Does Life Have a Purpose?

The question of whether life has a purpose varies depending on one’s beliefs, values and worldview. This question has been debated by scientists, theologians, atheists and philosophers for many centuries.

From a Christian worldview, life is believed to have a purpose given by God. From the beginning of creation in Genesis 1:1-31 we learn that God made everything to be good and all creation from the universe to every plant and creature, was created by God with a purpose.

Even our collective and individual purpose as human beings comes from God. Humans were created in God’s image and therefore we have a unique and special relationship with God that is different from the animals.
We were individually created by God with a purpose which He formulated for us before we were born. However, we have free will, and it is up to us individually to choose whether or not we want to align with God’s purpose for our lives or not.

According to the Bible, the purpose of life is understood to be the following:

1. Our Purpose is to Love God and to Love Others
In the Bible Jesus gives us 2 great commandments which reveal the will of God and the purpose of man. In Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus commands us to love God and to love others.
So the purpose of life is for humanity to love God. We were created to have relationship and fellowship with God.
In Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus says: ”Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Our ability to love and have fellowship with God makes us different from the animals. If we do not have love and if we are not guided by love, we function without one of the virtues that make us human and reflect that we are made in God’s image.

We were created to have fellowship with God. We were also created to love and have fellowship with one another. So God commands us to love Him and to love our neighbor.
In Matthew 22:39-40 Jesus says: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

2. Our Purpose is a Life of Servanthood
God did not create us to dominate one another. He did not create us to feel more superior than other people. Every human being is made in the image of God and therefore nobody is more valuable than the other. Instead God created us to appreciate the value of relationships and to learn to serve one another.

Romans 12:3 says: For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Romans 12:3 encourages humility and realistic self-assessment by reminding us that our gifts, abilities and skills come from God and are meant to be used for the benefit of others.
Our purpose in life is to serve others with the intention of benefiting our families, society and the world.

When Jesus was on earth, He came as a servant and modelled servanthood throughout His life. Jesus also taught His disciples that whoever wants to be a leader must become a servant (Matthew 20:26-28).
So though Jesus was the King of Kings, Christ became an example to us by living a life of servanthood and servant leadership.

Philippians 2:3-8 says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!

In John 13:1-17 Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to teach His disciples that they ought to serve one another. So Jesus taught people that the purpose of life is for us to serve one another.
In John 13:12-17 says: When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. 13 “You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

3. Our Purpose is to Share the Gospel
In a fallen world where sin has corrupted humanity, the message of the Gospel is the most important message that every person needs to hear. God desires that all people would repent and go to Heaven. God desires that all people would seek Him and have a personal relationship with Him.
Therefore the Gospel is the “good news” that Jesus died for our sins on the cross. We are all sinners who deserve eternal punishment in hell (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from a just and holy God and God cannot allow sin to remain unpunished.
However God is also loving and gracious. Therefore He sent Jesus to become the perfect sacrifice and to take the punishment for sin that we deserved.
Jesus paid the penalty for sin that we could not pay by living the perfect life that we could not live and paying the debt for sin that we cannot pay. By believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are eternally forgiven, and we receive eternal life as a free gift (John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9).

In Mark 16:15 Jesus says: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

The Gospel is essential for people to hear if they are to be saved. The purpose of life is therefore to spread the Gospel to the whole world so that people may repent and have an eternal relationship with God.

4. Our Purpose is to Obey & Fulfill God’s Plans
God has given humanity the Bible through which mankind can collectively know and obey God’s teachings and will for life. The Bible is God’s manual for life. It is through God’s word that we receive instruction, rebuke and the value systems that we should apply for daily life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God also has a specific plan and purpose for our individual life. Therefore as we individually and personally fellowship with God, the Lord will reveal His specific purpose for our life.
The only way we can know why our Creator made us, is by having a relationship with the Creator Himself.