Ultimate questions

For those curious, here’s how I answer existential questions.

The Meaning of Life

All that is was brought into existence and given order by God (Gen. 1:1-5), through the collaboration of the three persons of God (John 1:1-5; Gen. 1:2), and it was called “good” (Gen. 1:31). Humans were given authority as image-bearers to represent and enact God’s kingdom on the earth (Gen. 1:26-28).

But a member of the ordered creation, a deceitful serpent, (Gen. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:9), twisted God’s words and deceived humans (Gen. 3:13). Their compliance with the snake disordered creation (Gen. 3:14-19), submitted humanity’s authority to the snake (Luke 4:5-6; John 12:31), and welcomed sin onto the earth (Gen. 4:7; Rom. 5:12). But God promised that a child of humanity would defeat the snake (Gen. 3:15).

God called Israel to be his covenant people, through whom the image-bearing vocation of humanity would be preserved (Exod. 19:5-6). Through Israel, God kept alive the hope that he would restore humanity, defeat evil, and renew creation (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 11:1-9).

When the time was ripe, the Son of God took upon himself the fullness of humanity (John 1:14; Gal. 4:4-5), executed the life of a true image-bearer perfectly (Col. 1:15; Heb. 4:15), and regained humanity’s rightful authority from the snake on their behalf (Matt. 28:18; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14-15). He fully restored human beings, from the first to the last, by absorbing upon the cross all their broken ways and offering his own life as both example and substitute for theirs (Isa. 53:4-6; 1 Pet. 2:21-25).

Humanity now lives in the final chapters of this story (1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus commands all to join him through trust and obedience (John 15:1-10) and gives them his life-giving Spirit (John 14:16-17; Rom. 8:9-11).

Those joined to Christ are gathered into his full body, the Church, and entrusted with the spread of his kingdom message across the earth (Luke 10:9; Matt. 28:18-20). Under Christ’s authority, they begin again humanity’s image-bearing vocation as the first fruits of the final harvest (Rom. 8:23; Jas. 1:18), to the glory of God.

At the complete end, when all things have been placed fully under the authority of Jesus (Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:24-26), all that is will be fully restored to its proper order (Rev. 22:1-5). Creation groans until humanity’s vocation and creation’s freedom are fulfilled together (Rom. 8:19-23). Then God will be “all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28).

The Meaning of Death

God formed humanity from the dust and gave them life with his breath (Gen. 2:7). He warned them that death would ensue if his commandment was not obeyed (Gen. 2:16-17), but they valued the serpent’s lie over life.

Now death reigns over the earth, over humans and over the creation entrusted to them (Rom. 5:12-14, 17; Rom. 8:20-22). The Enemy uses the threat of death to enslave humanity (Heb. 2:14-15), both physically, such as Pharaoh’s harsh rule over the children of Israel (Exod. 1:13-14), and spiritually, as the child sacrifices of idolatry (Ps. 106:36-38). Death is the ultimate result of disobedience to God’s law (Rom. 6:23) as a kind of self-inflicted injury (Prov. 8:36).

The children of Israel await a king whose rule is unterminated by death, the Holy One who will not be abandoned to Sheol and whose throne God will establish forever (Ps. 16:10-11; 2 Sam. 7:12-13). Israel’s prophets anticipate a future where God will deliver his people from the grave (Isa. 25:7-8; Ezek. 37:11-12). When this king appears in Jesus, he triumphs over death to become the exalted, universal ruler (Phil. 2:8); he disarms the rulers and authorities of their weapon, death (Col. 2:15), and leads to freedom all who have been held captive to the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15).

Those joined to Christ share in his death and resurrection even now (Rom. 6:3-11). The Church confronts death as a conquered enemy: it grieves with hope of resurrection and conquers the slanderer by the Lamb’s blood and their own (1 Thess. 4:13-14; Rev. 12:11).

When the time is ripe, Christ will destroy death, the last enemy. itself: death will be swallowed up in victory, the resurrected standing over it in triumph (1 Cor. 15:26, 52-55; Rev. 21:4).

How Do You Explain Misfortune

God created the world full of goodness and ordered human life for communion with him, one another, and creation (Gen. 1:31; Gen. 2:18). Yet at the earliest account of humanity we experience a terrible breach in our relationship with God, one another, and the earth (Gen. 3:16-19). Cain’s response may echo the generations, “my punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Gen. 4:13).

Thenceforth we are inclined to misinterpret temptation to evil as the fault of an external source, even God (Jas. 1:13-15), to read disasters as the necessary consequence of disobedience (Job 4:7-8; Job 8:3-6), and to seek safety from misfortune at the cost of our neighbor (Exod. 1:9-16; John 11:49-53). Yet Job’s suffering resists any simple equation between misfortune and personal guilt (Job 1:8-12; Job 42:7).

