Facing Life's Challenges

"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than hidden treasures” (Job 3:20-21). Job asked this question when he had lost ten children, all his wealth, his health, the support of his wife and friends and his high standing in the community. He is really asking, “Was I born just to suffer loss, grief and pain?” If so, "Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?” (Job 3:11).

Our inquiry is much broader. When we became old enough to realize we exist as individuals, we faced the larger questions. From where did I come? from my parents? Yes, but from where did the first parents come? Then we begin to ponder why am I here. Where am I going? I don’t presume to know the mind of the Creator. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33). Moses said, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God…” He then adds “those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

There is enough revealed in God’s Word and in nature to make the pursuit of the question about the purpose of life a worthy study. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” (Psalms 19:1-2).

The answer to the question depends on our world view. The atheist believes we are here by chance and have no purpose.

The usual interpretation of “What is the meaning of life?” is “What is our purpose of existence?”
The “purpose” of a thing is the intention that some agent pursues with this thing. For example, the purpose of a chair is to serve as an object that we can sit on, because we (the agents) use the chairs to sit on them.

The purpose of something is usually defined by the individual who created it. For example, Thomas Edison produced a lightbulb with the intention that people use it to illuminate spaces, and hence this has become its purpose.
Now how does this transfer to the “purpose of life”? The purpose of life would be the intention that the creator of life pursued with his creation. But there is no such creator in the atheist world view. Thus, the notion of “purpose of life” in the sense of “the intention of the creator” is undefined in the atheist world. For atheists, there is no creator-given or god given purpose of life. (The Atheist Bible, Chapter 6.1.3)

The Christian believes, “Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27). Since we are made in the image of God, we must examine the nature of God to determine the purpose of life.

TO BE LIKE OUR MAKER

Since we were made in the Image of God, it is reasonable that we would want to be like him.
GOD IS LOVE

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). God’s love has been manifested in more ways than we could recount, but probably his greatest manifestation is, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is reasonable to conclude since God loved us we should love one another. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

Love must motivate our every action. Paul makes an incredible statement in 1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” Love must motivate the actions of a church as well as an individual. Jesus sent a letter to the church at Ephesus with this commendation. "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary” (Revelation 2:2-3). This is very high praise, but He adds, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent” (Revelation 2:4-5).