A Journey… A Destination…
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
If that is true, what IS the destination? Most people (and religions) recognize that there is something after this life. Otherwise, the journey is simply from birth to death, with the destination being death. If death is not the ‘end’, then the answer must be ‘eternity’.
People ask, “What is the meaning of life?” This question has dogged humankind since the dawn of time. Before Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, and before the word ‘philosophy’ had been invented, people asked this question. It is still a popular question. Witness the popularity of Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life”, or walk through the stacks at library looking at the thousands of books written on the subject.
There are only three people in history that truly understood their “meaning of life”. The first two were Adam and Eve. The third was Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible, until Adam sinned, every evening Adam and Eve walked in the Garden of Eden with God. They had the privilege every day of walking and talking with God. For them, the meaning of life was simple, God told them what He wanted them to do. Their mission was an everlasting* mission. When God created Adam and Eve, there was no such thing as death. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned,” Romans 5:17 (crf. Gen. 2:17, Ro. 3:23).
Jesus Christ understood the meaning of life. He knew what He had to do and why. He had to live a sinless life and die as a sacrifice for our sins. He had to do that to restore the everlasting* bond between humankind and God, and to conquer death. Romans 5:10-11 & 21, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” “…so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:10 “…but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”
Originally, humankind was to last forever and in fellowship with God forever. Humans are still ‘designed’ for eternity. However, because of Adam’s sin, death entered the world. Along with Adam’s sin, each of us has sinned. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23. That means we must face death. We also face separation from God because of sin.
Life is a journey; eternity is the destination. There is a conundrum. We know, both intuitively and Biblically that there is “something after”. That is because the human spirit is everlasting*. We know that there is something beyond death. We know that there are two possible destinations, the rest of eternity* with God and the rest of eternity* separated from God. Knowing that, we have a choice to be reconciled with God or not.
Going back to the ‘original’ statement, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” The question is not, “What is the meaning of life?” The question is, “Which destination will you choose?”
That is a true definition of free will. Will one accept the gift of God - Salvation, and the rest of eternity* with Him? Alternatively, will one reject the gift, and spend the rest of eternity* separated from Him?
* edited Feb 16 2006 in response to Trent's correct assertion that the human soul has a definate start point, and therefore cannot, by definition be eternal, just everlasting.
If that is true, what IS the destination? Most people (and religions) recognize that there is something after this life. Otherwise, the journey is simply from birth to death, with the destination being death. If death is not the ‘end’, then the answer must be ‘eternity’.
People ask, “What is the meaning of life?” This question has dogged humankind since the dawn of time. Before Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, and before the word ‘philosophy’ had been invented, people asked this question. It is still a popular question. Witness the popularity of Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life”, or walk through the stacks at library looking at the thousands of books written on the subject.
There are only three people in history that truly understood their “meaning of life”. The first two were Adam and Eve. The third was Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible, until Adam sinned, every evening Adam and Eve walked in the Garden of Eden with God. They had the privilege every day of walking and talking with God. For them, the meaning of life was simple, God told them what He wanted them to do. Their mission was an everlasting* mission. When God created Adam and Eve, there was no such thing as death. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned,” Romans 5:17 (crf. Gen. 2:17, Ro. 3:23).
Jesus Christ understood the meaning of life. He knew what He had to do and why. He had to live a sinless life and die as a sacrifice for our sins. He had to do that to restore the everlasting* bond between humankind and God, and to conquer death. Romans 5:10-11 & 21, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” “…so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:10 “…but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”
Originally, humankind was to last forever and in fellowship with God forever. Humans are still ‘designed’ for eternity. However, because of Adam’s sin, death entered the world. Along with Adam’s sin, each of us has sinned. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23. That means we must face death. We also face separation from God because of sin.
Life is a journey; eternity is the destination. There is a conundrum. We know, both intuitively and Biblically that there is “something after”. That is because the human spirit is everlasting*. We know that there is something beyond death. We know that there are two possible destinations, the rest of eternity* with God and the rest of eternity* separated from God. Knowing that, we have a choice to be reconciled with God or not.
Going back to the ‘original’ statement, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” The question is not, “What is the meaning of life?” The question is, “Which destination will you choose?”
That is a true definition of free will. Will one accept the gift of God - Salvation, and the rest of eternity* with Him? Alternatively, will one reject the gift, and spend the rest of eternity* separated from Him?
* edited Feb 16 2006 in response to Trent's correct assertion that the human soul has a definate start point, and therefore cannot, by definition be eternal, just everlasting.
posted by Unchained Slave at 1:30 PM
2 Comments:
The human spirit is not Eternal, unless it is indwelt with the Eternal One.
The choice is not living in misery or living in bliss.
The choice is Life or death.
Hi David,
Simply put, the meaning of this life is to prepare for the next life. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Our goal is to be found in Him, and to know Him.
FYI, We all have a spirit, though it is unseen -- and the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Cor 4:18). I don't know of any Scripture that says the spirit of an unbeliever is destroyed, so it must endure eternally. And the only question is the state in which it remains. Good post! You've gotten to the question of the ages.
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