I had a talk with one of my friends recently about the purpose/meaning of life. As a Christian who knows his eternal reward - everlasting direct intimate fellowship with God - he's not sure what the point of living is. The common "Christian" answer here is Phillipians 1:21; "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." And "Christ" is "Christ's work", and that is interpreted to mean "witnessing to unbelievers". Balderdash. I told him - as I believe - that the point of life in this world is to know... "life"; that is, to know about love, and creation (both God's established creation and the act of creation as productive humans). That is why Adam was created, with and on this world. Secondary to this is for evangelism and the glorification of God.

It may not be quite directly accurate, but "Man can glorify God more effectively than God ever could." God created man with free will for fellowship with him; man's actions have significance because of that free will. Miracles accomplished in men's lives are more meaningful (if not as overtly impressive) than miracles of the physical variety - and they can be shared inexhaustibly once they have occurred. Perhaps the most accurate phrasing is that "All of God's miracles are directed to man; his most significant and meaningful ones are accomplished through man." And that is *why* man's primary purpose in life is simply to live; it is through experiencing life that one is able to sympathize with man or God. Knowing God is the whole point of existence, and knowing man enables one to share God with him.

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