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Many people probably feel as this enquirer does:-"I don't believe Free Will exists ...""... we ARE helpless. The world is going according to a supreme perfect plan. ... "
"... I can't trust what has been told to me unless it is at least logical ..."
"I am seeking knowledge about the WHOLE spirituality deal. ... I would like to find out ... what does God intend for us. What our purpose in life is, etc.."
Note his dilemma: he believes he cannot make choices, either wise or foolish, but he wants to know what his purpose is and expects to have a wise answer that appeals to his reasoning powers.
The Reason for Faith How much reason should we expect? Blind faith is foolish. On the other hand if we understood the logic behind all things physical and spiritual, then we would be as clever as God and there would be no need for faith. If God provides us with enough reason to trust him, then trusting him in the things we cannot understand is no blind faith. The question then is "Has he?"
We accept the reality of electricity, magnetism and gravity even though we might not understand them. We do not hesitate to turn on the light switch even though we might not know how it works. The fact that light comes on when the switch is operated is enough reason to believe in it even though the idea of electricity flowing through a solid wire might not seem rational to us. We do not have to understand everything. The question then is, not can we grasp the logic of eternal and spiritual issues, but is there enough evidence for us to believe them.
The historical fact of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead is the evidence God has provided for believing the gospel*.[1.Corinthians 15:13-17] That includes believing those aspects of God's revelation to us that we do not understand. In this way God has given us - in something we can believe - enough reason to trust him in the things we cannot understand - in the well documented and historically substantiated fact of the Lord's resurrection - .
* NOTE: The word "gospel" means "good news". The good news is that the Lord Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead the third day. The historical fact of his resurrection assures us that we too can be raised to eternal life. [1.Corinthians 15:1-4, 20ff.]
God Has a Purpose? Life is not pointless. According to the Bible God does have a purpose. It is an unchanging purpose and this purpose is being accomplished through the Lord Jesus Christ.
"... the eternal purpose which God achieves in Christ Jesus our Lord" Ephesians 3:11He had this purpose before creating the world
"Christ ... was foreordained before the foundation of the world ..." 1.Peter1:20Everything was created for this purpose, both by the Lord Jesus Christ and for him.
"...all things were created by him, and for him." Colossians 1:16[See the article: "The Glorious Eternal Word of God - Kalimat Allah"]
What Is God's Intention for Us? God invites* people to be directly involved in this purpose.
"... God works through all things work for good to those who love God, to those who are the *called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28The invitation is made in "the gospel", which means "the good news".
"... he called you by our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2.Thessalonians 2:14Through his Christ God makes changed persons.
"... if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, everything has become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17We are to abandon the ways of the world
"... don't fashion yourselves to this age, but be transformed by renewing your mind, to prove to you in this way what God's good and acceptable and mature will is." Romans 12:2And we are to be renewed.
"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:" Colossians 3:9 - 10By taking to heart the truth revealed in God's Word
God "... begat us * ... with the word of truth ..." James 1:18 (* i.e. followers of the Messiah)So we are invited to learn about the Christ:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11: 28-30Because getting to know him we will learn everything we need to know for life
"... God's divine power has given to us everything that pertains to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Christ who has called us by his glory and virtue." 2 Peter 1:3So that we can live a satisfyingly purposeful life
The Lord Jesus said: "... I came so that they might have life, and that they might have it super-abundantly." John 10:10Both here in this life and in heaven in the next life.
"... this is eternal life: that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3The Lord Jesus enables us to know God.
"... no one knows the Father, except the Son, and he to whoever the Son might wish to reveal him." Matthew 11:27
God's intention is for us to become like the Lord Jesus. That is our purpose in life. "... those whom God foreknew, he also intended to be conformed to his Son's likeness so that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" Romans 8:29God's purpose is that there will be many who are like the Lord Jesus Christ, who will be in fellowship with God - eternally
The outcome is beyond our imagination. To the followers of the Lord Jesus, John, his apostle, said:
"Beloved, we are now the children of God, and it is not yet apparent what we will be, but we know that when Jesus appears, we will be like him; since we will see him like he is." 1 John 3:2
Now It Is Up to Us The Lord Jesus' gave these parting instructions to his apostles before returning to heaven:-"... Declare the good news to all creation - He who trusts and is immersed* will be reprieved but he who distrusts will be condemned" Mark 16:15-16
NOTESBible quotations are direct translations mostly based on the Authorised Version of the Bible.
* Baptism (immersion in water) displays death and resurrection, of Jesus and of us rejecting the old way
of life and starting a new life for Jesus. Romans 6 and Colossians 2:12
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