Brad Alles

This blog series ends with some concluding thoughts on philosophy from a Christian perspective.  If philosophy is the search for meaning and purpose in life, then the Bible gives humans two directives: the Cultural Commission and the Great Commission.

The Cultural Commission is for all people, whether they confess Christ as Lord or not.  It is God’s plan for all human life: to make culture to the glory of God.  You see this in God’s command to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28.  He says to “be fruitful & increase in number” and to “fill the earth & subdue it”.  This means we are made to build families and communities, as well as to invent and discover things.

When people object and say that’s just the way we are–desiring children and wanting to do something with our life–that’s a great time to ask this question: Why is that?  It is not just “things everyone does”; it is the way we’re created to function.

In addition, we express God’s image by being creative.  He was creative in making us and we mimic that in our life.  Moreover, work is your calling, not just for “putting food on table”.  We are made to work, to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17).  Finally, the ideal life is not leisure but a creative effort for God’s glory and other people’s  benefit.

Yet not everyone knows Jesus as Savior.  So the Great Commission is given to Christians in addition to the Cultural Commission.  We are to make disciples of Jesus as Savior and Lord.  You can find this in Matthew 28:18-20.

Life is not meaningless.  God created us to glorify Him, honoring Him with our labor, and to make followers of Jesus.