AboutA. Abraham Expertise I am a follower of Jesus Christ. With God`s help I will attempt to answer ONLY those questions regarding the Christian view of Christianity, such as: Who is Jesus? Has the Bible been changed? What is the way to heaven? Do Christians believe in three gods or One? The Christian perspective of questions Muslims ask. Etc. My writings can be found on sites such as: www.christianityexplained.net
Experience My experience is in the area of Christianity and comparative Religion.
Publications My writings have appeared at:
www.christianityexplained.net.tc
Education/Credentials I have got a BA in Theology.
Question hello, can u tell me according to the Bible, what the purpose of life is, if it does state the prupose of life, then then it must be clear and so easy to understand that a child can underdtand by reading a sinlge passage or verse saying what the purpose of life is.
Thank you brother
Answer Hi Daniel,
Good to hear from you again and thanks for your kind ratings! You are again asking a very good question. I am going to answer it in comparison to the Quran:
Purpose of life
God created mankind for a purpose. The Quran quotes Allah as saying:
'I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me.'
(Surah 51, Al Dhariyat, verse 56)
The word 'serve', is a translation of the Arabic 'Ibadah', commonly rendered as, 'worship'. In this verse it means total obedience to Allah's commands. Muslims find their purpose in life by obeying the commands of Allah. ('Islam, Beliefs and Teachings' by Ghulam Sarwar, the Muslim Educational Trust, London, 1984, page 15)
According to the Westminster Catechism the purpose of life according to the Bible is, 'to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.' This statement is based on verses such as:
'... every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.' (Isa 43:7)
'Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.' (Psa 37:4)
Whereas Christianity agrees with Islam in so far that one should obey God and in so doing one brings glory, honour to him, the aspect of fellowship with the Almighty is unique only to the God of the Bible! What a wonderful prospect Christians find expressed in the last book of the Bible describing their state in eternity:
'Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.' And he who sat upon the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' ....He who overcomes shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son.' (Rev 21:3-5,7)
These comforting words are contrasted sharply in the picture the Quran conveys about paradise he created. There it is a place overflowing with sensual delights, material riches but where Allah is absent since he is distinct from his creation. (See Surah 55, Al Rahman, 54-60) The Quranic view of paradise is already met here on earth by the rich and famous. However, experience shows that they are still not satisfied. The richest man in the world was once asked, 'You have got everything one could wish for, is there still something you desire?' 'Yes, I want more,' was his sad reply. The real worth of material riches and beauty is only learned in the midst of their abundance. That is why Switzerland, often lovingly called 'heaven on earth,' has the highest rate of people committing suicide in proportion to the population of all other countries of the world. Money does not make one happy, as the sad saying goes. The Bible does not speak against possessions and that which is aesthetically impressive. (See Gen 2:9, Exo 25-28, Rev 21) The love of money is the root of all evil not money by itself. (1 Tim 6:10, Heb 13:5) Anything we consider worthy and valuable is to be used in a way that honours God and it is to point us to Him who is the maximum expression of value and beauty.
The greatest need human beings have to live deeply fulfilling lives is never found in sensual delights and materialism but in love that expresses itself in fellowship. There alone are our longings for love that takes and gives being fulfilled. At the very root of love that behaves in such a way is worship, found in the essence of our being. Worship urges us to appreciate, to gaze and hold our breath, not for what someone does for US, but for the very sake of their existence. To a certain extent the heart felt need of love can be met in marriage, family and other relationships. However, since human beings are inclined to selfishness our ultimate need is only met in an imperfect way. Only a personal relationship with God in heaven, as offered in the Bible, can truly satisfy both, our need for love and also its cause, the vocation to worship. In this fundamental issue, the search for the purpose of life, Christianity is far more systematically consistent then Islam. According to the former, the meaning of life is not only reflected in men's deepest need but also met eventually by God himself in heaven. The booklet 'You are a winner' compares the two faiths in the area of sin, salvation and suffering. If you wish I could send it to you via e-mail as an attachment.
Where do you live in the UK. Perhaps I could arrange for someone to meet you to discuss this matter face to face.
