You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
#71 Consequences of Christs Kingdom
Why am I here?
by Jim Mettenbrink
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When we began this series, we acknowledged
that at some time in our life all of us have the same three questions.
The first we ask early in life -- Mommy, where
did I come from? We considered the evidence for
the origin of our existence and reasonably concluded that a supremely
intelligent and all powerful being is our Creator.
The second question we ask some
years later is, Why am I here?. In other
words, What is my life all about? or, What
is the purpose of my existence on earth?
One occasionally reads that man
has three goals -- wealth, power and fame. Usually men
try to realize them, having the allusion that such achievement
will give them fulfillment and real security, even though they
often ruin their health and even destroy human relationships
to reach these goals. Is this selfishly oriented view of
life really why we exist?
It is logical that if God is our
creator, He also had a reason for creating us. In past
articles, we considered the internal and external evidence regarding
the divine inspiration of the Bible and concluded that it is
Gods communication to mankind. The Bible reveals
the reason why we are on planet earth the real purpose
of our existence.
Solomon, Israels third king,
wrote Ecclesiastes (Eccl. -- [Old Testament]), explaining
in poetry his search for real purpose in life. He was the
most powerful monarch in the region, having an expansive kingdom
from the Euphrates River to Egypt, unimaginable wealth (2
Chronicles 9:22, 26), power and fame (1 Kings 10:1-7),
yet the emptiness and despair he suffered, sent him on this soul
searching journey.
Solomon tried to find fulfillment
in everything under the sun, but mourned that it was all for
nothing (Eccl. 1:2). He indulged every pleasure (Eccl.2:10).
His grand achievements did not satisfy the souls
longing (Eccl. 2:11). Wealth and honor are often
fleeting and taken away (Eccl. 6:2). In his despair
to make sense of his existence, Solomon hated life and its problems.
Achieving was like grasping for the wind -- never accomplished
(Eccl.2:17). He couldnt take his kingdom with
him -- someone else would assume it (Eccl.2:18). After
all that Solomon had accomplished, at the end of life, his fate
was the same as that of a fool -- death (Eccl. 2:14-18; 12:1-7).
Finally, at the end of his search,
realizing that selfish pursuits did not give meaningful purpose
in life, Solomon declared, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter, Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is
the whole duty of man(Eccl.
12:13). Our Creator wants us to obey Him the
real purpose of our existence.
Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes 3000
years ago, living under the Old Covenant given by God through
Moses to ancient Israel. His is a general declaration for
all mankind. But what is our purpose today? Since
Jesus is divine, the King of His spiritual kingdom and offering
the New Covenant we ask, What the purpose of His kingdom,
the church? What is the purpose of the
kingdoms citizens?
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