Psalm 73:25-26, 1 Corinthians 10:31
Summary: This is the first in a series of contemporary teachings based upon the Catechism by Charles Spurgeon for his congregation in 1855, when he was twenty years old and the new pastor of Park Street Baptist Church.
Notice, I did not use the term “a guide” in the title. The letter “A,” besides being the first letter of the alphabet, is also used in sentences, conversations, personal rants, varied writings, and the endless barrage of opinions and ideologies to indicate that there are several solutions and guides to the meaning and purpose of life. The world and its diverse population are ever ready and willing (sometimes) to offer advice, viewpoints, and ideas that clash with each other. There are so many voices with so many worldviews that we have reached a point where we are uncertain if what we hear, see, or read is more folly than fact.
Now, before you say to yourself, “Why bother reading what this guy is trying to say?” and then head over to another website, podcast, video, or do something surprising like turning off the computer and reading a book or watching TV – take a few moments to read further and see where I am heading. What I am about to post is NOT my take on defining right and wrong, good and bad, or sacred versus secular. My opinion on the state of the world does not matter, and neither does yours. The ideas and ambitions of humanity fall short of truth, absolute standards, and the real meaning of life, both here and beyond.
I want to show you that there is but ONE sure and certain source of information, inspiration, direction, wisdom, certainty, purpose, meaning, and guidance that is ignored, scoffed at, and detested by a world that cries out for truth, yet when faced with it, does everything in its power to silence and destroy it. Truth hurts and heals. It is not a pacifier to give to someone whose feelings have been hurt and must face their problems, be challenged to solve them, and not sit in the corner and whine about “unfairness,” “offense,” or some such excuse for immature behavior and reaction. The source of absolute truth and standards is set apart from fickleness and emotional constructs.
The guide to the meaning and reason for life confronts pride, self-centeredness, and the ludicrous ideas that we are the “masters of our fate and the captains of our soul.” That belief goes the way of the wind once you take your final breath and everything you thought, believed, and worked for is soon a forgotten existence, a wisp of memory, and a source of oblivion. The “course corrections” provided by this fallen world do nothing but produce spiritual shipwrecks with eternal consequences.
Let us look at the question that everyone asks themselves and among other people in the attempt to get a straight answer. This question is the foundation for our existence, and the answer is one that you may not like, but it is the unchanging and absolute truth.
The question is: “What am I here for, and what is my reason for living in the first place?”
All right, so these are two questions rolled into one, but they both cover an essential issue that needs to be addressed if we are to have ANY direction or solid guidance in this adventure called “life.” Here is a more “formal” version of the question:
“What is the chief end of man (humanity)?
In other words, what is our real reason for being here? You know you have asked yourself this question at some time in your life. Admit it. We are not here just to take up space or sit around and waste our lives. We are here for some purpose, and it is not simply to “be happy” or build up our “self-esteem,” whatever that means. When we are the center of all that there is, it gets both boring and irritating. Life is not all about YOU. Pride and ego kill your personality and opportunity to do better than what you are doing now. We have all sat on the throne of the kingdom of “ME” for too long.
Now that you have read this far, may I now offer you the answer to the question? Here it is, like it or not:
The chief purpose of man is to ENJOY GOD AND GLORIFY HIM FOREVER!
THE guide to this adventure called life starts with the fact that we are NOT alone and that it is God Almighty who has provided you with the ability to work, breathe, and think. He is the ONE who provided you with a mind, body, and soul –not to waste or ruin—but to use as a gift of thanks and honor to Him. Get a Bible (that book you have that is sitting somewhere in your house collecting dust) and read the following verses:
“Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV).
“Who have I in heaven but You? There is none upon Earth that I desire beside You. My flesh and my heart fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26, KJV).
Do you KNOW God? Do you know ANYTHING about Him in the first place? Allow me to direct you to a couple of websites that will help you get the answers:
Take it from here. In the next post, LORD willing, I want to tell you about the Book meant to guide us in life and what it teaches. I look forward to meeting with you soon.
(This is an adaptation of a series compiled by the great British preacher of the 18th century, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), who, at twenty years old, became pastor of Park Street Church in London. He immediately set forth to put together what we would call a “catechism” or a series of questions and answers designed to help new and experienced followers of the Lord Jesus Christ know what and why they believe the core doctrines of the faith.)
https://drwhitchardteaches.org
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