Lineman Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 A wise man once said that he observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 1:14 So what's the point of life? Why are we here? Quote Visit and Share the BibleTimelines.com URL ! (Explain the Gospel in just a few minutes, or maybe even seconds.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Surprise! It's not all about you. If you're wondering about the "point of life," then you need to get one. Think of what it cost for you to be here. Naomi 1 Quote GnuPG/PGP key: 0xB07F9AAE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeHiscost Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 A wise man once said that he observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 1:14 So what's the point of life? Why are we here? 16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.....Hebrews 4 I need all the help I can get and this promise lets me know help is only a thought away if I'm willing to trust the option. And the help becomes easier to depend on the more one leans on it .God is Love! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Bravus Posted January 10, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2015 I think perhaps the thing that confuses us is that we say '*the* purpose (or point) of life', as though there's only one. I'd argue that there are 'purposes of life', and that each of us has more than one. The points of my life are to love my wife and daughters and to teach and to write and research, among other things. Quote Truth is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Tom Wetmore Posted January 10, 2015 Administrators Share Posted January 10, 2015 Quite simply, to live. The point of life is to live, to be alive. To embrace the life given. Live it to the fullest. To share life. To grow, increase, multiply life itself. Sadly, many merely exist, as if the goal is but to survive, almost a burden. As if life is not enough in and of itself. To merely survive implies that life itself isn't enough, that there must be something other than life for which to survive. Naomi, phkrause and CoAspen 3 Quote "Absurdity reigns and confusion makes it look good." "Sinless perfection is such a shallow goal." "I love God only as much as the person I love the least." *Forgiveness is always good news. And that is the gospel truth. (And finally, the ideas expressed above are solely my person views and not that of any organization with which I am associated.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoAspen Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 TW, My first thought also. To live!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gerr Posted January 10, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2015 A wise man once said that he observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 1:14 So what's the point of life? Why are we here? Fast forward to the end of the book, which says: ESV | Ec 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. ESV | Is 43:7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” ESV | 1 Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gerr Posted January 10, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2015 Quite simply, to live. The point of life is to live, to be alive. To embrace the life given. Live it to the fullest. To share life. To grow, increase, multiply life itself. Sadly, many merely exist, as if the goal is but to survive, almost a burden. As if life is not enough in and of itself. To merely survive implies that life itself isn't enough, that there must be something other than life for which to survive. TW, My first thought also. To live!!! If the purpose is just to live, then perhaps you might want to read again the perspective written by one who tried to live to the fullest in Eccl 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoAspen Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I see no conflict...sort of like describing the elephant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gerr Posted January 11, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 11, 2015 I see no conflict...sort of like describing the elephant! Even though such a life turned out to be nothing but "vanity and striving after the wind?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoAspen Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Sorry, you're going in a different direction. Reading something to what has been said that is not correct. Glass half full or half empty is everyone's choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aliensanctuary Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Although most things seem to be dark and murky for us, our main purpose for being here is to prepare ourselves and others to become servants of our Creator. While some become mass-murderers for their prophet, our Messiah teaches us to love one another and be willing to sacrifice our own life to save another, extreme polar opposites. Our focus should not be on the material things of this life which lead to death, but the spiritual things which lead to life. Quote The Parable of the Lamb and the Pigpen https://www.createspace.com/3401451 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gerr Posted January 11, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 11, 2015 Are we not talking about the point of life? A life lived to the "full" apart from our Creator is vanity according to the Preacher. LifeHiscost 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoAspen Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I am not talking about apart! We are not robots, we should enjoy life and were created to enjoy life. I do not not see us a hive colony with all of the bees having only one purpose to their life. That, to me, is not a life and lends itself more to the 'earning' our way. Tom Wetmore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 "Glass half full or half empty is everyone's choice!" 3rd choice - the glass is twice as big as it needs to be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeHiscost Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Quite simply, to live. The point of life is to live, to be alive. To embrace the life given. Live it to the fullest. To share life. To grow, increase, multiply life itself. Sadly, many merely exist, as if the goal is but to survive, almost a burden. As if life is not enough in and of itself. To merely survive implies that life itself isn't enough, that there must be something other than life for which to survive. 