The Meaning of Life

The bible is clear that our purpose on earth is to bring glory to God. “In him we were also chosen…in order that we…might be for the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11). Ephesians 1 is about the church, so in context the subject is not the individual, rather the body of Christ. It is accurate to say that the Church was chosen to bring Glory to God. So the meaning of life is to bring Glory to God, but by what means?

It is through Jesus Christ that we glorify God. Even more, it is God’s will that we, collectively as the body of Christ, glorify Him. “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:5). We are adopted as sons when we choose to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If we choose to submit to the authority of Christ, we become adopted sons or daughters of the Father and therefore Glorify Him, the keyword being ‘choose’.

For those that would suggest they have no real choice, Romans 8:29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” The predestination is again for the body of Christ. The body of Christ will bring glory to God through conformity to the likeness of Christ which comes through and submission and consequent obedience. The foreknowledge is God’s knowledge before creation of who would choose him. He did not choose who would be elite, rather he has a knowledge of the elite. In his magnificence he created man with the ability to choose and his plan is for the collective of those that have, and will.

The meaning and purpose of mans existence is that those who will, will choose to follow Jesus Christ and therefore bring Glory to God.

1. Jesus, a Choice
2. Sin Paid in Full
3. Live According to the Spirit not according to the Flesh
4. How to Lead Someone to Christ
5. God’s Vineyard from Isaiah
6. Formative Factors of the Life of Paul for the Church