200 posts of living, so what's the meaning?
Do you really understand why you exist? Surely this is a fundamental question that everyone wants answered. Without meaningful goals, life is senseless and empty. Lack of purpose leads to unhappiness and even mental disorders. People need a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in life. However, many people are mistaken about the true meaning and purpose of life. Some pursue riches and material possessions, believing that material things will make life happy but they ended up always wanting more and never satisfied. Some pursue pleasure and make fun their goal in life, thinking that 'you can only go around once, so reach for gusto you can.' Many modern entertainers have achieved this 'high life' to the ultimate but are they happy? Some pursue education and want to accumulate knowledge and world wisdom, thereby spending their time in nothing else than to hear or tell new things.
So, what is the meaning of life? How can we find purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction in life? Will we have the potential to accomplish something of lasting significance? So many people have never stopped to consider what the meaning of life is. They look back years later and wonder why their relationships have fallen apart and why they feel so empty even though they may have achieved what they set out to accomplish. One baseball player who made it to the baseball hall of fame was asked what he wished someone would have told him when he first started playing baseball. He replied, "I wish that someone would have told me that when you reach the top, there's nothing there." These goals reveal their emptiness only after years have been wasted in their pursuit. Certainly, success and achievements have taken its place in our society these days, to the point that this is the only one thing which a lot of people strive for. Just look at the students in top institutions and you will see what I mean.
Before I start explaining our purpose in this world, let me elaborate more on the three areas in life which people sought out, thinking it's their purpose in life.
1. Material success
It is true that people these day seek these things. I used to be one of those who really sincerely thought that material success should be my purpose in life. These people sought what is now called financial 'freedom', as termed by Robert Kiyosaki. They read books like 'Think and Grow Rich', 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' and many other mores, as long as it appears to give them the idea of how to achieve this financial freedom. It is under this premise that people start having their own business, and go into industries like network marketing. Some eventually become very 'successful' indeed and keep going for more. More, and more, and somemore. It just keeps going on and on. They get rich, they get their big houses, they get their big cars, some get their own airplane, some have their own private army, some get richer than the nation they are residing in. But they just can't stop. They have achieved this 'financial freedom' but they are unable to stop. Some argue that it's cos they want to keep themselves occupied. Maybe it's true. But this arises one question. So what if you really achieve financial freedom? We are born into this world with nothing, and so we will leave with no worldly possession. Unless you make it super successful, you will never enter the hall of historical great names. So what's the meaning behind all these?
2. Pleasure
This is one thing a lot of people go for too. There are people who feels that since you can only live once. So they feel that school is boring and we should not be entrapped into the world of the rat race. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Therefore, their daily night activities would be clubbing, ktv, blah blah blah. Some guys goes into a party, hoping that they will 'catch' a girl, get the girl drunk, have a good dance with her, and have a 'good night' with her. Some girls go into the parties expecting some guys to do that. Some go KTV all day, some go shopping all day, some go play mahjong all day. Some decide that their girlfriend or boyfriend provides the purpose and meaning for their life and they live for them. Some think that maple story is the 'way'. Some feels that dota is the thing they will live for. But so what? You 'catch' a girl in the party, have a night with her, wake up next morning, then it's a night over. You go sing KTV but how many songs can you sing? Shopping, but how many clothes can you buy? Mahjong, how many nights can you tahan? BGR, so what happens in the case of a break up? Maple and dota, dun people just get tired of them?
3. Education
Given the modern setting, some definitely try to find meaning in educational success and try to ace their studies. Some of these people become so perverted in their studies that their only activity in their life is study and their mission in life is to memorise whatever that can be found in the library so that they will be able to ace their exams. But one problem with this is how much can you really study? Even if you spend your entire life eat study, drink study, and sleep study, the most amount of knowledge of the whole world you can possibly gain is probably just 1%. There ought to be more to life than just studying. Solomon summed up very nicely here:
So how can people find their meaning in life? To answer this question, we have to establish some premises first. First of all, we have to know that we are not created by random evolution or by accident. Just like when you see a car, you have to conclude that someone intelligent must have made it, it's the same with us. Therefore, there must be someone intelligent who have created us, who have designed us in such a way that we can have life. Secondly, since we are not here by accident and we are being created by some intelligent being, then we must therefore be here for some purpose. Intelligent beings dun create something because he just feels like creating. Just the car which is created so that we can move from one place to another much faster, we must also have been created for some purpose that our creator would want us to fulfill. Thirdly, just like there must be a manual which comes along with the car to teach how to fully utilise the car, there must be a manual which is there for us to reach our potential.
