Why We Live

Ken

Christ is the reason we live. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV). Anything else is robbing God. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8). Our purpose for existing cannot merely be the keeping of commandments, but glorifying God from a pure heart. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1Peter 1:22). How better to self-test our love of God, if Christ is indeed the reason we live, but do we love our neighbor as ourselves (1John 4:20)? Do we  love one another, especially the household of faith (John 13:35)? If we are like the rest of creation groaning, awaiting the future redemption of our physical bodies (Romans 8:23; 1John 3:2) in New Heavens and a New Earth, then we should be praying our understanding and cooperation with the indwelling Christ would grow, so He would hasten to physically and corporally return (Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20). “Looking for and hasting [literally, hastening] unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2Peter 3:12). LORD, help us to see the daily fulfillment of our purpose for living is intimately connected with Your future plans for returning that “God may be all in all” (1Corinthians 15:28). That You would dwell with us forever (Revelation 21:3). Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen and amen.