Does God matter? How important is a purpose driven life?
The other day I was watching a debate between William Lane Craig and Christopher DiCarlo. The topic was “Does God Matter?” Most of Dr. Craig’s debates seem to be on topics such as, does God exist? Is it reasonable to believe there is a God? Why is there something rather than nothing? And, has science buried God?
These debates generally stay within the realm of cosmology, therefore, I was intrigued.
So, does God matter?
Everything that I am rests on the fact that God absolutely matters! God matters very much to me. And I would argue that He matters to you too; whether you realize it or not.
You can’t have purpose without God, and you can’t have life without purpose.
Do human beings need purpose? Of course we do! Does there need to be meaning to our lives? You bet there does!
There isn’t one human being on the planet that doesn’t have or need purpose for their lives. It is what separates us from the animals. We have a soul and therefore, we search for purpose and meaning.
Human beings are why creatures. We not only seek to know what, and how things work, but also, why. We want to know there is a reason. We need there to be something greater than ourselves. It’s human nature. We are not content with just the what’s, where’s, when’s, and how’s. We need to understand the why’s.
Loren Eiseley, an American anthropologist, educator, philosopher, and natural science writer said, “Man is the cosmic orphan. He’s the only creature in the universe that asks why.”
According to the AnchorsAway curriculum written by Nancy Fitzgerald, everyone has five life questions. They all seem to echo the why’s that haunt us.
- From where did I come? . . . . why am I here?
- Why is there such a mess in the world? . . . . why am I here?
- Is there any hope? . . . . why am I here?
- What is my purpose in life? . . . . why am I here?
- What happens when I die? . . . . why am I here?
WHY AM I HERE?!! We must have an answer!
Those of us who have kids remember that annoying why phase that toddlers go through. No matter what answer you give them, they continue to ask why? until infinity. It is innate in human nature to want to know why.
The why’s express our need for purpose.
Anybody who claims that we don’t all need or have purpose in life is most likely someone who has easily been able to find purpose in their own life. These are the people in which things have generally turned out well and they get to live out their passion in everyday life. They may not be aware that they are living with purpose. However, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t.
Then there are those that aren’t content in their lives. Things have not worked out well. They are the poor and the marginalized. They have not found their purpose in life. Or, they have not found a purpose to life. They are the sad, depressed, and hopeless people that roam the earth; often, they don’t know God.
Nothing is like hopelessness. No physical pain is like it, though it can lead to it. No fear is like it, though it can feed it. No feeling of loss as terrible as it may be, can compete with it.
~ Beth Moore
Dr. Craig, the Christian apologist, would say things like, “humans and the universe are 
doomed to die. The universe grows colder and colder as its energy runs out. And, eventually all the stars will burn out and all matter will collapse into dead stars and black holes. There will be no light; there will be no life; there will be no heat.”
This is the future of our universe and our planet. It is inevitable. Any scientist, physicist, or cosmologist would confirm this fact.
Sound depressing? It absolutely is if there is no God!
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:17-19
To think that eventually our light will just go out and we will cease to be is a horrifying thought! How could any human being make peace with a reality like that?
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor playerThat struts and frets his hour upon the stageAnd then is heard no more. It is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing.– Macbeth, Shakespeare
DiCarlo, the atheist, would say we don’t need a God to be happy, be a good person and to have a good life. In one of his speeches, he says, “when the party is over, say goodnight.”
In general, we do not accept the finality of death.
Most people groups since the beginning of time have adopted religions that include an extension of life beyond death. Human beings cannot accept that we have an end.
Some believe that when you die, you become an animal and live on in nature. Other religions or worldviews believe in reincarnation and eventually becoming one with the universe. Most religious groups, cultures, tribes, and nations believe in life after death. They must. They are human.
God does matter. And because He matters, we matter. Thank you God for giving me purpose, and making my life matter.
About The Author
Great post, Kim. It is amazing to me how much atheists have to borrow from the theistic worldview just to make their arguments. An atheist might read what you wrote, and say “A-ha! See?! You crave meaning, therefore you invent a fairy tale to satisfy your craving!” I have seen this argument used time and time again.
But, the atheist has to first MAKE THE ASSUMPTION that it’s normal to crave meaning! Given atheism, why in the world would you assume that? The deeper question that doesn’t seem to occur to them: Why would creatures like us CARE about meaning in the first place, if all we are are the accidental by-products of energy, matter and time? WHY THINK THAT A COLLECTION OF ATOMS WOULD EVER CARE ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF ITS OWN EXISTENCE?? You rightly point out that even animals don’t have this quality. Animals only do what gives them survival advantage… the “what” you speak of. It is only us humans, made in the image of God, that care about the “why” questions.
Atheists are God’s children too, made in His image, and therefore they take many things for granted from the Christian worldview– the TRUE worldview. Unfortunately, they are blinded to that fact. Apologetics is a powerful tool to help remove the intellectual barriers to faith, which is hopefully followed by Christians showing the love of Christ to these people.
Kudos on your emphasis on apologetics in your post! And— GO WLC!!
Greg