Why are we here?
There are answers (whether you accept them, or not, is up to you), however... here's what I believe:[1] A Great and Wise Creator, Yahweh - PUT US HERE intentionally. He started the human family for His purpose.
Why would He do that?
He wanted a family... the same as most of us want - to love, to be loved, and to care for a family.
First - straight from the KJV:
Rom 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
That is the purpose of this life for us... the goal is for us to be "conformed to the image of His Son".
Now, my emphasis....
Rom 8:28-29 And we know that ALL things work together for good [GOOD - because of His flawless plan] to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose [not your purpose, not mine... HIS purpose]. For whom He did foreknow [He knew from before you were physically born], He also did predestinate [PRE-determined] to be conformed [PRE-designed / fashioned after] to the image of His Son, that He [Yeshua] might be the firstborn [Yeshua was the FIRST of our kind through Whom ALL was created] among many brethren [that's US!... Yeshua is the firstborn of all of mankind (you and I)].
His family of children are to be patterned after, to resemble, to become - like Yeshua!
I love my direct family and my extended family! I've yearned for a family of my own... grand-parents, parents, sons, daughters... grandchildren... etc.,... it's something that has been instilled in us from the beginning (Gen 1:28). A yearning for a loving fellowship together, as one unit...
That is HIS PLAN - from the beginning!
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[2] God is not stupid - He had a grand purpose in mind before creating mankind (His offspring!).
Act 17:26-28 And hath made of one blood ALL nations of men [made of one blood - ALL or only some?] for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being [I'm not going to get into this now, but each one of us exist because of Him... believers AND unbelievers! it's the Scriptural explanation of body, Spirit, and soul... another blog!]; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His OFFSPRING.
"We belong to His race..." (Moffatt translation)
"We are His kindred..." (Lamsa, Eastern texts)
"For indeed we are His children..." (Knox translation)
Act 17:26-28 And hath made of one blood ALL nations of men [made of one blood - ALL or only some?] for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being [I'm not going to get into this now, but each one of us exist because of Him... believers AND unbelievers! it's the Scriptural explanation of body, Spirit, and soul... another blog!]; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His OFFSPRING.
"We belong to His race..." (Moffatt translation)
"We are His kindred..." (Lamsa, Eastern texts)
"For indeed we are His children..." (Knox translation)
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Scripture teaches us that God has many perfect attributes, powers, knowledge, etc., that obviously mankind is still considering because it's mostly outside of our realm of perfect understanding as His created, carnal children (not pre-programmed hardware).
God wants us, as His children, to have those same perfect attributes, especially LOVE!
Qualities of character, such as Love, were not instantaneously created (ask any parent of a terrible two-year-old) and they can't truly be realized outside of His plan.
Per His foresight, and design, they must be developed over time, within us imperfect (unlike our Creator) carnal, human beings.
God did not create little robot "mini-me's"... He created a family of children who are capable of learning.
That development takes a creation, circumstances, and time.
Some of those circumstances, over time, are not necessarily always pleasant. God created ALL these things necessary for the development of pure character within His children.
Although God is absolute GOOD, He nonetheless has a knowledge and understanding of both good AND evil.
This may come as a shock to some of my Christian friends, but GOD CREATED EVIL!
God wants us, as His children, to have those same perfect attributes, especially LOVE!
Qualities of character, such as Love, were not instantaneously created (ask any parent of a terrible two-year-old) and they can't truly be realized outside of His plan.
Per His foresight, and design, they must be developed over time, within us imperfect (unlike our Creator) carnal, human beings.
God did not create little robot "mini-me's"... He created a family of children who are capable of learning.
That development takes a creation, circumstances, and time.
Some of those circumstances, over time, are not necessarily always pleasant. God created ALL these things necessary for the development of pure character within His children.
Although God is absolute GOOD, He nonetheless has a knowledge and understanding of both good AND evil.
This may come as a shock to some of my Christian friends, but GOD CREATED EVIL!
Isa 45:5-7 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and CREATE EVIL: I the LORD do ALL these things.
(I'm not sure why some Christians don't accept this? They usually accept that God created the Tree of the knowledge of both good and evil and placed it in the middle of the Garden BEFORE Eve ate thereof... God planned on her eating thereof!)
We, ALSO, must come to an understanding of both good and evil as created, imperfect human beings.
It's a learning process.
It's a learning process.
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Why?!
Because ALL KNOWLEDGE (from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil - parable for God's knowledge) hinges on their proper understanding.
Because ALL KNOWLEDGE (from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil - parable for God's knowledge) hinges on their proper understanding.
What weight does "yes" carry without the existence of "no"?
How can we understand GOOD if we can't comprehend EVIL?
How can we understand LIGHT without DARKNESS?
How can we understand PROVISION unless we understand hunger, nakedness, and no place to hang our hat? ("Even the birds of the air..." (Matt 6:26))
Etc.,...
Most importantly, how can we understand and fully comprehend LOVE without knowing, and witnessing HATE?
How can we understand LIGHT without DARKNESS?
How can we understand PROVISION unless we understand hunger, nakedness, and no place to hang our hat? ("Even the birds of the air..." (Matt 6:26))
Etc.,...
Most importantly, how can we understand and fully comprehend LOVE without knowing, and witnessing HATE?
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Some Christians suppose that if Adam and Eve had not sinned, then we all would STILL, right now, be enjoying the blissful, beautiful life of happiness, and complete bliss, in the fabulous Garden of Eden... not true!
Adam and Eve did NOT appreciate what they had with God in the Garden before they ate of the fruit (see this blog). God created them, knowing full well, they would fall (sin)! They had NO CONTRAST to compare it with. It was part of His plan...
Adam and Eve did NOT appreciate what they had with God in the Garden before they ate of the fruit (see this blog). God created them, knowing full well, they would fall (sin)! They had NO CONTRAST to compare it with. It was part of His plan...
God allowed the evil in their fleshly hearts, as imperfect human beings, to teach them the importance of His qualities (as we would teach our own children).
Out of necessity, imperfect humans must learn the perfect qualities of The Creator in this imperfect life in order to come to the fullness of His perfection!
Out of necessity, imperfect humans must learn the perfect qualities of The Creator in this imperfect life in order to come to the fullness of His perfection!
He also created Satan, as His Spiritual Adversary to TEACH US the importance of His qualities (Satan was not a perfect archangel who decided to turn against God... see this blog)!
In the next section we'll discuss: follow this link: Why Yeshua?
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Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
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