The Meaning of Life is___________?

I have spent countless hours contemplating and trying to find an answer to, what is probably the most debated question of all time, “what is the meaning of life?” Philosophers, and men much smarter than me have been debating this question for as long as time has existed. People have concocted several different beliefs that try to answer the question, “what is the meaning of life?”

Atheism/Naturalism

Atheism/Naturalism is the belief that God does not exist. In Naturalism, the only thing that exists is the universe, and we are just an extension of that. According to Naturalism you’re no different than a tree, or an ant or a bird. You are just made up of matter. In non scientific terms, you’re just stuff among a universe of more stuff. So what is the meaning of life inside the atheistic worldview? Whatever you want. Do what feels best to you.

Nihilism

Or you can take it one step further. There is a belief called, Nihilism. Nihilism is the belief that nothing is real. Nihilism denies that you can truly know anything. Nothing can be proven, therefore there is no reality, nothing is real. If nothing is real, then life has no meaning. Thankfully Nihilism is self refuting, what I mean by that is that it kills itself. By making the statement, “nothing has meaning” you are assuming that that is a correct statement, thus giving it meaning, making the statement wrong. If nothing has meaning, then why did you say nothing has meaning? Its absurd, and a bit depressing to be honest.

There have been many other attempts at trying to find the meaning of life, but all of them are unsatisfactory. The meaning of life can’t be to just do what feels best, I’ve tried that and its only left me more empty than before. The meaning of life can’t be nothing. Because I know things, I see things, I can feel things. Stuff exists, my life exists, my intellect exists. SO WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? It’s really quite simple. But before I answer that question, I need to answer the question, “what is a human being”.

Made in Gods Image

Genesis 1:26-27 says, “Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” James Sire is a bible scholar and he says this about what a human being is,

“Human beings are created in the image of God and thus possess personality, self awareness, intelligence, morals, they crave community and friendship and they are creative.” (The Universe Next Door)

These are all attributes of God. God has a personality, He is aware of His existence, He is intelligent, is pure moral perfection, lives within community in his own triune nature and is creative (obviously, look at the universe).  So the point here is that life cannot be just about doing what feels good to you, because you were created by God and bear His image, you were made for something higher than the pleasures this world has to offer. And life cannot be meaningless, because God created you intelligently with a purpose in mind. So then what is the meaning of life?

The Meaning of Life: Pleasing God

Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” The meaning of life is simply this, to please God. Have you ever felt good about yourself, and got satisfaction out of helping another person? I hear people say all the time, “Whenever I serve others, it makes me feel good”. We have been created in the image of God, so it is no wonder that people would take pleasure in serving others. There is nothing wrong with that but if it stops there, we miss the whole purpose of our existence. Yes it feels good to serve others, but that’s only because we were made ultimately for the pleasure of another, and that is God. When we serve others, it feels good for a little bit, then it goes away. God is trying to tell us something. Please God, and you’ll feel good forever, because that is the ultimate reason you were made!

Colossians 1:15-16 says this, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” Not only was everything created by Him, but everything was also created FOR Him. The reason I answered the question, “what is a human?” is because I wanted you understand that God has endowed us with His image, only so that we could please Him. The only reason we have a personality, are self aware, possess intelligence, know right from wrong, and desire companionship and community is because those are all reflections of God, and God is pleased with God!

Is God self centered? ABSOLUTELY HE IS! I have heard the word love defined like this, “Love seeks the well being of another”. The most loving thing God can do for us, is be self centered. Why are people miserable? Have you ever wondered that? I’m not talking about feeling down sometimes. I’m talking about those people that no matter what happens, they’re miserable. They could win the lottery and they would find something to be miserable about. The reason people are miserable is because they are living contrary to the reason they were created. God created us bearing His image, for the purpose that we would be pleasing to Him, and by pleasing God, we would find our own pleasure and satisfaction in that. People are miserable because they are living in contradiction to the very reason they were created.

But what about those people who aren’t pleasing God and seem to be living happy lives. They aren’t miserable. Listen to what Jesus tells the Church in Laodicea,

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see”

Those people who you see that are seemingly happy and fulfilled outside of Christ are either,

• 1) Placing their whole trust and happiness in something temporary (such as money, family, friends etc) which will not endure or,
• 2) Self deceived as the people in Laodicea. Outwardly they look rich, but inward they are poor, pitiful and miserable in the sight of God.

How Do I Please God?

So all this begs the question, “How do we please God?” If we were made by God, for Gods good pleasure, how do we please Him? Hebrews 11:6 says, “And 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” We please Him, by faith. We please God when we place our trust in Christ, and receive His salvation, by FAITH. We please God when we obey His word and trust His leadings, by FAITH. We please God when we have simple, child like faith. This is amazing news, because it takes the emphasis off me, and puts it on God. Its not my works that please God. Its not how religious I appear that pleases God. Its by faith that I please God, and this faith is not even our own, it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”.

So, whats the Meaning of Life?

So you want to know what the meaning of life is? The meaning of life is to grow in relationship with your Creator, and please Him. And by doing so, ironically, you find your own eternal pleasure and satisfaction. It is impossible to live a fulfilling life without faith, because it is impossible to please God without Faith!

Psalm 16:11,

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Life-Giver Church is a church in Windsor, Ontario Canada. We exist to know Christ and make Him known!