Purpose vs Sin and Death

It seems purposeless

In 2018, a friend of mine died. We went to the same theological school, and became good friends. In fact, she was a good friend to many people at the college. She volunteered for many university programs, helped out her fellow students, and joined quite a number of discussion and bible study groups - including ours.

Her death was shocking to the whole university. She had been struck by a car while on her way to class. People were upset, and others cried during chapel. The big question was why did she have to die? She was the only daughter to her parents, and was still quite young, a great achiever, and by all accounts, was a good person deserving of living. So why did she have to die? People felt so hopeless.

Read Luke 13:1-9

Luke 13:1–9 ESV

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

You see, many people questioned their existence when Mercy died. It seemed like all the good work people were planning to do (the university was full of pastors) was pointless. You could die anytime, and for no reason.

It all seems rather pointless, and this feeling was shared by people who lived during the time of Jesus. They believed that if you died a horrible death, you must have been a terrible sinner. There were also beliefs that if you were born with a deformity, your parents must have been terrible sinners too. But Jesus rejected this idea. Jesus mentions two incidents - Pilate, the Palestine governor, killing a number of people near where the blood sacrifices in the temple were, and the other, an accident, which killed two people. Jesus mentions that neither group was super sinful, but if no one repents, they might as well perish like the two groups of people who died .

Jesus caps this off by an analogy - a fig tree which is planted to produce fruit. If it does not produce fruit, the owner can decide to cut it down, and plant another.

Your purpose is tied to Repentance

We were all born for a reason - and we must fulfill it. Repentance, which implies a change of heart, mind and attitude, is vital - we must turn around and look to Jesus to get the perfect picture of what our life is for, and what we must do before it is all over.

I wrote something down 10 years ago that I think will bring the message home:

Let’s change the perception of Sin and Punishment for a bit:

–We know that our hearts are evil, and bent to sin continually.

–We know that there will be consequences for the sins that we do.

–We know that there is no measure of sin, something is either sinful or not.

–Perhaps what we don’t know is the definition of sin. Simply Put, Sin is the absence of God, rather, the Rejection of God.

When God’s will and Spiritual Influence is not working in you, well, you are in a sinful situation, and it will not matter how many good things you do, for our deeds have no value without God.

Here, then, is the new perspective-the Lack of God in your life is sin, and thus its characteristics. The Presence of God in you life means a manifestation of God’s character in you-thus the fruits of the Spirit.

Sin, therefore, gives birth to death, and the end result is assured. It’s not in the measure of how sinful one is, it’s underlined by a simple fact: You rejected the power of God to Save you, hence, impending consequences.

“…About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too……”(Luke 13:1-5)

Just invite God in your life…He will show you the way, and His righteousness will clothe you. I assure you, you stand to perish without Him.

“…When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives…” (Galatians 5:19-25 )

Conclusion - Find God - Life a Purposeful life

Do not let anyone deceive you - getting rich and living the high life is overrated - it comes with its own significant problems - the kind money cannot buy. This cannot be the only reason for living. Living a simple life is recommended by God, one that strips all the distractions around you and focuses on where God leads you or equips you to do.

Life is incredibly short for many people, and some may live to be very old. It is not how long you live, but how you lived that will matter.

My advice? Find Jesus - and make him a close friend.