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

The Creation of Man

I have written about the creation of the universe and the creation of angels. Now, it is time to discourse on the creation of man.

God created man "a little lower than the angels" (Psalm 8:5, LXX; Heb. 2:7) in His image and likeness. (Gen. 1:26) God created man with a material body and an immaterial soul. (Gen. 2:7) Both the body and the soul have substance. The body is made of matter. The soul is made of a substance that is not matter. Originally, God created man neither mortal nor immortal.

For man had been made a middle nature, neither wholly mortal, nor altogether immortal, but capable of either; so also the place, Paradise, was made in respect of beauty intermediate between Earth and Heaven. (To Autolycus, Book II, chapter 24, by St. Theophilus of Antioch, 115-181 A.D., vol. 2, p. 104, Ante-Nicene Fathers)

It was God's intention, however, that man would become immortal. In the Wisdom of Solomon it says:

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

Although God made man "a little lower than the angels," His intention was that man would one day become equal to the angels. (St. Luke 20:36)

God made man in His image. God has free will and He gave man a free will when He made him. To have the image of God means to have a free will. God made man after His likeness. To have the likeness of God means to be virtuous like God.

Now this being the case, He creates with His own hands man of a visible nature and an invisible, after His own image and likeness: on the one hand man’s body He formed of earth, and on the other his reasoning and thinking soul He bestowed upon him by His own inbreathing, and this is what we mean by “after His image.” For the phrase “after His image” clearly refers to the side of his nature which consists of mind and free will, whereas “after His likeness “means likeness in virtue so far as that is possible. (An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book II, chapter 12, by St. John of Damascus, 645-750 A.D., vol. 9, part 2, p. 30, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)

God created man to be loved by Him. (Wisdom 11:24) God created man for His glory.

I will say to the North, Bring; and to the South, Keep not back; bring My sons from the land afar off, and My daughters from the ends of the Earth; even all who are called by My name: for I have prepared him for My glory, and I have formed him, and have made him. (Isaiah 43:6,7, LXX)

God created man to govern His creation. (Gen. 1:28; Psalm 8:6; Wisd. 9:2)

God created man to have existence and to exist forever.

For He created all things, that they might have their being. (Wisd. 1:14)

Who is like Me? Let him stand, and call, and declare, and prepared for Me from the time that I made man for ever. (Isaiah 44:7, LXX)

Although people die, there will come a day when all who have died will arise from the dead.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (St. John 5:28,29)

It is God's intention, then, that man always have existence as body and soul. Everyone will live forever as body and soul, but not everyone will enjoy the blessedness of God's kingdom throughout all eternity.

In some of my future blogs, I will talk about the Fall of Man and God's plan for redeeming man.

Steve

Bibliography

Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts