THE REASON FOR BEING ALIVE
 
IT IS SO SIMPLE. The reason for being alive is to live. Otherwise why did God make us? We read, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). And the fact that God made man in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26) indicates that we are miniature, living representations of Him. That image being a spiritual one, as responsible and intelligent beings, our lives are to glorify God as they reflect His likeness and attributes in godly living. But man forfeited life, and at the same time failed in accomplishing the glory of God, by sinning. And this is true of all, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). 
 
Now that the Savior has come, died for us, and restored that living relationship with God, we need to again assert the reason we are alive is to live. In a world of sin and death, the sinless Christ has come so that "we might have life" and "have it more abundantly" (John 10:10; also notice John 1:1-4; 3:16; 11:25,26; 14:6). In becoming a Christian we are forgiven of that which causes death, sin (Romans 6:23; Isaiah 59:2; James 2:26). We come up out of the waters of baptism to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:1-4). With the apostle Paul, being constrained by the love of God, we say, "... we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again" (II Corinthians 5:14,15). 
 
We take seriously what the apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 6:20, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s". Now with "purpose of heart" (Acts 11:23) we unselfishly live our lives for the glory of God as we go about doing good (I Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 5:16). The good life is lived doing that which is good.
 
Yes, the purpose of being alive is to live, but so many people think they are living today who really aren’t. Being part of a society set on materialistic gratification, they live only for today when they are creatures of eternity (made after the image of the eternal God). Like the self-indulgent rich man, who said, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry" (Luke 12:15-21), they sell themselves eternally short. God again says, "Thou fool!" And many think they are living when they "live it up." The moral life to them is boring; it is not the "good life." But the pleasures of sin are but "for a season" (Hebrews 11:25), for the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The arch deceiver has done his work again. Like Eve, they have forfeited life. There is no life in sin. Like a ravaging epidemic sweeping across the land and leaving a trail of sickness, disease and death in its path, sin has the stench of death all about it. Yes, the Bible speaks of being "dead in trespasses and sin" (Ephesians 2:1). How foolish to think of this as living.
 
Simplify things in your life (and keep them that way). The reason you are alive is to live and to live for God. Let your life be filled and lived with purpose. With the apostle Paul say, "This one thing I do" (Philippians 3:13f) as he followed the teachings of Christ who said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Then you will know that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (I Timothy 4:8). Amen. 
 
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