The Purpose of Life…

Life is a precious gift from God.  It is God who “forms the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1), and it is to God that our spirits return after death (Ecclesiastes 12:7).  Consequently, it would seem that men ought to use their lives to please God.  But rather than striving to “seek the Lord” (Acts 17:27), men often expend their energies in other ventures.

Some, for example, act as if their purpose in life is to gain physical wealth.  And to that end they focus all of their efforts.  Those who struggle in this area should be reminded of several basic Biblical truths:  1) “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses” (Luke 12:15); 2) Christians ought to “lay up for [themselves] treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20); and 3) “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).  Life’s purpose is not to amass earthly wealth.

Others act as if their purpose in life is to maintain their physical health.  While it should be granted that our bodies are important to God (1 Corinthians 6:19), and that “bodily exercise profits a little” (1 Timothy 4:8), it must be remembered that at the longest, our lives are but brief (James 4:14).  For this reason, we must make sure that we do not become so consumed with caring for our bodies that we lose focus upon God.

Still others act as if the purpose of life is to experience pleasure.  This, too, misses the point of our existence.  Our purpose is to “Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

—Chad Ramsey