John 1:1-5). And also that both mankind and the angels would be endowed with the ability to choose (or to exercise their options). This is important because God delights in being loved, trusted, and properly appreciated ... but genuinely rather than in a pre-programmed sense. Naturally because God is all-knowing He understood the obvious possible consequences of providing His creations with any degree of free will yet still allowed for it by His sovereignty. Somewhat like a husband and wife understand having children involves some risk but also know that, with their help, allowing them to grow and learn (to maturity) by their own choices is also part of developing a deeper mutual trust and a more loving family relationship; so they decide to go ahead and have a family of their own. But, by God's plan for His family, the host of angels were formed first as His army of servants and ministering spirits. It is written that the Lucifer ("the morning star") is an angel who was created perfect in beauty to serve God
(Ezekiel 28:12-17). More specifically, he was a cherub angel whose job it was to protect and attend to the Holiness of God. Unfortunately he began to profess that he, rather than God, should be ruler (or lord). Then the Lucifer led a rebellion in Heaven challenging his own Creator's integrity and right to rule. (The Bible lists seven things God hates and pride is the first one on the list, most likely because it was pride that started this mess in the first place
(Proverbs 6:16-19). As a result of his sin, he was cast down to Earth along with the other angels who sided with him against God
(Isaiah 14:12-15, Revelation 12:9). And now, for a season, the Lucifer rules on Earth and God is allowing the angels and all of creation to see just what it would be like if he is allowed to be the prince of this world. They had already seen that an angel was the first to choose to misuse his God-given free will in rebellion, they also witnessed Jesus creating mankind in the Garden as God's family beginning with Adam and Eve, and then saw that the Lucifer wasted no time in seeking to bring mankind down with him. But, just like any good earthly father, God made provision for His family. The Bible records God's promise to one man and his family and how He kept that promise to Abraham in order to bless not only Abraham's immediate family but also the whole world. That blessing, of course, is provided by His begotten Son Jesus (Who then became an earthly descendant of Abraham) and was crucified on The Cross. Yet the believer then who can be saved and sanctified positionally for eternal life in Heaven must also be sanctified practically in this life toward the goal of spiritual maturity. So now the Lucifer goes about just looking for anyone he can harass, tempt, and then accuse before God's throne (all with the help of those angels who were cast down with him and now serve as his demons) (I Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:10). And his tactics never change; he still tempts us to sin by his insinuation that, if we obey God, we will be missing out on something great and also that not obeying won’t really have bad consequences anyway. The Lucifer then was referred to as the Satàn and the Devil (“the adversary and the accuser”). He is called this because first he rebelled against God and now he accuses man. He goes back and forth between Heaven and Earth condemning us for our sins (Job 1:6-7, 2:1-2). And this because what he really wanted was all the praise and adoration only the Creator deserved (Matthew 4:8-10).
But he soon learned he would never have that worship and so he determined to steal the souls of those who are meant to worship Jesus...to empty the audience, so to speak. For this reason, he is fully committed to snatching away as many souls as he can from the Creator before he is cast into the Lake of Fire (John 10:10) (Revelation 20:10). Like a spoiled child, if he can't have that worship, no one will!
But man was created in the image of God (His moral, spiritual, intellectual, and creative nature) inorder to know Him, to give Him glory, and to love and enjoy Him forever (Genesis 1:26-27). Giving Him glory is giving Him honor, praise, and thanksgiving for being who He is and for His gift of our life. We also do that by living according to His Word every day. Ideally, we show all of creation that God is truth and the Satàn is a liar
(Isaiah 43:7, Ephesians 3:10-11). Still, sin entered the world through one man (Adam) tempted by the Satàn and was passed down through the generations (like an inherited spiritual disease of the body and soul) so the Bible says there is no one who is good (or without this spiritual disease called sin)
(Romans 5:12)
(Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:10). That sin renders each of us powerless to rid ourselves of it, corrupts our ability to even discern right choices much less make them, and separates us from God because He is Holy.
And, although God is love (1 John 4:8), He is also just
(Exodus 34:7). Because of His love, He is the Author and Sustainer of all creation. Yet, because He is Holy, He cannot allow sin (Habakkuk 1:13). Because He is just, He demands a penalty for sin and that penalty is death (Romans 6:23). But because He had plans for us before we were born
(Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:6, I Thess. 5:23-24), formed us in our mother’s womb
(Psalm 139:13-14) even knowing the number of hairs on our head
(Matthew 10:30), and then predestined all those who would repent to be conformed to His spiritual image (Romans 8:29), He did not want anyone to perish ( I Timothy 2:3-4, Romans 11:32, II Peter 3:9).
