2. Purpose of life
Regardless of how successful we are with our personal objectives; we
cannot have inner peace without addressing the high-level objective; the
purpose of our existence.
It is wrong to say ‘let us enjoy the journey and forget about the
destination’
If you find yourself in a train, you should not enjoy the beautiful scenes
before first ask: why am I here? Where is the destination?
We should first ask ‘what is the purpose of life?’
What is the value of life if we do not know the purpose of that life?
It is the greatest good for an individual to discuss virtue every day...for
the un-examined life is not worth living – Socrates
3. Purpose of life
God is testing us in our short life on earth; the wealthy father has the right to test
his children before distributing the wealth.
Testing missions are not supposed to be easy and comfortable.
The test questions are not supposed to be known in advance.
Our life on earth is a very short period compared to the universe time scale; it
could be a temporary testing period.
Although God knows what’s in our hearts and what each of us might do, he tests
us and wanted us to witness our own test results in order to admit that we have
been fairly rewarded according to our achievements as recorded in the test
results
The wise father disciplines his children and prepares them for a better life
Before the wealthy father distributes his wealth, he may want to record which
son is obedient, the records are not for the father who knows, but as a testimony
for people who might question the justice of their father
4. Purpose of life
Although the wise teacher knows the hard-working student and the lazy student,
he prepares regular exams as testimonies so that the students would not say that
the teacher had favored some students over the others. Exams also urge students
to get prepared in order to succeed
Students should not wonder about the intention of the teacher; they are
supposed to focus on what the teacher asked them to do
Those who ignore life’s objectives will regret it when they see the records of their
deeds; they would wish to come back to this life in order to obey, to feed the
hungry and to help the poor
According to the teachings of different religions, our life on earth is only a
temporary testing period. We are not supposed to relax and enjoy ourselves
during test periods, we should not expect that the test questions are clearly
known in advance, we should expect difficulties during the test, and we will be
rewarded according to our faith, our obedience, our compassion, and our good
deeds
5. Purpose of life
If we review the teachings of Judaism like Exodus 20:20, Deuteronomy 8:2,
Deuteronomy 13:3, we find that God tests people to know who obeys and who
does not obey
According to the teachings of Moses, people are tested and those who obey God
will be blessed, while those who repel will be cursed
I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not ("Exodus"Exodus 16:4)
In Exodus 20:20, Moses taught that God tests people so that the fear of God will
be with them to keep them from sinning
The same teaching is also found in Deuteronomy 13:3
God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with
all your soul
In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Moses taught that God tests people in order to know
what is in their heart, whether or not they would keep his commands.
6. Purpose of life
Deuteronomy 4:30 teaches that in tribulations, people would return to God and
obey his voice
The teaching ‘if you come back to God after testing, He will accept you’ is also
the objectives of testing as taught by Jesus in the parable of the lost son (Luke
15) when he was tested, then repented, he had been accepted
The same teachings are confirmed many times in the holy book
Job 23:10 teaches ‘when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold’
Job 5:7 teaches that we are here for testing
‘people are born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward’
Job 5:17 teaches ‘Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the
discipline of God’
Psalm 7:9: you who test the minds and hearts
7. Purpose of life
Psalm 66:10 teaches ‘For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver
is refined’
Proverbs 17:3 teaches ‘The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but
God tests the hearts’
Isaiah 48:10 teaches ‘I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering’
Jeremiah 17:10 teaches that God tests us and will reward everyone according to
his works
“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
Jesus taught that all of this life is a test; he taught that we are in a temporary
testing period and we are being prepared for a permanent life. He also taught
that the rewards will be according to our obedience and our good works
8. Purpose of life
Talking in parables, Jesus taught that God tests us by tribulation, temptation,
trials, persecution and promised rewards in heaven for those who pass the
tests of persecution, temptation, trials, and tribulations
Jesus has taught people to stand up for the truth even if persecuted by the
bad multitudes who hate the truth. He taught that and also demonstrated it
when he stood up for the truth against the bad chief priests who explained
religion to their benefits
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 5:10
God has set the world stage for testing; every day we meet hungry and poor;
some will help and some will refuse to help; those are not equally rewarded
Matthew 25:31-45 teach that when we refuse to help the hungry, the
stranger, and the sick, we refuse to help God
9. Purpose of life
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger
or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of
these, you did not do for me.’
