This instant-in-time chronological period we commonly call “life” is in reality a means to an end. However, that “means” is of utmost importance in that while making our way through it we are in fact determining how and where we will spend the timeless period known as “eternity.” The period in which we now live is called “time” which necessitates a beginning and an end. Though eternity will have a beginning, it will have no end. I cannot phantom the concept of eternity. Nothing in this life relates to it. The only thing I can do is to make sure I qualify to enter it and, under God’s orders, to tell those who will listen how to do so. Our job during this time period is to conduct our lives according to God’s Scriptural commands. We must do this by making sure that our every thought, word and deed reflect those commands. Only those who do so will enter the endless future. Which brings us to the question asked in the title of this posting: WHY ARE WE HERE?

The Biblical answer to this question is as incredible as it is simple: the purpose of this brief life is to determine our eternity. Our present journey is Biblically defined as our “walk.” God gives us one general instruction from which we cannot deviate if we plan on spending eternity with Him. We find His rule in 1 John 2:6 where we are told that if we call ourselves Christ’s disciple we must “WALK EVEN AS HE WALKED” while on this earth as flesh and blood human beings. Note the word “Even.” When used in this context the word is extremely meaningful and powerful.  It means to be exact, without variation, without exception and to have eternal significance. In 1 John 2:6 “even” and the Words that accompany it inevitably create problems when it is brought to the attention of church people.

When shown what God says in the verse the immediate reaction takes the following general form: “That is impossible. Jesus kept His godly powers when He came to earth which enabled Him to live without sin. We do not have those powers. That, combined with the effect of Adam’s sin in our lives, makes us unable to ‘walk as He walked.’ Knowing that we must sin, Jesus went to the cross so that when we sin we can receive forgiveness through His grace. The notion of living as Jesus lived is absurd. God does not expect that. If He does, then no one will be saved” because we all have to sin.” As we must always do when discussing spiritual matters, let us consult THE ONLY source of all spiritual truth–God’s Holy Bible. All who bring up the following Biblical passages relative to the sin question receive the same reaction to God’s Words: unbelief. Now let us return to the argument that Jesus was in fact still God when He walked the earth.

That Jesus retained at least some of His godly powers when He came to earth as a man is refuted in Philippians 2:3-8. Here we are told that, though He had formerly been “equal to God,” He had “made Himself of no reputation” (kept none of His former status). In the Greek language the statement means to empty oneself totally; to divest oneself of all previously held power, ability, influence, status, fame, etc. that had made him what he had formerly been. In the case of the Lord, it means that He was no longer a God and equal with the Father.  That Jesus did this is born out in the writings of the Apostle John. In John 5:30 Jesus confessed that the miracles He performed were in fact performed by His Father, that He (Jesus) was merely God’s instrument through which He worked. He said in John 14:10: “… the Father Who dwells in Me (in the form of the Holy Spirit), He does the works (that I do),” meaning that God, using His Holy Spirit, did His works through Jesus, Who said, “I can do nothing by My own power” (Jn. 9:30). In John 14:24 Jesus said that even the Words He spoke were not His own Words, that they were words given to Him by His Father (through His Holy Spirit).

Satan would have us believe that we are incapable of walking the moral path God commands us to walk, that Jesus’ example is “a spiritual bridge too far.” The devil tells us that we are to try to obey God, knowing that we cannot due to Adam’s sin transfer miracle. When we inevitably fail we are then to ask God’s forgiveness. The devil tells us through his prophets that obedience is not only unnecessary, it is impossible. Obedience to God’s Word, they assure us, is not an option. Which, they assure us, is where grace comes into play.

The Apostle Jude warns us about ungodly men who turn God’s grace into a license to sin. Owning such a license, we are not held accountable for our inevitable sins. BECAUSE OF GRACE WE ARE ABLE TO SIN AND GET AWAY WITH IT. However, Jesus said in Revelation 3:21 that only those who overcome (Satan’s temptation to sin) would be with Him in the Kingdom of God. Let us believe the Lord, not Satan and his messengers.

This brief life is our proving ground. God is testing us to see if we will obey His strict, “My way only” orders, or go with Satan’s more user friendly, “have it your way” options. This testing-to-determine-the-future program was undertaken by Adam and Eve, who chose option #2. God warned us in Matthew 7:13,14 that the vast majority of people would fail His test, that only a “few” would “find” His strait (difficult) gate, voluntarily enter it then walk his “narrow” (My way only) path to eternal life. May we walk hand-in-hand with the Lord along that path. He asks, “Can two walk together unless they agree?” Let us agree with Him, walk with Him and live eternally with Him. Those who choose the Institutional Church way will be burned to ash that will be walked upon by God’s saints (Mal. 4:3). L.J.