The Meaning and Purpose of Life

Finally...sorry, I didn't get to this until tonight. I remind myself to work on it, get caught up in my novel writing, and then have to go to bed. Forgive me. I hope the content makes up for my tardiness.

So--it is difficult to deal with a topic that has absorbed philosophers from Heraclitus to Derrida in one blog post. But I shall try my best.

First, in order to provide a solid foundation on which to build all my other arguments or statements, I will quote to sources--the Bible and the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

From Genesis 1:26, 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."

From the Westminster Shorter Catechism--"What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

These two quotations represent the pith and marrow of this post's topic.

Man is made in the image of God. That means he thinks, he loves, he makes decision and moral judgments. He invents and plans ahead and develops technology. Man is without doubt the intellectual pinnacle of creation. He is a creature of unsurpassed development, and though one searched to the depths of the sea or the peak of the highest mountain, no other living thing could be found to match him. Indeed, man rules over all other living things. If there are other intelligences in the universe (which I doubt, but that is for another post...), they would immediately see in mankind the dominant species of the world.

But there must be some purpose to all this. Man is made in the image of God, he has a soul--but why? It cannot simply be to dominate animals. The husbandry of nature is a worthy--and oft abused--goal, but it does not satisfy on all levels.

The answer is simple. "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever." That is why we were created. In His infinite wisdom God gave His image to man so that man would glorify Him and recognize His power and the glory and wisdom, which are beyond full recognition. In everything we do, we are to glorify God.

But what meaning does that have? What does it mean to glorify God? It means a multitude of things, but there is one very amazing application that I particularly like. I am deeply touched by incidents where someone risks or lays down his life to save someone else. Jesus, of course, gave the ultimate example of this, but there are many others. However, in our modern, self-centered culture, the notion of "looking out for Number 1" is prevalent. Often men and women are more inclined to save themselves than someone else. Of course it is not universally the case--there are thousands upon thousands whose incredible sacrifices would send chills down anyone's spine--but still, these values are being questioned. And why? Because we have forgotten what to live for. The reason the thought of a man saving a drowning child, even though it means he himself will drown as a cause of it, is inspiring to us--is something we would wish to imitate in the same situation--is simply because it is right. And it is right because God commands it. And doing what God commands brings glory to Him.

That is the center of all things. Man was created to glorify God and obey God's commands. Thus, whether one is called to witness to the tribes in Borneo, to write novels with a Christian worldview, or to own and operate a cannery in the local village, the call is the same: glorify God. A missionary is no more holy than a sales representative.

I could go on, but it is late and I should be getting to bed before long. Bushman, I hope this post has been helpful to you! If you have questions, comments, or criticisms to make, the Musing Protestant is ready. Who knows, maybe you will inspire me to write another post, thereby breaking a record for the shortest length of time between posts. ;-)

God bless you all,

~Connor

Sorry!

Bushman, I'm sorry, I've been tardy...I really will work on that post tonight! Don't give up on me. :-) Please forgive me for taking so long. It has entered my mind several times, but I never got around to beginning. Tonight I will for certain.

~Connor