The Gospel Way Catechismنموونە

QUESTION 5: Why Did God Create Us?

ANSWER

God created us in his image, to know and love him and share his joy. The good life is found not in inventing our purpose but in bowing to God’s design and reflecting his glory.

According to the philosopher Michael Allan Gillespie, “One strain of Enlightenment thought…came to believe that humans were gods, the other strain saw them as beasts or even mere matter in motion, driven by desire and sheer self-interest.” This statement captures the two poles in secular thought about human identity. At one end, we tend to elevate humanity to godlike status, believing in our limitless potential. At the other, we reduce humans to biological entities driven by primal instincts and material desires. Neither of these extreme views produces a satisfying way of life.

These two poles lead to confusion and create a crisis of meaning. If humans are gods, self-creation and autonomy are paramount; we rise in pride but then deflate into despair when we cannot meet our own expectations. If humans are mere animals, there is no inherent purpose to life; we just make things up as we go.

The Bible paints a different picture. We are not autonomous individuals, creating ourselves constantly by our decisions and choices; we are images, we are reflections (Genesis 1:26-28). The dignity of our humanity is derivative; it comes from him whose image we bear. We have worth and value not because of anything in ourselves, but because we are created in the image of God. We are not mere creatures; because we bear the image of God, we are in some sense godlike. But we are not God; because we are created, we are still creatures.

According to Scripture, we are created in God’s image with a purpose: to know him, to love him, and to share his joy. God made us for relationship. He wants to be known. He wants us to experience—in him—the joy of all we were made to be.

Being made in God’s image, we reflect his attributes. We stand apart from other creatures in our relationality, rationality, creativity, and authority. And regardless of our abilities or achievements, our ethnicity or gender, we believe every human has inherent worth because we all bear God’s image.

Why does knowing and loving God bring joy? Because this is what we were created for. Our hearts were made for this relationship. This joy is not dependent on our circumstances or external factors but is rooted in our relationship with God and the eternal hope we have in him.

In contrast to the common sense of the world, we do not look inside to discover and define ourselves. No, we look up to God; we find in his good design our purpose, and in reflecting his character we find fullness of joy (John 15:11). When we try to create a purpose for our lives apart from God, we fall short of God’s glory. Any attempt at independence or self-definition will leave us empty and unsatisfied. Bowing to God’s purpose for our lives is the prerequisite for living the good life he intends for us (Ephesians 2:10).

Reflection Questions

How does the truth about being made in God’s image shape your self-understanding and purpose? Reflect on how this understanding affects your sense of self-worth and your approach to life’s purpose. How does it shape your view of your abilities, achievements, and interactions with others?

What are some practices that can help you better align your life with the pursuit of joy in knowing and loving God, rather than inventing your purpose? Consider the areas where you might seek fulfillment outside your relationship with God. How can you reorient these aspects to find more profound satisfaction and align them with God’s design and purpose for you?