LIFE'S ULTIMATE QUESTIONS

BY JOHN BLANCHARD Life is full of questions. Some are trivial, some more serious and some tremendously important. Even as you read these words you may have questions about your health, your financial situation, your job, your family or your future. But the greatest questions are about God and your relationship to Him. Nothing in life is more important than this. Good health, financial stability, secure employment, a contented family and a hopeful future are all things that people want. Yet even these are temporary and eventually pointless unless you have a living relationship with God. When we communicate with one another, we rely heavily on words. God also speaks to men through words - the words of the Bible. Nearly 4 000 times in the Old Testament alone you will find phrases like "the Lord spoke", "the Lord commanded" and "the Lord said". This is why it is claimed that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). No other book has had such a life-changing power. Millions of people, over thousands of years, have proved that the "law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." The pressures and problems of modern living are driving many people to a restless search for meaning and purpose in life. Why do we exist? Why are we here? Does human life have any meaning or purpose? Man is more than an accidental accumulation of atoms which all happened to fit together into a convenient package we call "a human being". The Bible tells us that he was specifically created by a wise and holy God. "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created him." Man became God's personal representative on earth, with authority over all other living creatures. Man was created as a spiritual, rational, moral and immortal being, with a nature that was perfect. Not only was man totally fulfilled and completely satisfied with his position in the world but God also was satisfied with man! We know this because the Bible tells us that when His work of creation was complete, with man as His crowning glory, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good." At that point in history, perfect people lived in a perfect environment in a perfect relationship with each other and in perfect harmony with God. This is hardly the situation today. What happened? The first man and woman (Adam and Eve) were given great freedom, but also one serious warning: "You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die." This was an ideal test of man's willingness to obey what God said, simply because God said it. But the devil tempted Eve to disbelieve and disobey God's words and she (and Adam) did. At that moment "sin entered the world". By his deliberate disobedience, man cut himself off from God. God had said that man would die if he disobeyed, and he did. Death means separation, and in one terrible moment man became separated from God; he died spiritually. He now had a dead soul and a dying body. From then on, like pollution at the source of a river, the poison of sin has flowed to all Adam's descendants, and in this way "death came to all men because all sinned." Many of today's newspapers, television and radio headlines remind us of the fact that the world is in a mess. It is easy to condemn violence, injustice, disorder and wrongdoing in society, but before criticizing others, ask yourself whether you are perfect and leading a life pleasing to a holy God. Are you absolutely honest, pure, loving and selfless? God knows the answers to these questions - and so do you! "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). You are a sinner by birth, by nature, by practice and by choice and you urgently need to face the facts - and the consequences. On the Day of Judgement "each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement." Those in a right relationship with God will then be welcomed into heaven to spend eternity in His glorious presence. All others will be "punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power." How can any human being escape from being condemned to hell? The Bible's answer is this: "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." As part of an amazing rescue plan God the Son volunteered to take the place of sinners and to bear the just penalty for sin. The sinless Son of God willingly suffered and died for them, "the Righteous for the unrighteous." But how does all this apply to you? How can you get right with God? How can Christ become your Saviour? ¦ ADMIT you are a sinner and that only the Lord Jesus can save you. "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). ¦ REPENT: Be willing to turn away from sin and submit to God. "But except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5). ¦ BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed His blood to pay the price for your sins and that He rose again. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9,10). ¦ ASK Jesus Christ to be Lord (take control) of your life. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:1-2). ¦ READ your Bible every day and get to know Christ better. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" (Colossians 3:16). ¦ TALK to God in prayer every day. "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). ¦ FIND a church where the Bible is taught as the complete and final Word of God. "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). ¦ OBEY Christ's command and be baptized. "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19).