David recognizes that suffering was the impetus for learning God’s law (Ps. 119:67, 71). The wisdom of Israel preserves a view that receives affliction neither as meaningless chaos nor as automatic condemnation, but a state in which God trains and preserves his people (Deut. 8:2-5; Prov. 3:11-12).

David’s heir, Jesus, refuses the easy explanation that tragedy or disability proves greater guilt (Luke 13:1-5; John 9:1-3). He enters the full weight of human misfortune without sin and learns obedience through what he suffers (Heb. 4:15; Heb. 5:8). In his death and resurrection, the apparent disaster of the righteous one becomes God’s deliverance (Isa. 53:4-6).

Those joined to Christ learn this wisdom born of suffering. They trust that God works even misfortune toward their good and that endurance may produce maturity (Rom. 8:28; Jas. 1:2-4). The sufferings of the Church are endured together, and the comforts are likewise shared (2 Cor. 1:3-7).

The throne room of God holds bowls full of the prayers of the saints, and God carefully preserves their tears (Rev. 5:8; Ps. 56:8). At the complete end, God will answer the unfinished lament of his people: their misfortunes will be neither wasted nor forgotten, the righteous will be vindicated, and God himself will dwell with them and wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 6:9-11; Rev. 21:3-4).

How Do You Achieve Well-being

After God created, he gave his blessing to multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 1:22, 28-31). When the woman reasons about the forbidden tree, she notices that it was good for food, that it was delightful, and desirable to make one wise, and she takes it (Gen. 3:1-7).

The woman starts a cycle that continues with her son, Cain. He concludes that his well-being requires his brother’s death (Gen. 4:3-8). God mercifully protects him from reciprocal violence (Gen. 4:13-15), but Lamech appropriates God’s protection while injuring others who wound his pride (Gen. 4:23-24). YHWH later promises to bless Abram so that all families will be blessed through him (Gen. 12:1-3), yet Abram surrenders Sarai to Pharaoh for safety and wealth (Gen. 12:10-20), then Abram sexually assaults Hagar in an attempt to fulfill God’s promise on his own terms (Gen. 16:1-6). Humanity pursues well-being for itself, even when it comes at the cost of neighbors and family.

Israel’s law applies well-being to the community. Sabbath rest extends to servants, immigrants, and animals; gleaning protects the poor; debts are released; and land cannot be accumulated without limit (Exod. 20:8-11; Lev. 19:9-10; Deut. 15:1-11; Lev. 25:8-23). Israel is taught that flourishing received from YHWH extends through the recipient into rest, food, freedom, and security for their neighbor.

David considers well-being to be the timely gift of God. Though anointed to be the next king of Israel, he refuses to seize the promise when Saul is delivered into his hand, waiting for YHWH to give it (1 Sam. 24:1-12; 1 Sam. 26:7-11). Likewise, Jesus refuses bread, spectacle, and authority apart from his Father (Matt. 4:1-11). Trusting the Father who feeds birds, he teaches his disciples to ask for daily bread and to receive food, clothing, and shelter without anxious grasping (Matt. 6:9-13, 25-34; Matt. 7:7-11).

Jesus shares this well-being with those loved by the Father (John 16:23-27). It is not for private appetite (Jas. 4:1-3), but for Christ’s body and the neighbor (1 Cor. 12:4-27; Phil. 2:3-7). The Church makes this shared good visible by eating together, distributing possessions according to need, and ensuring that abundance supplies another’s lack (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35; 2 Cor. 8:13-15). Its peace, joy, and love through the Spirit become the well-being of a body rather than the comfort of isolated members (Rom. 15:13).

At the resurrection, well-being will become incorruptible, embodied life in God’s presence (1 Cor. 15:42-49, 53-57). The river and tree of life picture creation’s abundance freely shared, with fruit for food and leaves for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:1-2). No one’s flourishing will then require another’s deprivation.

How Do You Understand Right and Wrong

From the beginning, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and not good present humanity with a choice (Gen. 2:8-9, 17). God defines what is good and gives humanity his command (Gen. 1:31; Gen. 2:16-17). Yet God’s good command, when it is broken by humanity, brings death (Rom. 7:12-14).

Moses receives God’s law on Sinai, the definition of good for humans in their relationship towards God and one another (Exod. 20:1-17). The good law, which might have given understanding to Israel about what is right and wrong, causes sin to revive in their unspiritual hearts and demonstrates the insidious nature of sin, which even uses what is good to bring forth evil (Rom. 7:4-12). The prophets insist that moral faithfulness includes justice for the poor, mercy, and a humble life before God (Mic. 6:8), yet they lambast the leaders of Israel for their injustice, oppression and pride. Jeremiah therefore announces that God’s law must be written upon human hearts (Jer. 31:31-34). Israel hopes not for a definition of good and not good, but for healed hearts that both know and love the good.

