"What is my purpose in life?"


Throughout the centuries man has developed elaborate religious and philosophical 
systems aimed at answering this question.  But, we cannot answer this question by 
our own reason or intellect. Let's turn to a higher authority; the Holy Bible. The word
"purpose", is included in these two verses- "And we know that all things work together 
for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
 -Romans 8:28.  "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus, 
our Lord, In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."
 -Ephesians 3:11, 12. This sounds to me like man's purpose is linked to God's plan..... 

The Apostle Paul addresses those who are searching for the answers in life. He warns 
them not to look to man’s wisdom. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul deals with 
three groups of people***. Two of these groups look to their  own wisdom to know God. 

The Greeks looked to wisdom and philosophy to find God. The Jews looked for a 
powerful Messiah who would free them from the oppression of Roman rule.
Greeks were also dedicated to Philosophy. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle were 
revered in their society.It was the goal of the soul to escape the body. They reasoned 
that man accomplished this through knowledge. For them, knowledge was the path to 
God. To those who seek God through human wisdom Paul paraphrases Isaiah 29:14 ***

On the other hand, the Jews looked to knowledge of, and obedience to the Law as the 
path to God. In the Rabbinical schools, children were taught the Torah from a very 
young age. Their interpretation of the Scriptures led them to believe the Messiah that 
was to come, would do so as an earthly ruler. He would perform many miraculous 
signs and wonders and set up his kingdom here on earth. All those who were obedient 
to God would be a part of that kingdom.

To those looking for miracles, Paul calls the message of the cross a stumbling block.***
The Jews sought an earthly Messiah. They expected him to come as a conqueror 
defeating the Roman Empire and setting up His kingdom on the throne of David. 
Dying on a cross was not a sign of a strong conquering Messiah.
 
Today, the temptations to fall into the traps of depending on human wisdom or 
looking for miracles still attack us on every side. The eastern religions have grown 
and are now infiltrating our country. The New Age movement really is nothing but a 
mixture of the eastern religions and pantheism. God is in everything is a cry that 
rings out long and loud these days. New Agers tell us to look for the god within us. 
They look to mystical experiences to hear God speak to them. They will tell you that
knowledge will set you free to experience God.  Look at the number of people 
spending great amounts of time and money going to places where the Virgin Mary 
has supposedly appeared. They think that, by going there, they can obtain some 
kind of miraculous healing or at the very least earn favor with God. The simple 
message that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the whole world just isn’t
enough for them. Paul’s words to the Ephesians, "it is by grace you have been 
saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" simply 
isn’t enough. They say, "Somehow, someway, man must need to contribute to his 
salvation. Our pride does not like to admit that we are not capable of saving ourselves. 

Paul’s message to the Corinthians is applicable to these groups today. Those who 
look to man’s wisdom for salvation are foolish. Furthermore, those who do this are 
perishing. You think you are wise but your wisdom cannot help you. 

But Paul talks about another group of people. Those who look to the cross and 
trust in the cross for their salvation. Paul says, "The message of the cross is the 
wisdom and the power of God to those who are being saved.  To those who 
believe, the message of the cross is true wisdom. It is the answer to the hard 
questions of life. It assures us of a life beyond that which exists here on this earth. 
It shows us our goal and purpose in life. It shows us the way to eternal life with 
our Heavenly Father. The message of the cross is true wisdom. Because of the 
sinful nature inherent in man, there is no way we can do anything to contribute to 
our own salvation. Furthermore, a righteous God demands payment for sin. That 
payment is death. In Deuteronomy 24:16 God says, "each is to die for his own sin." 
If we look to ourselves to obtain our salvation then this is exactly what awaits us. 
The only way, man could have any hope of salvation was for God to devise a plan 
that takes the responsibility completely out of man’s hands. Jesus’ death on the 
cross fulfills both of these requirements. 
 
 The message of the cross is the power that sustains us through the trials and 
hard times of this life. Although friends and family forsake us, the message of the 
cross proves we have a God that loves us and will never forsake us. Finally it is the 
power that helps us face death. No longer do we need to fear what is to come after 
our life on earth is finished. Rather, we wait with joyful anticipation for the time 
when we will live eternally with our Heavenly Father.

It is so easy to fall into the trap of depending on man’s wisdom to answer all the 
questions of life. Deep inside of us there is always that voice that tells us that we 
must contribute to our own salvation. That is why it is so important that we 
continually return to the message of the cross. We must constantly return to the 
Scriptures, because they are the means through which the Holy Spirit brought
us to faith. 

Many over the years have rejected God’s plan of salvation as foolishness ***. They 
have and still do scoff at those who believe.  But we are no longer searching for 
the answers in life. We have the only answer we will ever need. We have the 
assurance that our sins are forgiven. We have the assurance of eternal life. 
Look to the Cross!

*** 1 Corinthians 1:18-27 ;

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us
which are saved it is the power of God. 
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing
the understanding of the prudent. 
Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this
world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the
Greeks foolishness; 
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God. 
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God
is stronger than men. 
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: 
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and
God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" 

Yes, it is the Bible that has the answers to life & death, our purpose- 
to follow our Creator; explained in His Word, and the consequences 
of following man's wisdom.

For More Click Here