In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus taught us to forgive in order that God forgives us; he
mentioned that there are rewards for forgiveness and for doing good works
There is much more scripture to confirm that the objective of this temporary
stage of life on earth is testing and that the rewards in the eternal life depend on
the results of that testing
Jesus taught that there will be testing and some will fall away in time of
temptation as written in Luke 8:13 and Mark 4:17
Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of
temptation fall away.
10. Purpose of life
Matthew 13:21 confirms the same message
But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or
persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away
Another parable of a testing period and the rewards is in Matthew 25:21
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’
John 18:36 is another example to show that life on earth is not the target
destination
my kingdom is not in earth – but in heaven
That is not just for Jesus, but he taught that we should not have treasures on
earth but to seek the real treasures; the eternal life in heaven
11. Purpose of life
Luke 12:16-21 warn those who store up treasure for themselves, and are not rich
toward God
John 12:25 warn those who love their life in this world
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for
their life in this world will keep it for eternity. The same is also confirmed in
Matthew 10:39
Similar teaching is mentioned in Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”.
The same is also mentioned in Mark 8:34-35
Matthew 13:44 teaches that people should do everything to win God’s rewards
for the righteous, to win the kingdom of heaven
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found
and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field
12. Purpose of life
Jesus taught that testing and suffering help to return a person to his
senses; Luke 15:17 teaches that the lost son came to his senses, after
having undergone suffering
James has taught that testing is a chance for us to grow, develop
patience, and mature in God
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces patience. Let
patience finish its work so that you may be mature and complete
James 1:12 teaches that people will be tested by temptations and urges
us to endure the temptations
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the
test and will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those
who love him
13. Purpose of life
If you are a Muslim, you will also find similar teachings in Quran verses
When we analyze the verses of Quran, we find that it is the same message
revealed by the same God, we also find in Quran that life is a testing period and
that people will be rewarded according to their obedience and according to their
good deeds
Qur’an verse 47:31 clarifies that we are here for testing
And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you
[for the cause of God] and the patient, and We will test your affairs
Verse 29:2-3 confirms that we are here for testing
Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not
be tried?
But We have certainly tried those before them, and God will surely make evident
those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.
Similar teachings are found in 67:2, 18:7, 2:155 and 76:2
14. Purpose of life
[He is] The One Who created death and life, so that He may put you to test, to
find out which of you is best in deeds: He is the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving
Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may
test them [as to] which of them is best in deed.
Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that
We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of
wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient
Qur’an verses like 5:48 and 6:165 teach that we are in a testing stage and we are
supposed to compete in good deeds to pass the test and earn our salvation
If God wanted He could have made all of you a single nation. But He willed
otherwise in order to test you in what He has given you; therefore, try to
compete in good deeds. Ultimately you all shall return to God; then He will show
you the truth of those matters in which you dispute.
15. Purpose of life
God will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He
distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will God disclose to you the secrets
of the unseen, but God chooses of His Messengers whom He pleases. So believe
in God and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear God, then for you there is
a great reward
Verse 6:165 teaches that: He is the One Who has made you the inheritors of the
earth and raised some of you in ranks over others so that He may test you in
what He has given you. Surely God is swift in retribution; yet He is also very
Forgiving, Merciful.
Verse 5:71 teaches that those who ignore that the objectives of life is testing are
blind and deaf
They thought there would be no trial (or punishment); so they became blind and
deaf: yet God (in mercy) turned to them: yet again many of them became blind
and deaf. But God sees well all that they do
3:179 teaches that God distinguishes the wicked from the good, people are not
supposed to know everything to pass that test, but they are asked to follow the
Prophets
16. Purpose of life
When the religion teachers ignore that fact, they cannot provide logical answer to the
most important people’s question ‘why we are here?’
If the Jewish scholars ignore that the objective of life is testing and teach that the Jews
are the chosen people of God and they are promised the blessings because of the
faith of their father Abraham, then people would reject such answers because the
scripture teaches that God is not biased and that every person will be judged
according to their deeds; not according to their father’s faith
If the Christian scholars ignore that the objective of life is a testing period and teach
that the objective is to accept Jesus as a savior because we are born sinners and we
cannot earn our salvation by good works, people will refer to the teachings of Jesus
himself who taught that life is for testing and that people can earn their salvation by
obedience and by good works
If the Muslim scholars ignore that the objective of life is a testing environment and
teach that the objective of life is to worship God, people would reply that God does
not need our prayers
When scientists and philosophers ignore the fact that our life on earth is only a
temporary testing and preparation period, they cannot provide logical answer to the
most important question ‘why are we here?
