God Created You for a Purpose
GOD CREATED YOU FOR A PURPOSE
Bible version: World English Bible, orthodox version
Genesis 1.
Have you ever wondered what is the meaning of life and why we are here on earth? The book of Genesis teaches that God created the world with a purpose. The Bible also teaches us God’s plan for the future. All of us will exist for eternity whether we want to exist for eternity or not. Our eternal future will either be in heaven or in hell. Our purpose here on earth is to serve and worship God and to prepare for eternity. The Bible teaches that God created not only the things that exist, but that organization and purpose is a part of God’s created world. There are 3 forms of creation that Genesis chapter one focuses on. First creation out of nothing, second creation by organization, and third creation of purpose.
I will be quoting from the WEB orthodox version because it is in the public domain. I suggest you read Genesis 1 in a literal translation of the Bible.
The Bible teaches that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. Nothing exists that God did not create. God is good and he created a good world. God gave man free will and man chose to disobey God. Man’s sin against God brought sin and death into the world.
A key truth of Genesis chapter one is that:
God created a good world through the power of his word through which life and culture was to prosper. Genesis chapter one lays the foundation to show why a good God who created a good world could have been possible given the world has evil and suffering in it.
Let us look at 3 kinds of creation in Genesis chapter 1.
3 Kinds of Creation in Genesis 1.
1. Creation of individual things (usually unclear whether out of nothing, or by formation). God creates by his word. When God created individual things, we see these words in Genesis chapter one. God would say “Let there be and there was.” E.g. in Genesis 1:3 “God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” (WEB).
2. Creation through organization. Creation by organization is expressed by the words. “Let there be gathered.” E.g. Genesis 1:9 says: “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so.” (WEB).
3. Creation of purpose. Creation of purpose was expressed by words like “and it shall be for” E.g. Genesis 1: 14 says regarding the lights in the sky “Let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years.” (WEB).
Let us look at these three kinds of creation briefly.
1. God is able to create things and beings that did not exist before he created them. The New Testament tells us in the Gospel of John that Jesus as God the Son was with God the Father in the beginning and that Jesus is God. Jesus is called the Word in John 1:1 which says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:3 says about Jesus as the Word of God. “All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3). This makes clear that God the Father and Jesus brought things and beings that exist into existence from nothing.
2. Second creation involves organization. When God created the earth in Genesis chapter one, we see that the earth was without form and void. God had created the parts but had not yet organized them. God has the power to take a mess and clean it up. God can take disorganization and chaos and bring order out of chaos. This includes the material world and our lives. In the book of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament we see that David messed up his life by committing adultery and murder. Sin brought chaos and disorder to his live. His righteous clean life became unclean and evil. He needed forgiveness and for God to create him anew in a right relationship with God. After David was confronted by his sin, he prayed to God for forgiveness and that God would create within him a clean heart. David in prayer to God says in Psalm 51: 10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.” (WEB). The Bible teaches everyone has sinned. Romans 3:23. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Bible says: “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). Are you willing to admit you have sinned against God and ask for his forgiveness? If you in faith, believe in Jesus’ atoning death on your behalf and confess your sins, and ask for forgiveness, God will forgive you and give you the gift of eternal life. It is only by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior that you can be in Jesus Christ and be a part of God’s new creation. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 : “17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, no reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (WEB). No matter how much we have sinned if we are willing to turn from our sins and trust in God, God can cause us to be born again. He can make us a new creation.
3. Third God created the word and humans for a purpose. The Bible says in Genesis 1:27-28: “27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (WEB). In Genesis God’s purpose and plan for man was for him to have many descendants and rule over the earth. But Genesis is also clear that God created man to be obedient to God and to worship God. Yet as we will see man disobeyed God and came under God’s wrath. God made a way of redemption for man to be restored to a right relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ. God also planned and foreordained that man would be his children and be holy and with defect before God in love. Paul says in Ephesians 1:3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and with defect before him in love.” (WEB).
Paul says in Romans 14: 10-12: “We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.” (WEB).
John says in Revelation 20:11-14: “11 I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. 12 I saw the dead, the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written int eh books, according to their works. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Death and Hades, were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” (WEB).
How seriously do you ponder your eternal destiny? How seriously do you work and pray that your children will believe in God and follow him, and seek and find eternal life in Jesus Christ?
Our purpose here on earth is to serve and worship the one true God and prepare ourselves and others to be right with God and spend eternity in heaven with God.
If you are not a part of God’s new creation you can accept Christ now and have your name written in the book of life.
God promises that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous.
If you will pray with sincerity to God for his forgiveness and for him to give you the gift of eternal life based on Jesus’ death on the cross, then God will give you the gift of eternal life.
You can pray a prayer like this:
Dear God, I know I have sinned and displeased you. I believe you sent your son Jesus to die for my sins and you raised Jesus from the dead. I believe in Jesus and receive him into my life. I will turn from all my sins and follow you. Please give me your gift of eternal life. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, then you have become a disciple (student of Christ) to learn from him and to obey him. You are a part of God’s true church.
Jesus also has a purpose for his disciples. Jesus wants his disciples to make other disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and to teach them to obey all Christ’s teachings. (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (WEB).
What is Jesus’ teaching? Jesus accepted the Old Testament as God’s word. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit who led and inspired the authors of the New Testament to write the New Testament. The teachings of Jesus include the entire Bible. To carry out this mission God gives each Christian a spiritual gift to help minister to the needs of others. To carry out this mission God wants Christians to not to neglect gathering together to encourage one another and work out his purpose. This is one of the reasons why attending church each Sunday should be a priority for Christians.
One important purpose that God has created for parents is to teach their children about God. God says in Deuteronomy 6:5-7: “5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
While you should study the Bible on your own to better teach the Bible to your children, we also benefit from those God has gifted to be teachers and preachers in the church to teach us God’s word.
In summary, God created a good world and created it for a purpose. Humans are a part of his creation. We are created to worship and serve God here on this planet he created for us to dwell in. Things go well when we obey God, but sin brings death and destruction to the world God created. God has made a way for us to be restored to him by faith in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Jesus to God’s right hand and Jesus has poured out the promise of God the Father of the Holy Spirit to enable us to live a changed life. As God’s people he calls us to make disciples of others. Through the Church and Christian families, we work together to glorify God and make other disciples of Jesus.