Is There a Purpose to Life?

By ALEX REID and Hayes Press

"Is There a Purpose to Life" is an anthology of writings by Alex Reid, covering such diverse topics as baptism, spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit,, the House of God, fruitfulness, character studies, Bible book studies, and Christian doctrine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hayes Press
• Release date: Dec 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386333296

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE: IS THERE A PURPOSE?

‘I FEEL SORRY FOR PEOPLE like you. You are looking for a purpose to life, when the fact is, there is none!’ I recently heard this remark directed at a Christian by an atheist. Many people today share this opinion, that there is no purpose to human existence. It seems to me that people of this persuasion fall into two broad categories. There are those who see themselves as looking hard facts in the eye and determine to make the most of their brief span of life. Others are overwhelmed by the thought of a purposeless existence and sink in despondency and despair. Defiant bravado or hopeless resignation: are these the only alternatives when faced with the fundamental question of human existence? If there is a purpose to our lives, what is it? Why are we here?

To supply the answer to such a fundamental question God has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. The testimony about Christ recorded in our Bibles banishes gloom and ignorance. So why are we here? What does the Bible say? When addressing an audience of sceptics, a servant of God said, From one man he made every nation of men ... God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him ... For in him we live and move and have our being (1). To seek Him, to find him, to come to know Him, that is why we are here. In coming to know God, we touch the very source of our being, and knowing God has the happiest of all results for men and women. The Lord Jesus expressed it thus: Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (2).

Just as the largest part of the iceberg lies hidden below the surface, so it is with God’s purposes. When we come to know God, there can then be revealed to us the vast extent of His purposes in humankind.

Let us first focus on the end product of those purposes; that is the glory of God. God’s glory is wonderfully displayed in His works of creation (3). They bear witness to God’s power and divine nature (4), but it is in His dealings with sinful mankind, in His granting us the forgiveness of sins (5), in that he predestined us to be adopted as his sons (6), that God’s wonderful qualities of love and grace are gloriously displayed (7). When men indulge in displays of self-glorification, it is often to the detriment of others and can quickly become unseemly, even vulgar. But for God to express His glory is both right and fitting and blessing for many will flow from it.

Let us now think of the scope of God’s purposes with men and women, specifically with those who are believers in Christ. Those purposes began before the creation of the world, when God first chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight (8). They continued in our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins, in the making known to us the mystery of His will and good pleasure (9). His purposes will have a further expression in the future redemption of our mortal bodies (10). So the scope of God’s purposes in us is not just from cradle to grave, but from before the cradle to beyond the grave into eternity. All to the praise of His glory (11).

The greatest privilege that believers are given in the purposes of God is to be identified with Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is the central all-important Person in God’s purposes, the axis around which they turn. The eternal purpose of God is declared to be ... his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (12). This union of all believers with Christ is called in Ephesians 3:10 ‘the church’, elsewhere it is more fully described as: the church, which is his body (13). It is through the members of Christ’s Body that the wisdom of God will be understood and appreciated far beyond this small planet in which we live, for: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (14).

We return to our original point. Is there a purpose in human existence? The answer of Scripture is a resounding ‘YES’. It is a purpose too glorious and far reaching in its concept, that men and women who know God can only wonder and worship as they contemplate it. It is a purpose that once perceived and entered into, cheers the heart, lifts the mind and spirit and imports real meaning to life.

Biblical quotations are from the NIV: (1) Acts 17:26-28 (2) Jn.17:3; (3) Ps.19:1 (4) Rom.1:20 (5) Eph.1:7 (6) Eph.1:5 (7) Eph.1:6,7 (8) Eph.1:4 (9) Eph.1:9 (10) Eph.1:14 (11) Eph.1:14 (12) Eph.3:11 (13) Eph.1:22,23 (14) Eph.3:10

CHAPTER TWO: FOOTWASHING – THE SERVANT’S TASK

THE MOST MEANINGFUL revelations about the true natures of men and women are shown in their deeds, as it is written: ‘By their fruit you will recognize them’ (Matt.7:16). In Genesis 18 we are given an insight into the character of the patriarch Abraham. This insight is brought to light by his attitude and actions towards the three visiting strangers who appear in the chapter. Abraham acts to show hospitality to the strangers, as was the custom of those days. Not only does he offer the hospitality of his tent, but behaves towards the strangers in a most reverential way, bowing low and addressing them as ‘lord’ and calling himself ‘your servant’ (Gen.18:3). He offers them first water for their feet, then food and drink.

Although he was a rich man with servants at his command (see Gen.13:2 etc.), Abraham attended personally to the needs of his guests. He selected the tender calf for the meal, brought the curds and milk to go with the meat and personally laid the meal before the visitors, standing nearby in the attitude of a servant, waiting to attend to whatever their needs might be. Although the text does not specifically say so, it would not be surprising if Abraham had himself washed the feet of his guests. These things speak volumes about the man Abraham. He was obviously possessed of great personal humility and did not think himself superior to others, or above menial tasks.

A Theophany?

Of the three visitors, two were angels (see Gen.19:1), the third is referred to in Gen.18:1,13,17,20,22,26,33 as ‘the Lord’. It is thought by many Biblical scholars that this is one of the theophanic appearances of Christ in the Old Testament. If this is so then Abraham ministered personally to the Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps washing His feet.

These ministrations of Abraham to Christ, arising from his personal humility, brought their own reward. First, the patriarch received confirmation of the earlier divine promise concerning a son by his still then barren wife Sarah (Gen.17:19-22; Gen.18:10-14). Secondly, he received insight into the divine will regarding the cities of the plain, and the Lord’s future purpose in him (Gen.18:16-21). So the pattern established is personal humility, leading to service, followed by reward and insight.

Hospitality Withheld

We now turn to the New Testament for the complete antithesis of what we have just observed concerning Abraham. In Luke 7:36-50, Simon the Pharisee had invited the Lord to dinner. But any pure motive for the invitation can be discounted, since as the Lord pointed out (Lk.7:44-46), the normal courtesies shown to invited guests were not extended to Him. Had Simon invited Jesus out of personal curiosity, or for some other reason? Whatever the reason, Simon did not hold his guest in high esteem. Perhaps the withholding of the normal requirements of hospitality were a deliberate slight to Christ.

A Contrast

As a result of his attitude of counting himself better than others (see Lk.7:39), the only insight Simon the Pharisee obtained was a