The Whole Duty Of Man
One day a young, rather long haired individual approached me and asked, "Hey man, just what is it all about?? Why are we here?? Why do we live??" The question did not come as a surprise, even though it was coming from a person whose particular "sect" searches for the "true meaning of life" (as they put it) through many precarious medics.
I really think the person knew I was a Christian and a preacher, and no doubt he figured I would give him some huge lecture on what "I thought" in relationship to the question presented. I told him first of all that I was rather like Will Rogers, whose philosophy was "all I know is what I read in the newspaper." For all I know about spiritual things, I will find in the Bible, God's word. In view of that statement, he seemed more apt to listen to the word which tells us, "Let us hear the conclusion to the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
The question that was asked is certainly not new. Man in the various dispensations of time have wondered about his existence and the real purpose for being upon this earth. In view of the many uncertainties of life, yet the reality of death, he has tried in every way imaginable to find out as he puts it, "the true meaning of being alive." In all his attempts to find out this answer to satisfy his reason for living, he has omitted two other basic questions: WHERE DID I COME FROM? and WHERE AM I GOING WHEN I DIE??
If an individual will take into consideration all three relevant questions, he really won't have such a problem of determining WHY we are here!! Anyone with any common sense knows something does not come from nothing, and in view of that, who or what has always been alive, but God?? Thusly God gives us His word to direct us through this life, and the same word tells us of death and what will follow.
The word tells us of the reality of sin and the fact that it separates one from the God of heaven, thusly man needing a way to be reunited with God. For man today the gospel of Christ brings man into a covenant relationship with God (Rom. 1:16-17), continuing the same basic thought that was written many years before, " ... keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."
There are many who seek to escape the reality of death and God by escaping reality! But drugs, liquor, and anything else in this present world of like nature still does not answer the question logically concerning (as he put it) "Hey man, why are we here??" Fearing God and keeping His commandments is the only sensible and feasible answer and too, I challenge you to find a better one!! "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (I Corinthians 15:19)
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