meaning + purpose of life

• the 3 purposes of life for Christians are:

  • to glorify God + have a personal relationship with him
  • to prepare for judgement
  • to bring about God's kingdom on earth
• to glorify God + have a personal relationship with him:

  • God is the creator + sustainer of life: he made mankind in his image, making humans inextricably tied to God's will, making it the natural impulse of humans to seek a relationship with him
  • Christians can build a close relationship with God through prayer, Bible study + following Jesus' teachings
  • Jesus' relationship with his disciples e.g. the last supper, is a good model for the intimacy of a relationship with God
  • through living a life glorifying God, humans will be able to experience the kingdom of God in their current life + after death
• to prepare for judgement:

  • doctrine of atonement = the idea that God payed for the sin of humanity through the suffering of Jesus' death
  • Jesus taught that his followers would be judged according to how they treated those less fortunate than them e.g. parable of the sheep + goats
  • to prepare for judgement is important as humanities purpose is to be with God
  • particular judgement = individual, happens immediately after death
  • general judgement = involves all of humanity, occurs upon Jesus' return to earth
• to bring about God's kingdom on earth:

  • key part of Jesus' teaching: all who followed him should work towards the kingdom of God on earth by partaking in acts of charity + working against injustice
  • important so Christian belief isn't misconstrued to only securing personal salvation: Jesus' emphasis on helping those in the present, not just preparing for afterlife
  • Lord's prayer: "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
• C.H. Dodd + realised eschatology

  • teaches that the end times are not just a future expectation but a present reality initiated by Jesus
  • believers should live out the principles of God's Kingdom in their daily lives