PR. DENIS KALUNGI

KIREKA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

TUES/13/7/2021

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?

The Secular Christian find the meaning of life as Love, Wealth, Happiness, Self-development, Wisdom, Influence, Service. But to me those are some popular answers we might have heard, life has got deeper meaning! One of the most liked and listen to Prince Paul job kafeloo.

When he was close to his death he sang Dipo Naziigala (this man was drunk until he found no value in drinking alcohol). But before he faced his death he called one of the pastors and asked him what is the meaning of life? He said I have had each and everything I wanted but what is life?

I personally conquer with Prince Paul Job Kafeero no one can understand life with human fresh, because if we say properties like houses or riches and fame such as social media followers all those are additions they do not describe life! let us see it biblically herein {Mathew 6:33}, But first, be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. "so all as long as we get the meaning of life all  the mentioned will be additions."

Okay suppose life is about all the above-mentioned, would someone then be truly fulfilled after achieving all those good things {Matthew 16:26}? How about people who, unfortunately, could not do likewise? For instance, war victims, natural disaster casualties, stillborn babies, etc. – was it fair to conclude their lives were simply meaningless? Of course not. Just because someone has had (or done) more good things in life does not necessarily mean their life is more meaningful than those who do not. More fortune does not simply represent more meaning.

“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul {Mathew 16:26}?” this brings me to another question for clarity what is a soul? Ecclesiastes 12:7-8 tried to explain it here for me, time will come when the dust will return to the ground where it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it and we all know that the soul works hand in hand with the spirit or the breath of life.

I conquer with (Prince Paul job kafeloo) life has another meaning, let us look at King Solomon. He feared God and keep His commandments. Solomon, the son of David and King of Israel, is described as the wealthiest and wisest man of his time {1 Kings 3:12-13}. Yet, despite all the power and pleasures he had, he felt an emptiness, and everything seemed meaningless. 

He confessed there is something beyond earthly life that God has put in the human heart and that God the Creator is always in control, even though no one can perfectly understand His work {Ecclesiastes 3:11} do you get the revelation as I get it? Please allow your eyes to be opened.

His statement implied that life could mean enjoying the gift of God {Ecclesiastes 3:12-13}, and after all what matters in life is our reverence and obedience to God because His judgment is sure {Ecclesiastes 12:13-14}.

This still beats my understanding of Job, trusted in God, no matter what? Job was among the most prosperous men in the Bible, known for his life example of a blameless, sincere man who suffered. He is perhaps the man who has gone through the highest “highs” and the lowest “lows” in life by enjoying, then losing his family, health, and wealth. Amid his suffering, Job desperately cursed his birth {Job 3}, but he still had faith in the redeeming power of God {Job 19:25} “life could be having a meaning to the giver.”

After all his painful experiences, Job’s eyes were opened to know God more personally. His relationship with God was renewed {Job 42:5}, and “the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” {Job 42:10}. Through Job’s life, we can learn about God’s sovereignty over the suffering of His saints. Life for Job could mean a journey of knowing God and trusting Him in every moment, especially the darkest moments.

Before we examine the meaning of life, we need to first embrace the miracle of life. Science has shown evidence for the existence of the Creator. The massiveness of the universe, the wonders of nature, the complexity of living organisms all testify there must be a supremely intelligent Designer, who sets everything precisely in order.

In light of this, life cannot be without meaning – and it must revolve around the Maker of all things {Genesis 1:3}. The real meaning of life must, therefore, be viewed from the lens of, and be found in, the Life-Giver. “Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made”

To my revelation according to the Bible, knowing God is the meaning of life because He is the “author of life” {Genesis 1:1-3}. The meaning of life is not based on things we see in the world “for life is more than food and the body more than clothing” {Luke 12:23}.

We cannot get the meaning of life without the author of life. God, as the author of life, brings meaning to life. Everything God created was meant to show what God is like. God created a world with a purpose, by His design. The world we live in and the life of every person has a purpose and is not just the product of chance, random events, and biological selection.

Now if the meaning of life is to connect with purpose, we must connect with our source. To do that, we must connect with the Creator— that is to identify ourselves as made in the image of God. {Genesis 1:26-27} says, “So God created human beings in his own image.” Identifying ourselves with God is awfully difficult to do if we have not explored the character of God first. Understanding His character helps us see ourselves as made in His image.

Jesus Christ: Seek and save the lost. Jesus Christ came to this world with a clear mission: to seek and save sinners {Luke 19:10}. Jesus is God himself who lived on earth in a human body {Colossians 2:9-10}, and he is the only mediator between God and men {1 Timothy 2:5}. He identified himself as the way [to the heavenly Father], the truth, and the life; and indicated that knowing him is equal to knowing God Himself {John 14:6}.

Although his life was relatively brief (about 34 years), his impact is tremendously incomparable because he dedicated his life to doing the will of God by finishing the work of redemption on the cross {John 4:34, 19:30}, the word doing his will also bring me to another point. The grand designer of life has a purpose as to why life is existing.

Listen to this when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to he simply told them. This is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. “Meaning everything is connected to our father, accepting his name is not optional and his will has to be done.”

Jesus is the Son of Man who came to serve and offer his life for the salvation of mankind {Mark 10:45}. The purpose of his life is to give us abundant life in him {John 10:10}. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.

Here he says, He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” {John 3:16} “ life is to be found in Jesus Christ.”

In the same context, we see Jesus saying, for I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” the everlasting life is in Jesus Christ.

