What gives True Meaning to Life

Published in God's Message (Pasugo) magazine, Apirl 2007

CARPE DIEM! Seize the day! Since no person on earth knows what the future holds, one might as well make the most of the present. Indeed, almost all human beings aim to make their lives as meaningful and worthwhile as possible. Many desire to live to the fullest every day, every hour and every minute of their earthly existence.

Why? What is the condition of man’s life? The Apostle James articulated, thus:

“Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14, New King James Version)

Life is not only fleeting but also fragile, like a vapor that appears momentarily, and then fades away. The inevitability of death is something that humanity has accepted with resignation. Benjamin Franklin, in a rather sardonic yet matter-of-fact statement, once said: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain but death and taxes.”

Mindful of this sad reality, man in general endeavors to give meaning and significance to his existence. A close scrutiny of his day-to-day living gives us an idea of how man attempts to accomplish just that.

In search for life’s true meaning
King Solomon shared his experience to which many of us can relate:

“I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards. … I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. … Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward.” (Eccles. 2:4, 8, 10, Today’s English Version)

For many, working hard to attain prosperity is what gives life meaning and significance. Success oftentimes is measured by how much wealth one has accumulated through labor and perseverance. This explains why a great portion of man’s time and energy is allocated to his livelihood. His effort is much spent in finding meaning and significance to his earthly existence through acquisition of material possessions. Others, on the other hand, find satisfaction and self-worth in the pursuit of knowledge and earthly pleasures. As King Solomon admitted, thus:

“Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me.

“Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.” (Eccles. 2:9, 3, Ibid.)

Solomon not only labored to stockpile wealth; he also strove to obtain wisdom and was even tempted to indulge himself in some vices. This, he thougt, “might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.” But the big question is: Did he find life’s true meaning through his worldly achievements?

The futility of it all
What did King Solomon realize after he had acquired riches, wisdom, and greatness? This was his stark assessment:

“Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn’t mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind – of no use at all. …You work and worry your way through life, and what do you have to show for it? As long as you live, everything you do brings nothing but worry and heartache. Even at night your mind can’t rest. It is all useless.” (Eccles. 2:11, 22-23, Ibid.)

Such was the realization of one who had achieved much in his life. By human standards, he was an accomplished individual, an epitome of success. Yet, King Solomon lamented that everything he accomplished was in vain, just like chasing the wind – meaningless. His labors brought nothing but worry and heartache.

What a sweeping indictment of life, one may say. But isn’t this exactly the sad reality of living? Despite human achievements in science, technology, and other fields of knowledge, despite his relentless efforts to achieve long-lasting peace, despite great strides of civilization, man’s life and living conditions remain utterly miserable. Is man better off today than say, a century ago – before the development of weapons of mass destruction or the onset of global warming or AIDS epidemic? Is the world a safer and more peaceful place to live 61 years after the UN came into existence? Alas, man’s attempt to find the meaning and essence of life through earthly wealth, wisdom, and power has been a dismal failure. It behooves man to reconsider and change his mindset about what will make his brief stay on earth truly worthwhile.

The reason for man’s being
What did King Solomon conclude as the way by which man can give true meaning and relevance to his earthly sojourn? This he declared:

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccles. 12:13-14, New International Version)

King Solomon taught that the whole duty of man – the very purpose and essence of his existence – is to fear his Creator. This is what will truly make man’s life meaningful. How is reverent fear of God proved? It entails wholehearted service and obedience to His will (Deut. 10:12) and renunciation of evil (Prov. 8:13).

God’s will that man must satisfy
What is one of God’s will that man must make every effort to fulfill? In Ephesians 1:9-10, Apostle Paul said, thus:

“… Let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and he planned to do it through Christ. His goal was to carry out his plan, when the right time came. He planned that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head.” (New Century Version)

God’s will is for all creation to be joined together in Christ as the head. How can this grand plan of God be carried out? Apostle Paul explained:

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Rom. 12:4-5, NIV)

It is God’s plan and purpose that all men be placed under the headship of Christ by becoming members of His body. The body that our Lord Jesus Christ heads is the Church (Col. 1:18), which officially is called after Him, the Church of Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation, emphasis ours)

A 19th-century translation of the Bible by Dr. John Wesley Etheridge renders the same passage as:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to the whole flock over which the Spirit of Holiness hath constituted you the bishops; to pasture the church of the Meshiha which he hath purchased with his blood.” (Etheridge Translation, emphasis ours)

Meshiha is Aramaic for Messiah who is the Lord Christ.

What fortune lies in store for those who served God faithfully inside the Church of Christ until the end? The Bible speaks of their reward:

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes’, says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’.” (Rev. 14:13, NKJV)

Those in the Lord, that is, those who are in the body or Church of Christ who meet their death are guaranteed of an immeasurable fortune. Their labors in the name of the Lord will never be in vain, in contrast with toils for this present life which will only be rendered futile. Their works, their obedience to the will of God, will lead them toward the attainment of live everlasting.

Hence, man owes it to himself to search for the genuine Church of Christ with a sense of urgency. There he must render a rightful service to the Almighty with all his heart, soul, and mind. This is what will give true meaning and significance to his transitory passage in this world.