As one would have guessed, the direction which I'm heading towards is this one guy called Jesus Christ, or God incarnate, the Word manifested into flesh as John said:
So, to speak, the person whom people hear about in Da Vinci Code, in Passion of Christ, in other 'new' gospels, is actually God, and it's explicitly said there that through Him all things were made. He is the Creator. Logically speaking, human beings may be one of the most complex beings that is walking on the face of the earth right now. The question we must ask ourselves is how have we got here. By pure accident? Or by intelligent design? You see, the components in our living body is not unique and can be found anywhere. The trouble is for these component to come together to form life. Try taking some carbon and water and some protein, and see if you can form a life out of it.
Of course, some will raise the objection that there is no God. One common argument that people will give is that there is too much evil evident in life and they see no logical contradiction within their system since they do not have to prove that evil coexists with a good Creator. Evil exists, therefore, the Creator does not. However, if evil exists, one must assume that good exists in order to know the difference. If good exists, one must assume that a moral law exists by which to measure good and evil. But if a moral law exists, must not one posit an ultimate source of moral law, or at least an objective basis for moral law, an objective basis which is able to transcend over time. There are a lot of other objections, but let's carry on with the discussion.
Indeed, because there is a Creator, therefore, we must have been created for a purpose.
As you can see, even before we are born, our Creator already knew us. And He set aside us for His purpose for us. Each of us is a unique creation by itself. For each of us, He has a plan for us in this world.
Hence, one might ask, then what exactly does He create us for? To sum up everything, it's all for Him basically. The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God. It is the reason for everything that exists. God made it all for His glory. Without God's glory, there would be nothing. In short, we are created to live for Him. We fulfill our purpose in life by bringing glory to Him, by doing what He set us out to do. In fact, we can only start living for God if we have a personal relationship with Him, which I and many of the brothers and sisters are having, through Jesus Christ. He said it very explicitly here:
He couldn't be any more blunt that this. He is not saying that He can show the way, the truth or the life, He says HE IS the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way by which we can establish a personal relationship with God. And because of this, He will give us life.
Of course, some may say that it's just all talk. But if you are really sincere in finding the true meaning of life, I would advise you to take the experimental test, to try it out yourself. As I have said earlier, there must be a manual for the creation, and the manual is the Bible. Just like the car, in order to know whether the manual is talking crap, or whether it really allows to drive the car in a more efficient way so as to utilise the car's potential, to know whether the Bible is talking crap or not, it would require us to test it out ourselves.
The whole point here is that we can't possibly live for ourselves. In the search for the true meaning of life, we have to accept that we are not ourselves the purpose by which we are living for. Logically speaking, if we are not created for a purpose, then what is life? If we are just part of a 'natural process of evolution', then what is the destiny of mankind? I have spoken long enough and I will leave my readers to ponder about it.
So, what is the meaning of life? How can we find purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction in life? Will we have the potential to accomplish something of lasting significance? So many people have never stopped to consider what the meaning of life is. They look back years later and wonder why their relationships have fallen apart and why they feel so empty even though they may have achieved what they set out to accomplish. One baseball player who made it to the baseball hall of fame was asked what he wished someone would have told him when he first started playing baseball. He replied, "I wish that someone would have told me that when you reach the top, there's nothing there." These goals reveal their emptiness only after years have been wasted in their pursuit. Certainly, success and achievements have taken its place in our society these days, to the point that this is the only one thing which a lot of people strive for. Just look at the students in top institutions and you will see what I mean.
Before I start explaining our purpose in this world, let me elaborate more on the three areas in life which people sought out, thinking it's their purpose in life.
1. Material success
It is true that people these day seek these things. I used to be one of those who really sincerely thought that material success should be my purpose in life. These people sought what is now called financial 'freedom', as termed by Robert Kiyosaki. They read books like 'Think and Grow Rich', 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' and many other mores, as long as it appears to give them the idea of how to achieve this financial freedom. It is under this premise that people start having their own business, and go into industries like network marketing. Some eventually become very 'successful' indeed and keep going for more. More, and more, and somemore. It just keeps going on and on. They get rich, they get their big houses, they get their big cars, some get their own airplane, some have their own private army, some get richer than the nation they are residing in. But they just can't stop. They have achieved this 'financial freedom' but they are unable to stop. Some argue that it's cos they want to keep themselves occupied. Maybe it's true. But this arises one question. So what if you really achieve financial freedom? We are born into this world with nothing, and so we will leave with no worldly possession. Unless you make it super successful, you will never enter the hall of historical great names. So what's the meaning behind all these?