And since Jesus was sent by The Father in Heaven (John 3:16) to save us from the penalty of our sin, we can see that it no longer matters what others think of us or even if they want us because we know He does ... unlike the world that only wants us for what we can do for them, God wants us for who we are. What's more the fact that Jesus, Himself, formed us in our mother's womb is proof there is no such thing as someone who "never should have been born". We see that we are loved, there is something much bigger going on in this universe, and that each one of us has a part in it (regardless of whose side we are on).
God's Son Jesus told us no one would get to Heaven any other way except through Him
(John 14:6) and then paid the penalty for humanity's sins by dying on the Cross in our place (Colossians 2:14) (John 19:30). Whereupon Jesus rose from the grave and sits now at the right hand of God interceding for us (Ephesians 1:20-23) (Mark 16:19) while the Holy Spirit, His Comforter, calls us in our hearts to trust Him and to witness that He (and not the Satàn) is Lord and deserves our worship because of His sacrifice for us. By contrast, the Satàn and his demon angels are why Hell was originally created and will be their ultimate destination (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). In this life though, the things we say and do every day testify to our true loyalty and are being recorded in Heaven (Revelation 20:12).
Meanwhile, there is a “cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us and by their loyalty and endurance have borne witness to the faith. Believers look to them for encouragement as each one runs their own “race of life” (Heb. 12:1-3). And the angels of God rejoice in His presence when even one sinner repents. (To repent is to have a change of heart, to turn away from our sin, and to agree with Him that we are all sinners who need the help and healing only Jesus can provide)
(Luke 15:10, I Cor. 4:9). When we repent, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit as our comforter and guide, and the angels serve as ministering spirits sent to render service to those who love God
(Psalm 91:11, Hebrews 1:14). So, although we will have troubles in this life, we are never alone or forsaken
(Job 5:7) (I Peter 1:3-9) (Hebrews 13:5).
Finally, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, believers will be judged in a review of their works for the purpose of rewards
(II Corinthians 5:10). While, at the Great White Throne Judgment, nonbelievers (those who had no real time or place in their hearts for the God of the Holy Bible) will be given what they insisted on; their own personal witness to evidence that the Bible is Truth and that Hell really exists.
(Revelation 20:11-15).
This separation is necessary and might be better understood by drawing on the analogy, so frequently utilized in the Bible, of marriage. Imagine one spouse's faithfulness being unduly challenged daily by the other. No good would come of that and their relationship could never be what it was meant to be because trust is so foundational. And that permeating influence seeps out into the community around them. So the healthy couples must distance themselves from the unhealthy. It is the same in our relationship with God where faith must be embraced if there is ever to be that peace we all seek. Then, ultimately, that perfect peace comes in the new Heaven and new Earth. Which brings us to ...
The Meaning
Each of us then is created in God’s image inorder to know Him, to give Him glory and praise for who He is and all He has done, to live in fellowship with Him, and to enjoy His creation forever. Every human being's life will be their own very unique journey either to come before God in acceptance or to be banished eternally like an incorrigible son or daughter from their parents' home. Those who come before Him in acceptance (positional sanctification) are made ready for their role in eternity by this life now (practical sanctification) and will then love and worship the Father, not naively as did Adam and Eve, but now experientially and wholeheartedly ... in truth and in spirit, as did the tax collector and the sinful woman (Luke 19:1-10, 7:36-50). Specifically for this life, we are called to witness for God’s integrity by our allegiance with His Son Jesus, and also by how we live each day. So, contrary to popular opinion today, it is not "all about" us. We are created for God's glory not ours (and what glory He does not get in forgiveness He will get in judgment). We are also created to worship and we do that instinctively. We might worship another 'god', nature, money, someone we admire, or even just ourselves. But we do have a choice; to trust and worship Jesus or to follow the Satàn. And Jesus Himself said if we aren't with Him, we are against Him (Matthew 12:30). So choosing to live our life our way (as opposed to God's) is following the Satàn (or following his example). It is a rebellion that starts in our heart and inevitably manifests itself in our life, even in seemingly harmless ways. Maybe we lead a respectable life, do good deeds, and even tip our hats to God in our own way. Nevertheless we are, in effect, saying we want control and we do not want Him telling us what we should and should not do. The problem is, when we die in rebellion, there is only one place in all of God's creation for the rebellious and that place is Hell. God knows this and tries again and again in our lifetime to warn us but many still stubbornly refuse to listen. He allows us to choose and creation and the angels see where the Satàn would lead us yet He pleads with us not to go there but, rather, to place our confidence in Him. Sadly, because His blessing of free will was never meant as license for disobedience, God has to allow us to suffer the consequences of our bad choices; first because all choices do have consequences so to deny the bad ones would have