Paul: Know Jesus Christ. Paul, formerly known as Saul, is the real example of a man whose life was radically transformed after an encounter with Christ. He used to persecute Christians but after his conversion, he became the apostle of Christ. He is the author of 13 books in the New Testament (possibly 14 if we include Hebrews), which lays out important foundations of the Christian faith we believe in today.

Life for Paul means Christ – he fully committed his life by faith in Jesus, to bear fruit for the kingdom of God {Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:21-22}. His ultimate goal is to know Jesus and experience the power of his resurrection through his suffering and death {Philippians 3:10-11}. Life is like a running race as he aimed for the prize: an imperishable crown from the Lord on the judgment day {1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:7-8}.

Aspects to the Meaning (Goal) of Life According to the Bible

To display the glory of God. Among all the creation blessings, only humans were created in the Creator’s image. The first of God’s blessing to humanity is fruitfulness, to multiply and fill the earth and govern it {Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8}. Notice that work is a blessing from God, not a curse. Our work is supposed to be a display of God’s greatness, and therefore in everything we do, we are to do it with the right motive: for the glory of God {1 Corinthians 10:31}.

To seek the kingdom of God. Our first and foremost priority in life is to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, to do what He wants us to do {Matthew 6:33}. We pray according to God’s will when we ask for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven {Matthew 6:10}. The kingdom of God is about living in truth, peace, and joy through the work of His Spirit in our hearts {Romans 14:17}.

To proclaim the works of God. Before knowing Christ, humans live an empty, sinful life. But once we trust in Christ, through his work on the cross, God sets us free from the slavery to sin, saves us from eternal death, and we are given a new identity to declare the wonderful things He has done {1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:9}. 

We are uniquely created by God and equipped with natural talents and abilities to accomplish good works, which God has called us to do {Ephesians 2:10}

To grow in the knowledge of God. The ultimate goal of human’s pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is to understand God, the greatest of all {Proverbs 9:10}. Since we believe in Christ, we are born again and become a new creation {2 Corinthians 5:17}

Our desire is renewed: to always honor and please God, bear good fruit, and know Him better {Colossians 1:10}. “The knowledge of God leads us to worship and love Him more.”

To believe in the Word of God. Knowing that Jesus is the perfect representation of God, the best thing we can do in life is to believe in him. Jesus is the Word of God {John 1:1-3}, the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God {Revelation 1:8}. We not only need to know him but also to believe in him because faith helps us when we cannot understand. 

Jesus himself said that believing in him is the only work God wants from us {John 6:29}. As we abide in him, the source of grace and truth {John 1:14}, we continue to live by faith in the power of God {Romans 1:16-17}. Believing in Christ means we have everything we need.

To share the love of God. The Bible tells us to live with eternal values: faith, hope, and love {1 Corinthians 13:13}, which can only be found in Christ. As we have been fulfilled with God’s love, we must also share it with others, through bearing one another’s burdens {Galatians 6:2} and discipleship {Matthew 28:18-20}. 

Naturally, we were born with self-centeredness, however by His love, we are supernaturally transformed into a new person with a Spirit-driven ability to love God and others {Luke 10:27}. God’s love (agape) is unconditional and throughout this life, we learn to love like He has loved us {1 John 4:8}.   

To imitate the Son of God. It is the culmination of all the goals we have in life. Here, the sinful desires of humanity to be like God {Genesis 3:5} are replaced with the divine invitation to imitate His Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:48). We are a reflection of God’s glory, created in His image, and being converted by the Spirit into His likeness {2 Corinthians 3:18}. 

Life is a process of becoming more and more like Christ in which we exercise our endurance by fixing our eyes on him, the author, and the finisher of our faith {Hebrews 12:1-2} Job called it a journey indeed it’s a journey

The meaning of life would be incomplete without knowing Jesus as the one who came to restore God’s original design in us. Once God begins His work in us, we can appreciate all the good things that are in our lives: relationships, skills and talents, and experiences, and material possessions.

Life without the Knowledge of God Leads to Emptiness Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Eccl. 1:11-14

Ecclesiastes is a book of the Bible, one of the Wisdom books, that explains how life in this world can be meaningless. Solomon, one of the great kings of Israel, got to pursue everything and anything he wanted to in life. 

His conclusion after everything is: Life is vain, empty, and worthless without God. In this world, we will experience life “under the sun” as one marked by brokenness. 

All the riches, learning, and experiences in life end up being empty. Whether people try to live a good life or not, the conclusion is the same: Life goes on. Everything starts from dust and returns to dust (Eccl. 3:20).

This is why Jesus says in Luke 12:22-23:

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

Jesus says that life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Life is not an endless pursuit to get more.

Meaning in life comes from a deeper place than just the physical world and the things that we are usually so busy living to get more of. People who are in countries going through the devastation of war or famine have very little food and clothing. Yet, people still find meaning in life and the will to survive. 

Many people live ensnared by the things in this world and it’s no wonder that anxiety, fear, and depression are the result. The endless pursuit to get more, live longer, and get ahead has led to a fast-paced, competitive, and sometimes cruel world. 

God gives us food, clothes, relationships, and other things in life to bring joy, enrichment, and pleasure to our lives. And He wants us to trust Him to provide those things for us. He wants us to find the true meaning of life in Him first, in seeking His Kingdom {Luke 12:31}. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

The paradox (uniqueness) of life is that the more we grope to find its meaning, the less we can grasp it. Jesus says in {Luke 17:33} “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.” The only way to find life is to find it in God and pursuit of Him in every season of life.

According to the Bible, the meaning of life is found in believing in Jesus {John 20:31}. And that by believing you may have life in his name.

Dear brothers and sister allow me to rest my case by Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 now all have been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.