When we look at our lives, we may realize, deep in our hearts, that life is a miracle, full of beauty and wonders. However, many times, life may also seem miserable as we see tragedy, disasters, or injustice everywhere.
One may then ask the following questions: What is life? Could it be both miraculous and miserable altogether? Is this just a matter of perspective? Is life on earth only all that we can perceive, or could there be something more to life that is beyond our comprehension?
Life is a mystery — thus, we cannot fully explain our past (where we come from) nor ascertain our future (where we will end up). We need revelation from above in order to know better our life’s origin, purpose, and destiny, since our human understanding is never complete.
How Did Life Come into Existence?
The issues about the origin of life have been examined based on scientific and theological perspectives. In general, there are three basic views on the origin of life and the universe:
1. Atheistic materialism, which asserts that everything originated from nothing and the result of pure random chance over the billion years since the universe evolved (evolution theory).
2. Special creation, which affirms that God is the Creator of the universe, and that life is originated by His divine power.
3. Theistic evolution, which believes that God made the universe through an evolutionary process, thus this view attempts to compromise the two opposite views: Evolution vs. Creation.
Despite the stark differences, these views share one thing in common: they have no direct evidence, thus we all need faith to believe that one or the other is true (Hebrews 11:1,3). The author, however, believes that true science leads to faith.
Consider these facts, which support the logical arguments on the existence of God: the complexity of the universe (and human brain, too) as well as the wonders and laws of nature, which will lead us to the conclusion that it is way easier to believe that life is truly originated by the Creator. In other words, it actually takes a “bigger” faith to believe otherwise.
What Does the Bible Say?
The biblical position is clear: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Also, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
God is the Uncaused First Cause, who is transcendent above time and space. He is Spirit and exists above the physical laws of the natural universe and is not bound by any of them.
The word life in the English Bible can be found in the History of Creation (Genesis 1–2). The first few accounts refer to it as “living soul” to an animal (Genesis 1:30) and human (Genesis 2:7).
“And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant for food.” And it was so (Genesis 1:30).
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).
Job, the oldest book in the Bible, refers to the life of every living thing as “soul” (nephesh) and the breath of life as “spirit” (ruah).
For the life of every living thing is in God’s hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 12:10).
The Old Testament Book of Leviticus also describes that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11, supported by Genesis 9:4).
In the New Testament, the definition of life is not limited to physical (or biological) existence, but also includes the spiritual realm, which ultimately points to Jesus Christ, the Author of Life (Acts 3:15).
John wrote, “In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). And even Jesus Himself declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
This means that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, the heavenly Father, where humanity can find truth and life. Apart from Him, there is no life, there is no truth. In Him, there is eternal life and righteousness.
Notice what Paul wrote: “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:10-11).
The author of Hebrews also affirmed that Jesus, the Son of God, is the Creator, meaning that He is the originator of life and the universe.
And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe(Hebrews 1:2).
What Does This Mean?
Just as death means separation from life, spiritual death means eternal separation from the Life Giver. In contrast, spiritual life means eternal union with the Creator, that is, to be forever in the presence of the Savior, and this is possible through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Here is the good news for those who believe in Him: “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
While it is true that our present, physical, earthly life is in the blood, we now have hope that there is more to life because our future, spiritual, heavenly life is in the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who loves us and gives His life for us.
Knowing Christ surely brings transformation in our lives — as our origin, identity, meaning, purpose, and destiny can be found in Him (Ephesians 2:10) — and, ultimately, results in abundant and everlasting life.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10)
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).
Sources
Willmington, Harold L. Willmington’s Guide to the Bible
Yates, John T. Faith Bible Institute Commentary Series Volume I
For further reading:
What Is the True Meaning of Life?
What Did Jesus Mean by ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’?
Why Is Jesus Called the ‘Bread of Life’?
What Does it Mean That the ‘Gift of God Is Eternal Life’?
Why Did Jesus Say ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’ in John 14:6?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Aramyan
Philip Wijaya, Ph.D. currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife, Sandra, and their daughter, Shalom. His interest in science and faith in God has motivated him to actively write in his personal blog (philipwijaya.com), in addition to his professional research work in the area of clean energy and chemical engineering. In his leisure time, he enjoys sports, football games, music, and traveling with family.
