The Meaning of Life – Why Are We Here?

These are questions that man has pondered since the beginning of time. The questions, “Why are we here?” and what is “the meaning of life” have been the subject of many a discussion in religious and philosophical circles throughout the ages, as well as in the quiet corners of most peoples’ minds.

Likewise I have considered this same question over many years and have come to the realization that we are given this time on earth to do just one thing. We are here to make one simple yet profound decision, which is: Will we or won’t we choose to follow God. Everything else we aspire to in our life will be meaningless until that decision is made.

Man clings to this life desperately. But this life as we know is merely a shadow of what is promised and available when we choose to follow God. All mankind has the opportunity to come to know him, or to be known by him, and to live a life pleasing to God. Whether we choose to do so and give God the reverence, honour and glory he deserves will determine whether we enter into the next phase of his plan.

Those who choose to reject God or to ignore his call will have this life and nothing more. But those who choose to follow his teachings, and particularly the teachings and example of Jesus Christ will have abundance in this life and the promise of eternal life to come.

Now by abundance in this life I am not talking about material wealth, position or power, although that is feasible and could occur. Rather I am talking about the abundance in joy, peace, love, knowledge of his will, and much more that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Here in this life we are all bound by the fact that we will die. Nobody has overcome death despite numerous scientific and medical advances to prolong life. Man cannot even understand death, at least not through science, because life and death are matters of the spirit and the spirit cannot be measured empirically. But imagine what could be done if you could be released from this bondage to death and the limitation of the few years of your lifetime to have eternal life. The possibilities are endless as to what could be achieved if we were not constrained by a certain death.

Whether people choose to accept it or not, we are all given the capacity to know God. It is God’s hope that we “…should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him.” (Acts 17:27) That is the key to life on this earth, to seek God and find him. And he is not hard to find as the same scripture above also adds, “Yet he is not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’”

His offer of eternal life is open to everyone who would seek him out. Approaching God is not difficult. It does not require great knowledge, wisdom, skill, ability, wealth or power. He established the principle of faith as the means by which we should come to him. Why faith? Because through faith everyone would have the ability to come to God, regardless of his or her station in life, for we are all equally able to believe or choose not to believe. By establishing faith as the key, the way was made open to every person on the planet.

The starting point for anyone is first and foremost to believe that God exists and he rewards those who seek him. In fact the scripture in Hebrews 11:6 says exactly that, “…without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” And his rewards far outweigh the fleeting pleasures of sin in this world, both for this life and the life to come.

So in summary the reason we exist on this earth is to seek God, find him and then choose to follow his ways. In doing so we will reap the abundant rewards he has planned for those who follow his path, both in this life and in the eternal life yet to come as he has promised.

I hope that you found something here to help you or add to your own knowledge. If you have any questions, then please feel free to contact me.