Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Why did god create man? Whats the purpose of mans existence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apotheoun Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Man was created so that he might glorify God, and in the process participate in the very life and glory of the Creator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Domini Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote]To seek Him, to know Him and to love Him[/quote] Man was made because God's love is prodigal past the point of excess. Out of His Love He let us exist that we might have the chance to exist and to live in life and death and eternity always in union with Him through His live giving grace. We could've been mere possibilities in the divine logos but God, beautiful as He is, made us so that we could 'taste and see that the Lord is good'. So that we...finite beings, might be able to experinece the joy of knowing we have infinity given to us in spite of ourselves. God made man to experience the happiness of having all the joy that one can possibly possess: Him. [quote]GREAT art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and of Thy wisdom there is no end. And man, being a part of Thy creation, desires to praise Thee, man, who bears about with him his mortality, the witness of his sin, even the witness that Thou "resistest the proud, " -- yet man, this part of Thy creation, desires to praise Thee. Thou movest us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.[/quote] Confessions, Book 1, Paragraph 1, St Augustine of Hippo--Doctor of Grace For better answers consult the mystics such as St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paphnutius Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Myles' date='Mar 10 2005, 10:20 AM'] Man was made because God's love is prodigal past the point of excess. Out of His Love He let us exist that we might have the chance to exist and to live in life and death and eternity always in union with Him through His live giving grace. We could've been mere possibilities in the divine logos but God, beautiful as He is, made us so that we could 'taste and see that the Lord is good'. So that we...finite beings, might be able to experinece the joy of knowing we have infinity given to us in spite of ourselves. God made man to experience the happiness of having all the joy that one can possibly possess: Him. Confessions, Book 1, Paragraph 1, St Augustine of Hippo--Doctor of Grace For better answers consult the mystics such as St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross [/quote] Yeah, I think that pretty much covers it. Kudos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 So we exist for gods own pleasure? And through pleasing him, we please ourselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paphnutius Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Melchisedec' date='Mar 10 2005, 11:39 AM'] So we exist for gods own pleasure? And through pleasing him, we please ourselves? [/quote] I dont think that was ever mentioned in there. God is all good and well u know all of the omni's, so God's happiness is not dependent on us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasJis Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Melchisedec' date='Mar 10 2005, 11:39 AM'] So we exist for gods own pleasure? And through pleasing him, we please ourselves? [/quote] I'd say that's fairly accurate. For want, not need. We are also free to find pleasure outside of God. Since God is all Good, that pleasure is only temporary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Domini Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote]So we exist for gods own pleasure? And through pleasing him, we please ourselves? I dont think that was ever mentioned in there. God is all good and well u know all of the omni's, so God's happiness is not dependent on us. [/quote] I agree P. Thats what makes God's love and human love not only a shadow but something that can only be delivered into our hearts by a supernatural grace. There is no neccesity based upon God's love. God does not recieve anything from the beings He creates. There was 'never' a 'never' that God was not complete in. God is immutable and is simultaneously unchanging at all times. God does not take pleasure in human worship, there is nothing of any worth that humans can offer God hence Jesus entered the Heavenly Sanctuary to make a perfect offering. The only thing God can offer Himself is Himself and indeed there has never not been a time when the indivisible trinity was not living a bond of love. I stress again. Man's existence is not for goods pleasure but is the epitome of the Divine Mercy, which Jesus wanted St Faustina to remind the world about. God doesnt create because there is anything 'in it' for Him. He creates simply for the sake of giving His creations a chance to enjoy life and in terms of higher creatures like humans, a chance to enjoy direct mystical union with Him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 (edited) I am really tring to understand what you mean. So forgive me if your eloquent words are not making much sense to me. [quote]I stress again. Man's existence is not for goods pleasure but is the epitome of the Divine Mercy, which Jesus wanted St Faustina to remind the world about.[/quote] So we are here as the emodiment of his mercy? Essentially he created us to symbolize his everlasting mercy? [quote] God doesnt create because there is anything 'in it' for Him. He creates simply for the sake of giving His creations a chance to enjoy life and in terms of higher creatures like humans, a chance to enjoy direct mystical union with Him.[/quote] I still dont understand this. So he created us not for him, but for the sake of having a creation enjoy life? So god didnt make his creations for him, but for the creation itself. The problem I see is that if there is nothing in it for god. Than disobeying god means nothing. Because he had nothing to gain or lose from it. Since he had nothing that benefitted him from the action of creating humans. If god is upset if you do not follow his plan, than how can he be happy when humans do follow the plan, if there is nothing in it for him or pleasure derived? Edited March 10, 2005 by Melchisedec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Apotheoun' date='Mar 10 2005, 10:03 AM'] Man was created so that he might glorify God, and in the process participate in the very life and glory of the Creator. [/quote] Isnt glorification a human construct that benefits the ego? Why would god need us to glorify him when he is the all mighty? What does glorifying god accomplish for god? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 God created us because it was good. Gen. 1:31 says, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good." We are created with purpose. That purpose is to glorify Him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Mar 10 2005, 01:53 PM'] God created us because it was good. Gen. 1:31 says, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good." We are created with purpose. That purpose is to glorify Him. [/quote] Than can anyone answer the question on why does a god need to be glorified? What does glorifying god do for god? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 In my opinion, God does not need to be glorified. He has/had perfect fellowship amongst the Trinity. However, He desires to be glorified, worshiped, honored and praised. Since God is all good, He only does "good" things. Creation is a good thing. He is also a God of order. Therefore, creation has its purpose - glorifying Him. Sometimes it helps to think of this in human terms. I am the mother of three children. I put in long days cooking, cleaning, caring for and loving those children. I desire for my children to love me, respect me, and express gratitude for the things I do for them. They, however, have been created with free will. They may do those things, they may not. But that doesn't change the fact that I love them and want only the best for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchisedec Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 [quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Mar 10 2005, 02:30 PM'] In my opinion, God does not need to be glorified. He has/had perfect fellowship amongst the Trinity. However, He desires to be glorified, worshiped, honored and praised. Since God is all good, He only does "good" things. Creation is a good thing. He is also a God of order. Therefore, creation has its purpose - glorifying Him. Sometimes it helps to think of this in human terms. I am the mother of three children. I put in long days cooking, cleaning, caring for and loving those children. I desire for my children to love me, respect me, and express gratitude for the things I do for them. They, however, have been created with free will. They may do those things, they may not. But that doesn't change the fact that I love them and want only the best for them. [/quote] But did you create your children for the sole purpose of praising you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gal. 5:22,23 Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 (edited) [quote name='Melchisedec' date='Mar 10 2005, 02:42 PM'] But did you create your children for the sole purpose of praising you? [/quote] I didn't create my children. My husband and I had children because, as happy as we were just the two of us, we desired to add to our family. And, God commanded it - "Be fruitful and multiply." Edited March 10, 2005 by Gal. 5:22,23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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