The Meaning of Life and World View
In the naturalistic, atheistic point of view, there is no meaning and purpose to life other than what men and their societies create. Thus, for example, the meaning and purpose of life in Western civilizations such as Europe and North America is different from the meaning and purpose of life in Eastern Civilizations such as India. Which civilization has the truth? To the naturalists and atheists, neither one has the truth. People's respective points of view are a product of their struggle with the environment and of the evolutionary process. Man is evolving from a primitive stage to a more advanced stage.
In the Christian world view, the unity of meaning and purpose for all men regardless of race comes from the fact that all humans are descended from one man and one woman who were created in the image of God, and were created to be stewards of all the creation. Man has failed in that purpose by his disobedience to his Creator. There is a broken relationship between God and humans and all creation. Yet, God's purpose for humans has not been frustrated because a new Adam stands as representative Man for all mankind with perfect obedience to the Creator. This new Adam is not Himself created but His existence is from eternity, yet He is perfectly human because He entered time and space by being born of a human mother who had not had any sexual intercourse with man. This new Adam is Jesus Christ who died and resurrected to pay the death penalty for all men. He is coming back one day to establish political rule on the earth over all mankind, and material rule over all physical creation, thus fulfilling God's original purpose.
To realize this as the truth about humanity in general and oneself in particular is to be saved. The essence of salvation is to accept this as the meaning and purpose of life and realize it for one's self. To accept His revelation as the truth is to believe Him and accept Him for who He is, God almighty. Salvation is a change in world view.
In the Christian world view, the unity of meaning and purpose for all men regardless of race comes from the fact that all humans are descended from one man and one woman who were created in the image of God, and were created to be stewards of all the creation. Man has failed in that purpose by his disobedience to his Creator. There is a broken relationship between God and humans and all creation. Yet, God's purpose for humans has not been frustrated because a new Adam stands as representative Man for all mankind with perfect obedience to the Creator. This new Adam is not Himself created but His existence is from eternity, yet He is perfectly human because He entered time and space by being born of a human mother who had not had any sexual intercourse with man. This new Adam is Jesus Christ who died and resurrected to pay the death penalty for all men. He is coming back one day to establish political rule on the earth over all mankind, and material rule over all physical creation, thus fulfilling God's original purpose.
To realize this as the truth about humanity in general and oneself in particular is to be saved. The essence of salvation is to accept this as the meaning and purpose of life and realize it for one's self. To accept His revelation as the truth is to believe Him and accept Him for who He is, God almighty. Salvation is a change in world view.
posted at 4:41 PM PermaLink
4 Comments:
I can accept that you feel very strongly about your beliefs. However, here are some questions to ponder:
1. Perhaps there are true Christians that disagree with your interpretation of the Christian faith: how do reconcile your theology with theirs?
2. Your argument about atheism is interesting, but it is limited especially since you seem to be confusing non-Christian religions with atheism. Do you believe that people can believe in God if they are not Christian?
3. Are you aware that there are atheists and agnostics who have strong moral convictions and are in no way relativistic?
I would be interested in knowing where you stand on these questions. Thanks.
This reply is long overdue but the questions deserve a reply:
1. The Christian faith derives from Scriptures. Scriptures are the word of God and are revealed truth. They are not a matter of man's interpretation. God confirms the truth to each man through the Holy Spirit. There is one God and one faith in essentials, though there may be diversity in other areas.
As for the second question:
Not all religions, including atheism, can be true at the same time. If Christianity is true, then, non-Christian claims about God cannot be true.
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
Either Jesus statement is true or it is false.
It is true no matter if I believe it or not.
As for the third quesion:
Where do moral values come from? We may ideologically accept atheism, but murder and theft are strongly condemned in all societies, including atheistic societies such as China and Russia. Moral values do exist and they are objective values, independent of an individual's belief. Moral values are an indicator that we live in a moral universe, and that there is a Lawgiver.
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