to be deceptive, and second because the seeming lack of any bad results might influence others around us to follow our lead. In many ways, rebelling against God is like a two year old rebelling against their parents. Any good parent would never permit a child to run their home. If the parents love their child, then that child cannot be allowed to win and thank God for that. It would not be in his or her best interest to win. In fact, "winning" in that situation would really be losing and it is the same for us in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and the Creator. Every time someone chooses to rebel against God's authority and standards it is called sin. Sin hurts not only the person committing it but also others as well. When this happens, He uses our suffering to: help us understand the far-reaching destruction of sin, show us our true spiritual condition, humble us, draw us near to Him, give us the grace we need to get through it, and make our witness to the world more powerful. Naturally, if God were to stop the consequences of sin, then sin itself would not seem bad at all. So it is for this reason He allows them for a time and for His purposes. And He has the right to do that (Romans 9:20). Because, as bad as this world might seem, it is still the best of all possible means to grow into the best of all possible worlds; one with perfect love for each other and without sin, sickness, or death; where the love and wisdom of God are both experientially and genuinely appreciated (just as any good earthly father would expect). Now then just as the flesh is born and lives out the consequences of its own free will in itself and others around them, so also does its soul and spirit walk through that same lifetime living in a sort of spiritual adolescence ultimately living or dying of its own free will choice. That is to say, as the time comes for each one of us in the mind of God to be formed in the womb, we are delivered unto the experiences of "choosing" and of discovering our unique calling in this life while the angels in Heaven watch and see the effects of our choices and of the Satàn as prince of this world. Then, through repentance and the exercise of faith in Jesus, God intends us to grow spiritually with the aid of His Word and its worldview as our guide and motivation in discovering the meaning in our lives. All inorder that, when we have the new Heaven and new Earth, it will be perfect and all those who live there will have an experiential love and appreciation for God’s Holiness that Adam and Eve could never have known before The Fall. So it is by this process God has sovereignly allowed for free will (together with His desire that none should perish as a result of that which is ordained as a blessing) and for the restoration of our relationship with Him. This forever to the praise of God, the King of Glory.
In Conclusion
Those who think anything like I did probably wish they would just go off and fight it out somewhere. But that isn't going to happen because it's not about God personally fighting the Satàn (the Bible already tells us the Satàn loses in the end), it's about God making a way for His family; so we meet God on His terms, not ours. This is how God wants things for now and we will ultimately accept it whether we want to or not (Philippians 2:9-11). This life is it: we decide now where we will live for eternity with no do-overs or second chances (Hebrews 9:27). We've heard it said "The end is near" and it is, relatively speaking, but also because we may die today and that would be the end of any opportunity for us to choose to follow Jesus.
Meanwhile back at the ranch our own life today, provided we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, becomes at once holy and beautiful. Freed from bondage to that sin nature and reconciled to our Creator, we can finally be who we really are, not what the world would try to make us. Naturally, if God didn’t love us, He could just start over and make a whole new family. But He does love us, even likes us (after all, it was He who created each of us ... body, soul, and spirit), and He wants us to live with Him here on Earth forever. Admittedly though, understanding what life’s about is not a problem for me anymore … it’s getting through this life that’s the real challenge. All the hurt, disappointments, regrets, and irreversible bad consequences would (were it not for God’s love in my life) very easily wear me down to even my own self-destruction.
But God, in my biblical search for understanding these hard things, has not only given me the knowledge I sought but, more importantly, the undeniable awareness that He is always here with me and does care. So I’ve learned to ask daily in humility and sincere love for Him; “What is it You want me to learn from this and what should I do with it now knowing that this too shall pass?”
Of course for myself and also for everyone, this means we have to trust God; to believe that He has our best interests at heart (Philippians 1:6). And the only way we can really trust someone is to know them. To know God, we have to read His Word (the Bible). As we read the Bible and pray, we will experience a more and more personal relationship with Jesus in our life. Then we take those simple steps of obedience (trust and obey) and watch our faith and wisdom grow. Along with that, the Bible tells us to go to church to worship Him and to encourage each other because Christians grow stronger with the fellowship, help, and support of other Christians
(Hebrews 10:24-25). Finally, we seek God's plans and purposes for our life as we witness for Jesus so that others might also be saved from what ultimately amounts to their own spiritual self-destruction (Matthew 28:19-20).
All of this to say that Jesus is the Creator and it is through His Work, His Word with its worldview, and His love for us that we find the answers we seek: the Truth.
(Psalm 119:73)
|