2. Pleasure
This is one thing a lot of people go for too. There are people who feels that since you can only live once. So they feel that school is boring and we should not be entrapped into the world of the rat race. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Therefore, their daily night activities would be clubbing, ktv, blah blah blah. Some guys goes into a party, hoping that they will 'catch' a girl, get the girl drunk, have a good dance with her, and have a 'good night' with her. Some girls go into the parties expecting some guys to do that. Some go KTV all day, some go shopping all day, some go play mahjong all day. Some decide that their girlfriend or boyfriend provides the purpose and meaning for their life and they live for them. Some think that maple story is the 'way'. Some feels that dota is the thing they will live for. But so what? You 'catch' a girl in the party, have a night with her, wake up next morning, then it's a night over. You go sing KTV but how many songs can you sing? Shopping, but how many clothes can you buy? Mahjong, how many nights can you tahan? BGR, so what happens in the case of a break up? Maple and dota, dun people just get tired of them?
3. Education
Given the modern setting, some definitely try to find meaning in educational success and try to ace their studies. Some of these people become so perverted in their studies that their only activity in their life is study and their mission in life is to memorise whatever that can be found in the library so that they will be able to ace their exams. But one problem with this is how much can you really study? Even if you spend your entire life eat study, drink study, and sleep study, the most amount of knowledge of the whole world you can possibly gain is probably just 1%. There ought to be more to life than just studying. Solomon summed up very nicely here:
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 2:11
So how can people find their meaning in life? To answer this question, we have to establish some premises first. First of all, we have to know that we are not created by random evolution or by accident. Just like when you see a car, you have to conclude that someone intelligent must have made it, it's the same with us. Therefore, there must be someone intelligent who have created us, who have designed us in such a way that we can have life. Secondly, since we are not here by accident and we are being created by some intelligent being, then we must therefore be here for some purpose. Intelligent beings dun create something because he just feels like creating. Just the car which is created so that we can move from one place to another much faster, we must also have been created for some purpose that our creator would want us to fulfill. Thirdly, just like there must be a manual which comes along with the car to teach how to fully utilise the car, there must be a manual which is there for us to reach our potential.
As one would have guessed, the direction which I'm heading towards is this one guy called Jesus Christ, or God incarnate, the Word manifested into flesh as John said:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
- John 1:1-3
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- John 1:14
So, to speak, the person whom people hear about in Da Vinci Code, in Passion of Christ, in other 'new' gospels, is actually God, and it's explicitly said there that through Him all things were made. He is the Creator. Logically speaking, human beings may be one of the most complex beings that is walking on the face of the earth right now. The question we must ask ourselves is how have we got here. By pure accident? Or by intelligent design? You see, the components in our living body is not unique and can be found anywhere. The trouble is for these component to come together to form life. Try taking some carbon and water and some protein, and see if you can form a life out of it.
Of course, some will raise the objection that there is no God. One common argument that people will give is that there is too much evil evident in life and they see no logical contradiction within their system since they do not have to prove that evil coexists with a good Creator. Evil exists, therefore, the Creator does not. However, if evil exists, one must assume that good exists in order to know the difference. If good exists, one must assume that a moral law exists by which to measure good and evil. But if a moral law exists, must not one posit an ultimate source of moral law, or at least an objective basis for moral law, an objective basis which is able to transcend over time. There are a lot of other objections, but let's carry on with the discussion.
Indeed, because there is a Creator, therefore, we must have been created for a purpose.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
- Jeremiah 1:5
As you can see, even before we are born, our Creator already knew us. And He set aside us for His purpose for us. Each of us is a unique creation by itself. For each of us, He has a plan for us in this world.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
- Jeremiah 29:11
The LORD has made everything for his own purposes
- Proverbs 16:4a (NLT)
Hence, one might ask, then what exactly does He create us for? To sum up everything, it's all for Him basically. The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God. It is the reason for everything that exists. God made it all for His glory. Without God's glory, there would be nothing. In short, we are created to live for Him. We fulfill our purpose in life by bringing glory to Him, by doing what He set us out to do. In fact, we can only start living for God if we have a personal relationship with Him, which I and many of the brothers and sisters are having, through Jesus Christ. He said it very explicitly here:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- John 14:6
He couldn't be any more blunt that this. He is not saying that He can show the way, the truth or the life, He says HE IS the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way by which we can establish a personal relationship with God. And because of this, He will give us life.
Of course, some may say that it's just all talk. But if you are really sincere in finding the true meaning of life, I would advise you to take the experimental test, to try it out yourself. As I have said earlier, there must be a manual for the creation, and the manual is the Bible. Just like the car, in order to know whether the manual is talking crap, or whether it really allows to drive the car in a more efficient way so as to utilise the car's potential, to know whether the Bible is talking crap or not, it would require us to test it out ourselves.
The whole point here is that we can't possibly live for ourselves. In the search for the true meaning of life, we have to accept that we are not ourselves the purpose by which we are living for. Logically speaking, if we are not created for a purpose, then what is life? If we are just part of a 'natural process of evolution', then what is the destiny of mankind? I have spoken long enough and I will leave my readers to ponder about it.
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