To glorify God and have a personal relationship with him
To prepare for judgement
To bring about God's kingdom on earth
To prepare for judgement
According to the creation story, humans were created for fellowship with God, but disobeying God led to alienation. God alone could restore the relationship, and he did through Jesus. The final act of reconciliation is judgement that all humans will face. Heaven can therefore be seen as a reward for good behaviour.
To glorify God and have a personal relationship with him
God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists. Humans are made in God's image. For many Christians, the purpose of existence is to represent and spread God's glory. The relationship between Jesus as a human and God the father is the rolemodel for a human relationship with God. Another reason that Christians live is represent God's glory - Christians try and be more God-like through actions and they engage in worship which draws on and reflects back to God's glory.
To prepare for judgement
After Adam and Eve and original sin, the relationship between God and humans was broken. Jesus died for human sin. In order to complete God's plan, humans must face judgement at the end of our lives.
To bring about God's kingdom on Earth
The hope is that one day, the end of time will come. Jesus Christ will come down to earth and remove all sin. Many Christians believe that it is their responsibility to create God's kingdom on Earth
