Man should ponder on and learn to reexamine and reevaluate his life.
In the process, he should begin with the primary reason why God created
him.
08D.1
Why God created man?
What is His
purpose?
For sure man was not created only "to eat, drink and be
merry" as stated in . I Cor. 15:32, but God has
a purpose in creating man, The Bible says:
"Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He
is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." (Ps. 100:2-3,
New King James Version).
Man was created and chosen by God for
Himself.
For what purpose?
"To serve the Lord God with
gladness" is to fulfill the very purpose of man's existence.
For man to "serve the Lord God with
gladness", he must acknowledge:
-
that the Lord is God
-
that he was made by God and not by man himself.
-
that he was created according
to the image of God
(Gen.1:27)
than man is not to rule over
himself for it is God who will rule over him because
they are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
that despite the power he
enjoy in this life, his status as a creature and mere recipient
of God's blessings
does not change
(Q&A 08C.1)
that God is always there,
that God is indispensable in his life. He needs
the Lord in every aspect of his life.
(Topic 08C)
Knowing God, knowing who
we are, and understanding our relationship with God will
make us realize our obligation to to serve Him. Inherent with
man's creation is the responsibility "to
serve God with gladness".
08D.2 Are there are rules
that must govern man's services to God?
In I Samuel 12:24, It says:
"Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in
truth with all your heart; for consider what great
things He has done for you." (NKJV)
Man must serve God not only wholeheartedly but based on His truth.
It is necessary for man to
base his services on God's word for this will sanctify him and make him
holy before the sight of God.
08D.3
How should a man worship God?
Our Lord Jesus Christ explains it in John
4:24;
"God is Spirit, and those who
worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'' (NKJV)
The Lord Jesus Christ said that God is a
Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in
truth.
08D.4 If
God is a Spirit, how
should a man give glory to Him?
In Malachi 2:2, this is written;
If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart,
to give glory to My
name,'' says the Lord of hosts, "I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.
(Malachi 2:2, NKJV)
God said: "give glory to my name'
08D.5 What is
the first thing that a man should do, so he can worship and give glory to God
In Matthew 22:37-38, our Lord Jesus
Christ said:
Jesus said to
him, " `You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the
first and great commandment. (NKJV)
In order to worship and give glory
to God, a man must first love Him with all his heart, with all his
soul, and with all his mind. This is the first and great commandment
of all.
________________
Man was chosen and created by God for
Himself. God chose man even before the foundation of the world. He wanted
man to be holy and blameless before Him in love. Thus, God created
man for His glory, that is, He wanted men (His creatures) to glorify His
name, serve Him with
gladness and worship Him in spirit and in truth. But first of all, in
order to worship and give glory to God, a man must first love Him with
all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind.
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