Why are You here?
Should a preacher pose this question to a congregation, what would they think?
"We have come here for the worship service", of course, would run through their mind.
No, no. That's not what the preacher means. Not "why are you here in church" but "why are you here"?
Why do you exist?
You can think, reason, experience emotion and feeling. You can exercise a will to stand up, to sit down, to turn to the right or turn to the left. You are a separate individual, unique in some ways from every other creature. You exist. You are.
Do we know why we exist? Do we give it much thought? Have we ever given it any thought? Think about it now.
We were created in God's image. Yes, but why?
God visited Adam and Eve in their garden home.
Have not we been pleased when relatives or close friends come to visit in our home? Would we feel honored if our City Councilman came by for a short visit? How about the Mayor, Governor, or even President of the United States? What about God?
We humans, male and female, can bring forth beings in our own image. When we do, we make sure that they have food, clothing, shelter, love, and attention. We seek a good environment in which to nurture them. We carry their pictures with us and brag about how soon they walked, talked, and what cute things they did and said.
As those in our own image mature, we have visions of what they can become and we are willing to sacrifice so that they might have the education we think they need, along with advantages other youth may have. They are the apple of our eye (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalms 17:8; Proverbs 7:2; Lamentations 2:18; Zechariah 2:8). They are, oh, so special to us.
And so
it appears to be with God. He has an affinity for those created in His
image. He comes to visit in man's home, seeking social intercourse with
His likeness. He is anxious about man's welfare and happiness.
If an earthly parent is good to an offspring, how much more good will a Heavenly Parent be?
Yet tragedy can strike. A call from the police station informs us that our child, our precious one, was caught at 2:00 a.m. inside a drug store, stealing drugs. Yes, horror of horrors! A drug addict. One who will lie, cheat, steal, and maybe even kill to get that fix. One with a shattered will, unable to resist that all consuming urge for the narcotic induced high. Now a wreck of a human being.
Yes, tragedy struck God's creation. God is good, outgoing, concerned for others, and willing to sacrifice for their benefit. The one created in God's image rebels and becomes like his seducer, "that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9).
Lucifer, the covering cherub, fell in sin and said, "I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Fallen man becomes like Satan, whose concern is for himself; I, I, I, I, and I. Five times.
Man becomes egocentric, self-centered, and will lie, cheat, steal, and even kill that he might serve himself.
The Second Person of the Godhead comes to this earth, takes on human flesh in order to save man. What does man do? Man kills God. Man kills God. What man was it that killed God? Was it the primitive man, the savage man, the criminal man? No, it was the religious man. It was the leaders of God's true church on earth.
Sin has so confused man that he attacks the very source of his existence, his Creator and Maker, in order that he might maintain his self-imposed dignity and religious authority before his fellow man. Pride goeth before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).
The religious man is proud of his humility. He will study and expound on the wisdom and truth of God, if ... if it brings attention to himself. He will get down on his hands and knees and scrub the church floor, if ... if he is recognized for it. Sin is bad. That bad.
Sin changed man into a self-seeking, egocentric being.
Man was created to have social intercourse with God. To reflect God's image and to be His companion. Temporarily thwarted in His purpose, man will be redeemed fully, and God's will, will be done.
Fallen humanity can hardly imagine the privilege, distinction, and esteem in being so closely associated with God in such a way. It borders on being incomprehensible.
Besides being God's companion, there appears to be another purpose, another reason for man's existence.
Mankind
will be an example, which will serve to secure the universe for all eternity.
"What do you imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end:
affliction shall not rise up the second time" (Nahum 1:9).
Salvation, redemption, and restoration of man from sin is God's work from beginning to end. Man has no part in it whatsoever. It is God who gives man the faith (Ephesians 2:8) to believe that in Jesus Christ man's sins have been atoned for, and that He presents believers faultless before the throne of Heaven (Jude 24).
Man's 6,000 year nightmare of agony, suffering, and death will be evidence of the truthfulness of God, and of His goodness, kindness, and consideration for the works of His hands.
It demonstrates that justice (i.e., retribution for wrong) and mercy (i.e., forgiveness for wrong) have been met in Jesus Christ, showing the Creator's concern for His creatures and His willingness to suffer and pay the exorbitant price for the folly of man's sin, that man may continue to exist.
"For in him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).
All the righteousness of the Father, all the righteousness of the Son, and all the righteousness of the Holy Spirit were just enough to redeem man, and to restore him to his rightful place as a companion of God.
Adam was a son of God (Luke 3:38). The Father visits His created son in the Garden of Eden but that Paradise was lost. Fast forward to the new heavens and new earth.
"And I John saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God (Revelation 21:2,3).
No longer will God just visit. He makes His home with man in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Peter looked forward to a New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).
":.. and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6).
The Righteousness that dwells in the New Heavens and New Earth is He, the Lord our Righteousness.
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 64:4).
Presently,
incomprehensible!
At the time of the American Revolution, our founding fathers declared that those existing in this country had inalienable rights to life ..., but they were already in existence.
Do we humans have a RIGHT to exist? Do we? Our existence, our life, our being is a gift from God.
What is this gift worth? In our free market economy, something is worth the price that is paid for it.
What was the price of our gift of life? It cost the Father all the treasure of Heaven. Think about it!
Do we appreciate our existence purchased at such a great price? What great cost for our being.
The Father knew that if He created man and man rebelled, the cost to redeem man would be enormous. After Adam fell, why did God not create another being?
When all Israel worshipped the golden calf at Mt. Sinai, God asked Moses to step aside. He would consume these Israelites and raise up a great nation from Moses. But Moses declined. Made intercession for his people, saying if God would not forgive their sin, God could blot out his name in the Book of Life (Exodus 32:7-32).
Moses was a type, a figure of Christ (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22). It was Christ's intercession that gave man life, the opportunity to exist.
We have
no right to life. It is a gift from God. It cost all that Heaven had to
offer.
Man, who sees through a glass darkly, can hardly realize what a great gift he has, and the dear price paid for it.
After the Second Coming of Christ, in the full light of day, judgment is given to the saints of the Most High. They sit on thrones judging Israel and even angels, and also those who died without Christ (Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3; Revelation 20:4,12).
Man will once again reflect the image of God and be His companion. Man's fall and restoration will be an object lesson that will secure the universe for all eternity.
In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess:
JUST AND TRUE ARE THY WAYS THOU KING OF SAINTS. (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10,11; Revelation 15:3)
In Christ,
Jack
D. Walker, 5353 Cane Ridge #115, Antioch, TN, 37013, 615.731.8795