Why was I created?
Welcome back. In my first post, I attempted to answer the question "How did everything get here?" without overloading you with too much detail. The short answer is found in the Bible where God tells us that He is responsible for creating all things. We learn that He initiated and sustains life and orderliness for all things, including the space, time and matter continuum where you and I live.
Today, I would like to briefly look at what the Bible says about how we got here. I will refer again to the book of beginnings known as "Genesis."
"Gen 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
In this text, we read that God created man in His image. He also had a purpose for man, one of which is to exercise dominion. This is the idea that man is responsible for various tasks God assigned and to have some level of oversight over the earth.
"Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
This text tells us that man was created differently than other animals. God gave man a soul. The soul is the inner man that is the seat of our emotions, thoughts, reasoning and personality. The soul allows us to have a relationship with God.
Adam and Eve were not born like you and I were. They were mature and intelligent adults when God made them. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2 that God caused all animals to come before Adam and that Adam named each one. However, in the process of naming all animals, Adam noticed that there was not a mate for him.
"Genesis 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him."
God wanted Adam to realize that he was incomplete and then He created Eve, to be a completer or help meet for Adam.
"Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."
Although monogamy may seem strange in a throwaway culture like ours, God's plan is one woman & one man committed to each other for life.
"Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh"
An important aspect of why God created man is the phrase "in our image, after our likeness." This is a fundamental reason why God created us. To be reflectors of His image in the world and to live in close communion with Him.
What exactly does this mean and what are the ways that we are made in the image of God? Well, God is infinite in all His attributes so although man may have similarities, we are created beings with limitations.
For example, God has a mind and intelligence. Man is also has a mind and can exercise intelligence (although, seeing what goes on in the world, we might wonder about that part). The mind and intelligence of God is infinite but my intelligence and mind are most definitely limited by comparison. I can say that I am probably more keenly aware of my limitations as I age (Just being transparent:).
Man was also made morally pure and given a moral capacity to choose to obey God. God placed man in a perfect environment called the garden of Eden which was ideal for supporting all life.
I think that what Genesis 1 & 2 tells us is that man was created for the distinct purpose of honoring God with our lives by reflecting Him into the world that we inhabit. We bear the image of God so that we can reflect His glory and point others to Him.
God made man to live in obedience to His revealed will and to enjoy close communion with Him. We have the capacity to worship our Creator and to enjoy close fellowship with HIm.
Think about this, my friend. God designed you and me to have a relationship with Him. We are rational creatures able to think and feel and make choices. We are relational creatures capable of having relationships with others, and especially with our Creator, God.
This means that our lives are not the result of some strange random series of events. This means that all the universe was created by this vast, God who is Sovereign in all things. Our lives have purpose, value and meaning that we can discover only when we enter into a relationship with God.
People everywhere pursue the accumulation of wealth, the abundance of possessions and the latest experiences at breakneck speeds. Relationships are made and discarded as people move on to someone else.
Yet, all the pleasures, relationships and joys are temporary and fleeting, at best. The human soul is still searching for something more, something that lasts and has meaning.
People experience loneliness, discontentment and cynicism that can only be dispelled by, in the words of Jesus Christ, being born again into the family of God.
We have much more to discuss and think about. For now, I invite you to think through the the implication of God creating us for a purpose.
Please feel free to post your feedback in the comments section and if your complete the contact form, I will respond to your emails.
Today, I would like to briefly look at what the Bible says about how we got here. I will refer again to the book of beginnings known as "Genesis."
"Gen 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
In this text, we read that God created man in His image. He also had a purpose for man, one of which is to exercise dominion. This is the idea that man is responsible for various tasks God assigned and to have some level of oversight over the earth.
"Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
This text tells us that man was created differently than other animals. God gave man a soul. The soul is the inner man that is the seat of our emotions, thoughts, reasoning and personality. The soul allows us to have a relationship with God.
Adam and Eve were not born like you and I were. They were mature and intelligent adults when God made them. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2 that God caused all animals to come before Adam and that Adam named each one. However, in the process of naming all animals, Adam noticed that there was not a mate for him.
"Genesis 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him."
God wanted Adam to realize that he was incomplete and then He created Eve, to be a completer or help meet for Adam.
"Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."
Although monogamy may seem strange in a throwaway culture like ours, God's plan is one woman & one man committed to each other for life.
"Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh"
An important aspect of why God created man is the phrase "in our image, after our likeness." This is a fundamental reason why God created us. To be reflectors of His image in the world and to live in close communion with Him.
What exactly does this mean and what are the ways that we are made in the image of God? Well, God is infinite in all His attributes so although man may have similarities, we are created beings with limitations.
For example, God has a mind and intelligence. Man is also has a mind and can exercise intelligence (although, seeing what goes on in the world, we might wonder about that part). The mind and intelligence of God is infinite but my intelligence and mind are most definitely limited by comparison. I can say that I am probably more keenly aware of my limitations as I age (Just being transparent:).
Man was also made morally pure and given a moral capacity to choose to obey God. God placed man in a perfect environment called the garden of Eden which was ideal for supporting all life.
I think that what Genesis 1 & 2 tells us is that man was created for the distinct purpose of honoring God with our lives by reflecting Him into the world that we inhabit. We bear the image of God so that we can reflect His glory and point others to Him.
God made man to live in obedience to His revealed will and to enjoy close communion with Him. We have the capacity to worship our Creator and to enjoy close fellowship with HIm.
Think about this, my friend. God designed you and me to have a relationship with Him. We are rational creatures able to think and feel and make choices. We are relational creatures capable of having relationships with others, and especially with our Creator, God.
This means that our lives are not the result of some strange random series of events. This means that all the universe was created by this vast, God who is Sovereign in all things. Our lives have purpose, value and meaning that we can discover only when we enter into a relationship with God.
People everywhere pursue the accumulation of wealth, the abundance of possessions and the latest experiences at breakneck speeds. Relationships are made and discarded as people move on to someone else.
Yet, all the pleasures, relationships and joys are temporary and fleeting, at best. The human soul is still searching for something more, something that lasts and has meaning.
People experience loneliness, discontentment and cynicism that can only be dispelled by, in the words of Jesus Christ, being born again into the family of God.
We have much more to discuss and think about. For now, I invite you to think through the the implication of God creating us for a purpose.
Please feel free to post your feedback in the comments section and if your complete the contact form, I will respond to your emails.
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