Jesus summarizes the Pentateuch: love YHWH wholly and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:34-40). His Sabbath healings and mercy toward the adulteress demonstrate an understanding of good and not good that goes beyond rule-following (Matt. 12:9-14; Luke 13:10-17; John 8:3-11). He fulfills the law’s call to justice, mercy, and humility by God’s Spirit, giving himself for enemies and giving his disciples this same Spirit of love (Luke 4:18-21; Rom. 5:6-8; John 14:15-17).

The Church understands right and wrong by becoming a people whose loves are reordered by the Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Christ’s Body fulfills the law through Spirit-inspired love that goes beyond any written code (Gal. 5:16-24).

At the complete end, nothing false, unjust, or unclean will remain, and the heart-written law will flower in the untainted soil of new creation (Rev. 21:27-22:3).

How Do You Receive Guidance

From the beginning, wisdom is found in God’s presence, who shares it with those who seek (Pro. 8:22-23, 34; Gen. 2:16-17). Yet humans seek wisdom on their own terms. Distrusting God’s wisdom, they grasp after judgment for themselves which, far from giving them wisdom, leads them into the futility of life separated from God’s presence (Gen. 3:6-8; Rom. 1:21-25).

Moses asks God to teach him his ways, equating wisdom with God’s presence, and even refuses to lead apart from God’s presence (Exod. 33:13-16). Throughout the Psalms are prayers for God’s guidance and presence always (Ps. 25:4-5; Ps. 143:10).

Jesus embodies the wisdom of God that comes from the Spirit of God (Isa. 11:2-4). He judges neither by sight nor independently, but speaks what he hears and does what he sees from the Father (John 5:19, 30). Jesus offers the Spirit to guide his disciples into all truth (John 16:13).

The Church receives guidance from the Spirit as it worships, fasts, prays, listens together, and tests its judgment within Christ’s body (Acts 13:1-3; Acts 15:6-29; 1 Thess. 5:19-21). The surprise gift of the Spirit to Cornelius' household (Acts 11:15-18) leads the church in Jerusalem to revise their traditional view of the process for acceptance as one of God’s chosen people.

At the complete end, unbroken fellowship with God will supply endless growth in wisdom. The Lamb will shepherd his people and guide them to springs of living water, and God’s servants will follow wherever he goes (Rev. 7:17; Rev. 14:4).

How Do You Understand the Unknown

Cryptic have been God’s counsels from the start. The first command warns of an unexplainable death (Gen. 2:16-17); the first promise of rescue cryptically joins the serpent’s defeat to the woman’s wounded offspring (Gen. 3:15). Rather than live in trust within what God has revealed, humanity grasps after knowledge on its own terms, only to discover nakedness and hide (Gen. 3:4-10).

Humanity cannot fully account for its origin or destination. God puts eternity into human hearts, yet they cannot discover his work from beginning to end (Eccles. 3:11). What follows death receives spare treatment for much of Israel’s history (Job 14:10-14; Eccles. 9:4-10). Israel therefore learns that secret things belong to YHWH, while revealed things show the path of faithfulness (Deut. 29:29).

Yet God gives fragments of his purpose. Job repents of speaking beyond his understanding (Job 42:1-6). Daniel sees resurrection but must seal up further revelation until the time of the end (Dan. 12:1-4). The prophets search their own proclamations, serving later generations by words they do not comprehend fully (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

In these last days, God speaks by his Son (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus reveals the unseen Father, things hidden since creation, and the mystery of the kingdom (John 1:18; Matt. 13:10-11, 34-35). Even then, revelation comes in a form humanity does not anticipate: the crucified Messiah is recognized only as God opens the Scriptures and makes him known (Luke 24:13-35; 1 Cor. 2:7-10). The ancient mystery is now revealed: Christ in his people, the hope of glory (Col. 1:26-28).

The Church neither masters every secret nor surrenders to ignorance. The Spirit reveals God’s freely given gifts (1 Cor. 2:9-13), and the Church announces that the nations are fellow heirs in Christ (Eph. 3:3-10). Still walking by faith, they know partially and entrust the hidden to the God revealed in Jesus (2 Cor. 5:7; 1 Cor. 13:9-12).

At the complete end, God’s mystery will be fulfilled (Rev. 10:7). What is now seen dimly will be known face to face, and the rightness of all God’s actions will be vindicated (1 Cor. 13:12; Rev. 15:3-4).