Purpose in Life
  1. Introduction
    1. Fundamental questions that we ask
      1. Where we come from?
      2. Why are we here?
      3. What is the purpose of Life
    2. It is this question that we want to study
    3. Many see life has having no purpose
      1. Atheists
      2. Cynical – self interest
      3. Having no purpose
        1. they just exist
        2. Having no purpose
    4. Others seem to have various purposes in life
      1. Discovery (knowledge) – Christian Science
      2. Avoid Pain (desire) – Buddhism
      3. Epicurean – Eat, drink and be merry
    5. We should not be concerned with what men think is the purpose of Life but rather what God has to say.
    6. As those who have faith in God, what does the scriptures say is the purpose of life?
  2. First lets consider what the purpose of life is not.
    1. Let’s notice some misguided views as to the purpose of Life
      1. Human Knowledge – Spend all of their life looking for the answer to a question
      2. Earthly Wealth and fame – Only purpose in life is to make money
      3. Happiness – on a quest to find that which brings them pleasure
    2. For the most part, there is nothing wrong with these type of goals or purpose in and of themselves
      1. In some cases they are noble causes
        1. Search for a cure for a deathly disease
        2. A person that is cheerful and joyous
      2. But when viewed from eternity perspective they are of no lasting value.
      3. They are unfulfilling, they don’t last
  3. All of this is confirmed in Scripture
    1. The book of Ecclesiastes is spent in search of the purpose of man
      1. Written from the human (earthly) view
      2. Concern with things of this world "under the sun"
      3. It has been described as the "struggles of a thinking man to square his faith to the facts of life"
    2. The book opens with the question
      1. In Eccl. 1:3

        2. (Eccl 1:3 KJV) What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

      2. Similar question in Mark 8:36 in view of eternity

      (Mark 8:36 KJV) For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
    3. Solomon explores various solutions (seeking to find the answer)
      1. Enjoy Pleasure – 2:1-11
      2. Human wisdom – 2:12-17
      3. Labor – Industry – 2:18-23
      4. Various others scattered through the book
        1. Riches vs. family
        2. Political Gain 4:13-16
      5. Concluding each as vanity (emptiness, meaningless)
    4. After all is said and done, Final Conclusion drawn Eccl. 12:13-14
      1. Fear God
      2. Keep Commandments
  4. Solomon’s conclusion expanded
    1. Fear God
      1. Fear is not
        1. Afraid
        2. Guilt
        3. Servile (Slave to master) fear of beatings
        4. Not just dread of His anger when disobedient (although that does motivate Matt 10:28)
      3. Fear is Reverence, or Awe
        1. Genuine heartfelt service to God
        2. Psa 119:7, Heb 12:28
        3. Prov 1:7, Prov 9:10 Knowledge and Wisdom from fear
        4. Such as how a child cherishes a parent
          1. Does not want to disappoint with disobedient behavior
          2. Heb 12:9-10
    2. Keep commandments – outward manifestation of service to God
      1. Not just external worship
        1. Participating in Acts of worship on the Lord’s Day
        2. Psa 96:9
        3. Heb 10:25
      2. But more than that, an Inward devotion John 4:24
        1. Expressed in homage of the Heart and Life
        2. This is how we know God
          1. 1 John 2:3-4
          2. 1 John 5:2-3
  5. Finally two consideration to induce us to attend to this conclusion of the Preacher
    1. This is the Whole (duty) of Man – Eccl 12:13
      1. This is our purpose. It is why we are here
      2. The whole honor, interest, and happiness of Man
      3. The entire book is a quest for happiness
        1. In the fear of God and by keeping His commandment can true happiness be found
        2. All else is vanity (futile)
    2. Final thought is the certainty of a future Judgment
      1. Nothing will be omitted or forgotten – every work
      2. Not Judge of Nations or communities but of individuals
        1. Rom 2:5-6
      3. Not only of open actions but secrets as well
        1. Luke 12:2,
        2. Rom 2:16
      4. Not only good deeds but also evil
        1. 2 Cor 5:10
        2. 2 Peter 2:9
  6. Conclusion
    1. There are many ideas (of men) as to what our purpose is on earth.
    2. But the truth of the word of God explains there is only one true purpose for man while upon the earth.
    3. Life from an earthly perspective alone is truly Vanity or meaningless
    4. But in view of the truth of the scriptures, Life has meaning for those that fear God and keep his commandments