What is the meaning of life?

[Paul]

What is the meaning of life?

The Bible answers by stating that the meaning of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us that "whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do all to the glory of God." While in Psalm 23:6 David takes comfort in the fact that "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever."

But how do we glorify God?

We're reminded in Ephesians 2:10 that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them," and then in Romans 12:2 that we're "not be conformed to this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

So we glorify God by becoming more like Christ in both thought and in deed. Colossians 3:12-13 tells us that we become more like Him when we "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another."

[Paidfor]

What is the meaning of life?

The Bible answers by stating that the meaning of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Paul, is this quoting a particular scripture? If it is, I can't find it.

btw you've got a great website.:):

[Jany]

There is purpose and meaning in life because there is a Creator who created us with purpose. True meaning to life can only be found in Jesus Christ <><

[BarbT]

I'm praising the One who gave meaning to my life almost 10 years ago. Without the miracle of salvation this would be an utter meaningless existance.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US HOPE, LORD!

[mikitta]

And this dovetails well with today's My Utmost for His Hghest ...



September 1, 2007
Destined To Be Holy

. . it is written, ’Be holy, for I am holy’ —1 Peter 1:16

We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.

Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it is designed to reveal my unholiness, but it also awakens an intense yearning and desire within me. God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy. Atonement through the Cross of Christ means that God can put me back into perfect oneness with Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, without a trace of anything coming between us any longer.

Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself (ouch ...). Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life.

I love Ossy Chambers - he always strikes right to the quick.

God Bless,
mik

[Paul]

Good morning Paidfor,

Paul, is this quoting a particular scripture? If it is, I can't find it.That exact phrase isn't in the Bible but the idea is well-supported in Scripture. For example...

the meaning of life is to glorify God

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:5-6

and enjoy Him forever

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. - John 14:2-3

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever - Psalm 23:6

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name. The upright shall dwell in Your presence. - Psalm 140:13

btw you've got a great website.:):
Thank you for saying that. I've really been putting a lot of work into it recently and it's nice that someone enjoyed it.

[Paidfor]

Good morning Paidfor,

That exact phrase isn't in the Bible but the idea is well-supported in Scripture.


Thanks Paul. I was thinking it might be something like that. But, I went on BLB and started searching. I thought it sounds like Ecclesiastes or it might be a proverb. It just drives me nuts.:tin

I know, short trip.:lol

[kenneth]

The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything has a numeric solution in Douglas Adams' series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In the story, a "simple answer" to The Ultimate Question is requested from the computer Deep Thought - specially built for this purpose - and it takes it 7½ million years to compute and check the answer - 42. Then asked to provide The Ultimate Question, the computer says "no". The programmers then embark on a further, ultimately futile, ten million year program to discover The Ultimate Question, hindered by Golgafrinchans after 8 million years, and in the last five minutes by the Vogons.


"Forty two!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work?"

"I checked it very thoroughly," said the computer, "and that quite definitely is the answer. I think the problem, to be quite honest with you, is that you've never actually known what the question is."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything

[FrankDH]

Eccl 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

[Chronus]

My favorite definition of life (eternal life, to be precise) is John 17:3

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Simple, straight-forward, and straight from the Master.

[ncgeezer]

Paul, is this quoting a particular scripture? If it is, I can't find it.

Actually, Paul's statement is a rephrase of Question #1 from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC.html).

"Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God,[1] and to enjoy him forever.[2]"

John Piper's book, Desiring God (http://www.desiringgod.org/dg/id1.htm), has a longer exposition of this idea.

[Paul]

Actually, Paul's statement is a rephrase of Question #1 from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC.html).

"Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God,[1] and to enjoy him forever.[2]":nod

John Piper's book, Desiring God (http://www.desiringgod.org/dg/id1.htm), has a longer exposition of this idea.I've been hearing his name a lot lately. This looks interesting. Thanks for posting.