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- Thread starter Corban
- Start date
Corban said:
Here is your answer, from the Westminster Larger Catechism with proof texts (from the Bible):
Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God,[1] and fully to enjoy him forever.[2]
Notes:
[1] Romans 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 10:31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
[2] Psalm 73:24-28. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. John 17:21-23. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Also, it is impossible to have glory without struggle; this life is that struggle, and therefore is required for God's greater glory.
Runt
Well-Known Member
The purpose of life is to LIVE it, to get as much out of the experience as you possibly can, because when you die you will be tranformed (whether into a spirit, being reincarnated, going to Hell and burning for eternity, or simply joining the rest of the energy in the universe as your consciousness dissipates--i.e. dying forever) and the opportunities for the experiences you can have in this life will be gone, gone, gone.
Corban and Runt,
I suggest that life is significant enough to be its own reason for existence - independent of parallel beliefs in God(s), afterlife(ves), etc.
quick,
Your proofs indicate that God (specificaly, your God) is [1] all powerful and [2] glorious. You then go on to state "...it is impossible to have glory without struggle..."
I assume that, since God is [1] all powerful, he does not struggle. Therefore, if your statement were true, then God could not be [2] glorious. Since we may assume that the Bible you quoted is infallible your assertion must be false; one may have glory without struggle. Similar incidences of glory (though obviously not equal to God's glory) can be found in real life; people inheriting riches and power, etc.
Why did you chose to include that statement?
I suggest that life is significant enough to be its own reason for existence - independent of parallel beliefs in God(s), afterlife(ves), etc.
quick,
Your proofs indicate that God (specificaly, your God) is [1] all powerful and [2] glorious. You then go on to state "...it is impossible to have glory without struggle..."
I assume that, since God is [1] all powerful, he does not struggle. Therefore, if your statement were true, then God could not be [2] glorious. Since we may assume that the Bible you quoted is infallible your assertion must be false; one may have glory without struggle. Similar incidences of glory (though obviously not equal to God's glory) can be found in real life; people inheriting riches and power, etc.
Why did you chose to include that statement?
Runt
Well-Known Member
I wasn't offended. Just confused. The "gone gone gone" sounding like a race wasn't intentional. I was just in one of "those moods", if you know what I mean (no rhetorical purpose to the word repetition; I was bored and felt like being singsongy. Perhaps I should remove it... naw.)
Nefelie
Member
Which God?
Interesting question.
Just for the sake of conversation, let us take for granted that there is an Intelligent Supreme Creator.
It is really confusing why a deity would create something just to see it go through a bunch of troubles to end up somewhere that could be there from the beginning.
…But, where is the fun in that?
Infinity can be very boring, I’m guessing, so what if that deity is just amusing itself by watching it’s creations struggle to do something and get somewhere - like a good strategy game?
~~~
Luciferi Baphomet
Lucifer, is my Liberator
Because god wants us to suffer and follow his bull****. Lucifer wants us to be free from god's slavery. That is how I see it. Lucifer is the liberator.
Skwim
Veteran Member
Why do you assume there is one?
Looking at it from the Christian god's viewpoint, I'd say it's for his amusement. God was bored of the same ol' same ol'.
.
yiostheoy
Member
Well you have resurrected a really old thread and the O/P himself/herself has not been back in about 12 years.
The question is more Philosophical than Religious however.
Rene Descartes has the best answer from among all the philosophers.
He said it is obviously out of the infinite loving kindness that the Philosophy-God created us to share in the existence that He Himself also has.
Purpose: To undo all notions of Self as separate from God. In essence to forgive this fundamental error, consistently so that full Knowledge is restored.
From the Divine perspective, you/we have never left Heaven. It is here, now even if you wish to pretend that you are unable to see it. Might not wish to use physical eyes if truly looking for (spiritual) Reality.
Luciferi Baphomet
Lucifer, is my Liberator
Then why do the religious people talk about "going to heaven"?
Become some follow a religious perspective that suggests God is not found within. Instead is over yonder. Where Heaven is (for them).
Nefelie
Member
I don’t. It’s just for the sake of argument.
Personally I’m more Zen on this subject: “life is meaningless. And the only thing that means, is that you are given the chance to fill it with meaning”
This could be from any Monotheistic viewpoint, not just Christian.
Actually, this could be valid from a Pantheistic viewpoint as well: we are bored of our immortality so we are born mortal again and again to amuse ourselves.
~~~
Be prepared for more resurrections because I’m browsing through old threads and I believe that a good question has no… age
…I don’t get it…
Care to elaborate?~~~
OK, but why?
That’s a beautiful philosophy, but can you say something like that to an abused child (for example) ?
~~~
Unfathomable Tao
Student of the Way
It seems to me that the purpose of life is simply to live it well. That is what virtually every worldview seems to aim at, or they aim at earning a pleasant future existence. There seems to be a almost universal slant toward pleasure, and being oriented toward it. Is pleasure the universal director of every human action?
Etritonakin
Well-Known Member
We go through this life for psychological effect and experience. God is making us gods so we can make the universe a paradise. We are allowed to mess up this world and live the effects as we learn and gain experience.
Afterward, the present works on the Earth will be burnt up -and the surface of the earth changed to make available more resources and better building materials.
(2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.)
Earth will become a paradise first (to which the thief on the cross will be resurrected -being the next instant after his death from his perspective. "Paradise" -not "heaven". The meek shall inherit "the Earth" [and more] )
We have limited power, limited lifespan in this present state, and limited ability to affect the universe adversely.
When we will not affect it adversely because our minds and spirits are perfected, we will be given bodies capable of ordering even cosmic events.
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
(creature=creation in the following)
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
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You are in heaven.,....,,..,,,,...,.,,,,.,.
Ain't life great
-If you want to be a prune; HEB has the beswt prices $$$
A very good question!
Simply put, this Earth is our home. Notice what the Bible says: Isaiah 45:18..."(this Earth was) formed...to be inhabited", Psalms 115:16, Jesus' statement at Matthew 5:5, the Lord's Prayer at Matthew 6:9-10...."Thy will (or purpose) be done on Earth", and the fulfillment of that prayer, as we contemplate Revelation 21:3-4...."the tent of God is with mankind .....death will be no more".
I'm not saying, that no one goes to Heaven, the Bible mentions those who do. But these ones are chosen to rule as kings with Jesus, in the Kingdom (Remember "Let Thy Kingdom come" --Matthew 6:9-10?) And who will Jesus and these chosen ones rule over? The mild tempered and righteous ones living here at the Earth! --Psalms 37:10-11; Psalms 37:29
serp777
Well-Known Member
Basically, we're here to kiss the butt of the almighty God. If we brown nose enough, we might get a magical paradise for eternity, but only if we brown nose AND follow all of the imposed regulations.