Objects of His Love

   One of my favorite verses of Scripture is from the Old Testament book, the Wisdom of Solomon.

For Thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which Thou hast made: for never wouldest Thou have made any thing, if Thou hadst hated it. (Wisd. 11:24)

It is a comforting thought to know that I exist because the Creator of the universe loves me and wants me to be here. He did not create me or anyone else to be hated. He created everyone and everything to be loved by Him. God loves every single individual on this earth and if there is life in other parts of the universe, He loves them, too.

   God's love for us implies that He desires to have a relationship with each of us. He wants us to communicate with Him and He wants to communicate with us. This means that God reveals Himself to us and He actually does that. He reveals Himself to us through nature. St. Paul said,

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20, KJV)

King David wrote in the 18th Psalm,

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:1, LXX)

   God also has revealed Himself to us through the writings of His prophets and through His Son, Jesus Christ.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds. (Heb. 1:1,2, KJV)

   The Bible, which includes all of those books accepted in the regional Church councils accepted by the Quinisext Council (692 A.D.) in its Second Canon, contains the writings of those prophets. These books of the Bible reveal God to us.

   Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate, of course, also reveals God to us.

   Since we are created to be loved by God, we should spend time knowing God. We need to read the Bible daily and pray frequently. We should try to obey God in our daily lives by keeping His commandments. Jesus said:

He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. (St. John 14:21, KJV)

St. John the Theologian wrote:

He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (I John 2:4, KJV)

   Obedience to God is evidence that one knows and loves God. We all sin, however. (I Kings 8:46; Rom. 3:23) So, repentance, therefore, should be the outcome of spending time with God. A person who sees his sinfulness after reading pages of Holy Scripture and does not attempt to abandon his sinful way of living is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror, walks away, and then forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)

   Being objects of God's love, we each have value. No one is worthless. Being objects of God's love, God desires that we know Him and He has revealed Himself to us through nature, the Bible, and His Son Jesus Christ. We should spend time with God in prayer and reading the Bible. We should strive to keep His commandments. Obedience to God's commandments is evidence that we know Him and love Him.

Steve

Purpose

   People often live their lives without any purpose or meaning, not knowing that God created them for a purpose — actually, for several purposes. Having a meaningless existence can result in depression. People need to have something to look forward to, something to hope for, some purpose for living. Otherwise, life can become frustrating. Without a purpose, one might feel as if his life is empty and without value.
   God gives each of us value. To Him, each of us is worth far more than everything else He created. Each human individual is worth more than a sparrow.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (St. Matt. 10:31)

Each human individual is worth more than the whole universe!

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world (Greek, kosmos, universe), and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (St. Matt. 16:26)

God loves everyone whom He made. He created us so that He can love us. He created no one to be hated.

For Thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which Thou hast made: for never wouldest Thou have made any thing, if Thou hadst hated it. (Wisd. 11:24)

   Man is the glory of God. God created him in His glory and commands him to do everything for His glory. (I Cor. 11:7; Isaiah 43:7, LXX; I Cor. 10:31)

The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all His marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for His glory. (Ecclus. 42:17)

   There are several ways that man can glorify God. Some of these ways are:

1.) Worshiping Him. (Psalm 49:23, LXX; Heb. 13:15)
2.) Abstaining from sexual immorality. (I Cor. 6:13-20)
3.) Bearing the fruit (St. John 15:8):

a.) of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22,23; Eph. 5:9)
b.) of new converts to Christ. (St. John 4:35,36; Col. 1:6)
c.) of the womb. (Psalm 126:3, LXX; 127:3, LXX)
d.) of good works. (St. Matt. 3:8; 5:16; 7:17,18; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10)

   God created everything for Himself. He died and rose again from the dead so that everyone will live their lives for Him and not for themselves. (Col. 1:16; Rom. 14:7-9; II Cor. 5:15)
   God created man to know Him. (St. John 17:3) It is not possible to know God without obeying Him. (I John 2:4) We must continue to obey Him in order to continue to know Him.
   God created man as neither mortal nor immortal, but He created him to be immortal.

For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of His own eternity. (Wisd. 2:23)

However, man sinned and became mortal. The soul is already immortal. It is the body that dies. It is God's desire that everyone's body be resurrected immortal. (St. John 5:28,29; I Cor. 15:51-53; I Tim. 2:4; II Pet. 3:9) Everyone will not though. Most will not enjoy the blessed life that God wants them to have in the afterlife. (St. Matt. 7:13,14; 13:49,50; Rev. 20:12-15)
   God created man a little lower than the angels, but to become equal to the angels. (Ps. 8:5, LXX; Heb. 2:6; St. Luke 20:36)
   God created man to take care of His creation and to rule over it. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 8:6-8; Heb. 2:6-8) God created man to work. (Gen. 2:5; 3:24; Job 5:7, LXX) God's intention is for man to labor at some tasks forever. (Isaiah 65:21,22, LXX)
   God created man to procreate. (Gen. 1:28) I believe that it is God's intention for man to procreate forever. (Psalms 78:13, LXX; 88:4, LXX; 105:31, LXX; 112:9, LXX; 144:13, LXX; 145:10, LXX; Isaiah 11:6-8, LXX; 31:9, LXX; 48:18,19, LXX; 60:21,22, LXX; 65:23, LXX; Wisd. 3:13; Eph. 3:21, NKJV; Heb. 6:13,14,17)
   God created woman for man to be his helper, companion, and support. (Gen. 2:18-24; Mal. 2:14, LXX; Ecclus. 36:24; Tob. 8:6; I Cor. 11:9) 
   Knowing why we are here helps us to have meaning and a purpose in life. When we live our lives for the purposes for which God created us, we no longer live aimlessly. We should strive to do those things which God wants us to do.

Steve