Mystery Part 2: Why? Where From? Where To?
** The next article on PsalmsOfJohn.com entitled
"Mystery Part 1: Who Am I?" discusses the first of these Big Four Questions
**
My wife, Trish, came home from her school with a page
bearing the Four Big Questions asked by billions of people over the past thousands of
years:
1. Who am I? The world's answer: A clever monkey
2. Where did I
come from? The world's answer: Out of
the primordial slime
3. Why am I here?
The world's answer: No reason
4. What will happen to me when I die? Where am I
going? The world's answer: Nothing, that is the end of you.
Our civilization is thousands of years old, yet the world has no satisfying answers for any of these questions. As I read what Trish had brought home I felt very saddened; it is no wonder that so many feel trapped and are unsatisfied, restless and depressed if they believe these answers. "Surely", they seem to be saying, "the beauty of love, family, friendship, and our world and universe, and the vast symbiosis we see among the millions of species on our planet, it all must have some meaning!"
Well, I am delighted to report that when we meet Jesus and
enter His Kingdom, these Big Four mysteries of life receive cheering answers!
".. we declare
God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our
glory before time began" (1 Corinthians 2:7).
“[Jesus] replied,
'Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given
to you .. '" (Matthew 13:11).
"For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
Question 2: Why Am I Here?
On the sixth day of the Creation God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, in
our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in
the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground. So
God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27).
So one purpose of our being here is to "rule". This does not mean to ravish and take whatever we
want, but to rule, to steward, to
care for and nurture. Wilderness which is managed (and often also protected),
by humans is usually much more productive and more balanced than if people let nature simply take its course.
In Genesis 2:7 we read that
"God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life". Our species began with the breath of God,
and His desire is to remain in intimate contact and share His love with us.
We are the only creature with a spirit, a part of us that is
from "the beginning" and
never dies. Our spirit is our absolute essence. God's Spirit can bond with our
unique spirit and then we become spiritually alive in Him, this may sound
mysterious but it is very real; I have heard hundreds of testimonies from
others who agree with my understanding.
We also have a soul; this is our personality, our will and
our emotions. Some other creatures seem also to have a soul as we do, dogs,
cats, cows, horses and whales come to my mind, I'm sure you can suggest many
more (I’ve seen humpback whales playing in the ocean, an awesome sight) ..
We are also the only creature with language, when Genesis
says that God created "a living
being", the original Hebrew text can be translated as "a speaking spirit" (Genesis 2:7). Stephen
Fry, the well known commentator and comedian says that every human child is
"a miracle" because of our singular ability to acquire vocabulary and
grammar from those around us, whatever the language or culture, and to express
ourselves, not in pre-formed, or standard sentences like a computer, but
uniquely in our own individual style! Indeed this is miraculous!
So you can see that humankind and monkeys have very little
in common. We may share some DNA with the apes, but we also similarly share
with many other species. Apes do not have a spirit. To link us with the ape species is like saying that a
Governor's palace is the same as a city water treatment plant because they were
built from the same kinds of bricks and tiles!
Humanity, or homo sapiens, is a completely separate species
and always has been. Every species is a different "kind" (Genesis 1:12, 1:21, 1:24, 1:25, 6:20, 7:14),
completely different. Every human was "made
in the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1:27, Colossians 3:9-10),
we are the only such species, to me a very satisfying truth!
"Every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17).
You were born for a purpose. God has created you for His
glory and with great potential that He can use as you (and I) participate with
Him in His work in the world. When He designed the Creation, you and I were
included in His plans. Father God so loves Jesus that He wanted to have many
children, you are one He chose and created to bring glory to Himself. Father
God wanted to bring a bride to Jesus, He gave Him us, the church, as His bride,
ultimately without "spot or
wrinkle", a perfect bride for a perfect Husband! "to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or
wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians
5:27).
Jesus prayed: "Father,
I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory,
the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the
world" (John 17:24). This prayer includes every Christian.
Scriptural Truth: Why I Am Here
• I am the salt and
light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14)
• I have been redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
• I am Jesus'
co-worker (Matthew 5:13-14)
• I have been chosen
and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
• I am a witness of
Christ to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8)
• I have been
justified and have peace (Romans 5:1)
• I am a member of the
body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27)
• I have every
spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)
• I have access to
God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)
• I may approach God
with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
• I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)
• I have been called
that God may work in me to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
Question 3: Where Did I Come From?
Every human being came from
God's love, and for His love. “God
is love” (1 John 4:8,16). He is where love comes from .. and
compassion, generosity, altruism, empathy, even kindness. We see these
qualities every day, and everywhere, and know that our lives, families, governments
and cultures would totally collapse without them. (See Note 1).