15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.…1 John 2 That would of course, depend upon with whom your life is bound up. In the one case it can not only be more satisfying here but promises unlimited experiences for the future. God is Love! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outta Here Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 A wise man once said that he observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 1:14 So what's the point of life? Why are we here? The wise man was looking in the wrong place. God created us because He saw that it was good to do so. We are here to bring glory to God. We can bring glory to God by trusting in Him with all our heart and by acknowledging Him in all our ways--He will direct our paths. Enjoy your life and thank God for it! He saw that it was good to create you. Be good. LifeHiscost 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kevin H Posted April 9, 2015 Moderators Share Posted April 9, 2015 There is a poem at the end of Ecclesiastes that is the key to the book. I forgot the exact verses but basically chapter 12 and there is a chiastic structure where the two half's of the poem reflect each other and the most important point is in the middle. And basically the poem says that the book is a collection of heresies that the author is warning us about. Ecclesiastes was actually the last Old Testament book to be included in the canon because the Rabbis feared it being misunderstood. They knew the poem at the back but feared that some of the Greek readers wouldn't know it. So it was not until about the time that John was writing Revelation that it was finally accepted into the canon. The message of the book is the author is warning us of different beliefs and says that he will write them in an attractive manner. Now we frequently take verses out of context and because he wrote them in an attractive manner we can draw good lessons using passages in a homiletical sense. But the actual exegeses of these passages is not that good. For example, we often turn to Ecclesiastes 9:5 for the state of the dead. In the 1980s the White estate was making a concordance of Mrs. White's writings on lazier disk. It was not yet comprehensive but it was a very large amount. I looked up how Mrs. White used Ecclesiastes 9:5 and she uses it a lot. However, in quote after quote after quote, I did not find one time where she used Ecclesiastes 9:5 to PROVE the state of the dead. In all the passages I read, if she was going to build her argument she would build it from other passages. She would then (or not build a case) but just quote Ecclesiastes 9:5 using it's words as a summery of what the Bible teaches. If we were to use the quote in it's actual context it is saying that there is no after life. That this life is all there is. This concept that some religions were teaching was one of the heresies that he author of Ecclesiastes was warning us against. Getting to your original statement: A wise man once said that he observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 1:14 is again a philosophy that the author is warning us against accepting. He wants us to know that no matter what these philosophies around us are saying, that life really does have meaning, that there is indeed life after death and that we are to remember our creator in the days of our youth. And to realize that we have a very complicated and amazing world around us to love. When we love the world as Jesus has loved it, then for us his mission is accomplished; we are fitted for heaven for we have heaven in our heart. Gail 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted April 9, 2015 Administrators Share Posted April 9, 2015 How do you know if you haven't wasted your energy and your breath? How do you know if the Preacher speaks the truth? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Point of life: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8) LifeHiscost, Kevin H and aka 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kevin H Posted April 9, 2015 Moderators Share Posted April 9, 2015 And Micah is telling us what is right. Unlike the author of Ecclesiastes who is telling us what is wrong so we can avoid those ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeHiscost Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I'd argue that there are 'purposes of life', and that each of us has more than one. The points of my life are to love my wife and daughters and to teach and to write and research, among other things. All those things mentioned can be done with meticulous precision and still not bring us continuing benefits if we fail in loving ourself more than we love our Maker. …22"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'....Matthew 7 Emphasis theirs' LHC God is Love! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 9, 2015 Members Share Posted April 9, 2015 Here's the way the chapter ends: 13 Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about. 14 For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad. [Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.] Gail, LifeHiscost, aka and 1 other 4 Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lineman Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 I would like to propose that life is all about having real joy in what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Jesus said (John 15:11) that He came so that our JOY might be FULL! The true meaning of life and real joy then is found only in what we do to/with/for others in the name of Jesus. (Remember that what we do to/with/for others is what we would have done for Jesus.) John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us ABUNDANT LIFE. Life cannot be abundant if it is not filled with JOY. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." God's commandments are all about LOVE, not forced obedience. Quote Visit and Share the BibleTimelines.com URL ! (Explain the Gospel in just a few minutes, or maybe even seconds.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 LifeHiscost 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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