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The Purpose of Creation
Jun 29, 10:17 AM
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.” Genesis 1:1
To say that each individual is free to choose one’s own religion is a logical absurdity. The assertions of a religion are either true or they are not. One should never choose a religion as one would food offerings on a buffet because it is not a matter of personal taste but the veracity of what the religion proposes. Many people are under the impression that religion is like art. One likes or dislikes certain works of art largely on the basis of personal appeal. Religion, however, carries with it much more than aesthetics. The purpose of a religion is not simply to give order and meaning to our lives nor is it simply to provide an ethical framework for living. Religion in its essence must explain the meaning of life by making assertions as to its creation and purpose. These assertions are accepted as true or they are not.
It is from the purpose of creation that all ethics and values proceed. If life is random, chaotic, and without purpose, then everything is up for grabs and we can do anything we can get away with. We are free to choose any way of life that pleases us. If life is the result of a purposeless process of physics and biology, and there is no intrinsic right or wrong associated with it, then one value system is as good as another. If that is the case, then by all means any religion and lifestyle will do. However, if there is in fact a creator, and if that creator had certain purposes in mind, then not every religion will do. The proposals of the religion as to the nature and purpose of life are either true or not and therefore the accompanying ethics and values are either worthy or they are not. It is not a matter of personal taste. If I believe that there is a God who created all things with intent and purpose, it is not merely a matter of personal opinion but is a matter of fact. If I believe that there is in fact a God who has created all things, I am no longer free to choose my own religion. I must begin to attune myself to the nature of that God and align myself with the values of that God and the purposes of creation. The choice, therefore, is not a matter of selecting between various religions, it is a matter of determining the most plausible explanation as to the origin and purpose of life.
Christianity proposes the following: There is a God; this God has certain qualities which can be known; this God created all things and did so with a purpose. One either accepts by faith these tenets or one looks elsewhere for a more plausible explanation for how and why we are here. If one deems the proposals of Christianity to be true, then it is important for that person to investigate further the purpose of creation and the nature of the God behind it all. Furthermore, if it is true that one God created all things with purpose and intent, then the religion which proceeds from that reality is not a matter for each individual but is true for all people and all times.