In the hypothetical (imaginary) model of the world that the
"non-Creation" scientists tell us about, none of these things could
possibly exist as theirs is a design-less, meaningless, anarchic, accidental,
dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest world. This doesn't sound very nice and
I'm glad I don't have to live in it. But our
world is mostly full of peace and beauty with lots of love and great food!
Everywhere we see symbiosis, millions of species working together around the
whole world! Very reassuring! Praise Jesus!
Trish, and I have six grown children and four grandchildren.
Our children came from Trish's and my love for one another; we (unknowingly)
fitted in to God's plan that they should be born and grow "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) .. They are God's
creations and were given to Trish and I to love and nurture. We are delighted,
and humbled and blessed by these great gifts. Every day our children are our
joy!
Where do we come from? Primordial slime? There was no
primordial slime. The possibility that life accidentally formed millions or
billions of years ago has been discounted in many ways; there is no empirical
(observed, seen, factual, actual, real, verifiable, first-hand) evidence of
life forming accidentally. The proteins which have been manufactured in
laboratories bear little in common with those found in life, and to make those
found in living things, there are conflicts that to build one part of the
protein molecule there will be so much heat or pressure, for example, that
another completed part will be destroyed! I have pondered these things for many
years and examined many arguments and now believe that one needs much, much
greater faith to believe in primordial slime, or evolution, or millions and
billions of years, than I have to believe the Word of God and His Creation narrative.
"Every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17).
Scriptural Truth: Where I Came From
• I am born of God
(John 1:13, 1 John 4:7)
• My spirit came from
Holy Spirit (John 3:6)
• I am confident that
the good works God has begun in me will be completed in Jesus (Philippians 1:6)
• I am a full citizen
of Heaven (Philippians 3:20)
• I was born through
the Word of truth (James 1:18)
• I am born again of
imperishable seed (1 Peter 1:23).
Question 4: What will happen to me when I die? Or, where am I going?
God created our spirit for eternity. It was some years after
I became Christian that I realised that my eternal life had already begun (Romans 6:23), that
I am already a child of Father God, my Abba Daddy, and am a brother to Jesus my
Saviour God and my Lord (1 John 5:1). None of this will change when my physical, earthly,
body dies. Sure, my body will stop working and my human relationships will end.
My family and friends will miss me and will grieve; I believe that I accept
this as part of this life. I have lost family and friends and have grieved. But
God will continue to love me, (and you), with an indestructible love, for ever.
In Jesus I am already in almost continuous worship and I rule and reign with Him at the right hand of Father God! At the same time, here on planet Earth I face every-day troubles (John 16:33), and bigger troubles constantly, but I share in Jesus' work, I seek out ways I can help; I do my best to be obedient to Him, and will continue to do so!
Sometimes at meetings I get really excited and declare that we are "rocking with Jesus"; considering my generation and upbringing this is a huge affirmation! Other times can be a struggle, but it is never boring and never futile or a cause for despair. And I always move forward and always grow!
In Jesus I am already in almost continuous worship and I rule and reign with Him at the right hand of Father God! At the same time, here on planet Earth I face every-day troubles (John 16:33), and bigger troubles constantly, but I share in Jesus' work, I seek out ways I can help; I do my best to be obedient to Him, and will continue to do so!
Sometimes at meetings I get really excited and declare that we are "rocking with Jesus"; considering my generation and upbringing this is a huge affirmation! Other times can be a struggle, but it is never boring and never futile or a cause for despair. And I always move forward and always grow!
"as we look not
to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things
that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal"
(2 Corinthians 4:18).
It is the whole purpose of the Creation that we become and
eternally remain family and fellow workers with Father God, Jesus the Son, and
Holy Spirit, Counsellor and Enabler; and that the Godhead and the Creation are
reunited in Jesus. This is the good news!
Scriptural Truth: Where I Am Going
• I cannot be
separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35,38-39)
• I am [eternally]
seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)
• Jesus assures us that He is preparing a place for us in Heaven (John 14:2).
Simple but profound .. Such assurance .. When I die I will
go "home" .. Praise Jesus.
Amen.
Favourite Scriptures
"Then Jesus came
to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20).
"I pray that the
eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to
which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy
people, and his incomparably great power
for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and
dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age but
also in the one to come. And God placed
all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every
way" (Ephesians 1:19-23). Totally awesome, right?
"Who then is the
one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died - more than that, who was
raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for
us. Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword? As it is written: 'For
your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be
slaughtered'. No, in all these things we
are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:34-39).
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" (Joh 14:2).
Amen.
Note 1
The Godly qualities of Christian people ensure that our societies survive, that our poorest and least able to defend themselves have someone looking out for them. Of the more than 1,000,000 volunteers in
This generosity hugely helps the worlds wheels turn where there are gaps or hiccups left by the governments and corporations.
Praise Jesus.
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Amen.
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