Human Beings
In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the despondent Hamlet considers suicide while bemoaning the unfairness of life, yet in considering this recognizes that death may be even worse. He begins his inner discourse by saying this: “to be or not to be, that is the question.” This quote has been the basis of many a philosophical debate. What is the meaning of life? Does our existence have purpose or are we just a product of circumstances and natural selection? Dr. Miles Monroe has said that the greatest tragedy in life in not death, but rather a life without purpose. In talking about purpose we must consider design and intent, which leads us to origin, a Creator.
This question did not originate with Shakespeare, nor with Darwin, for as early as the 5th century B.C. various Greek philosophers were trying to determine the origin and purpose of life. When Paul arrived in Athens, in the first century A.D., this debate was still going on. As he shared the Gospel in the marketplace, some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers heard him talk about the resurrection of the dead and they wanted to hear more of this “new doctrine”, so they took Paul to the Areopagus, which was the place for debating philosophy, religion and law. The Epicureans were the agnostics of their day. They generally believed that gods existed, but that they were not interested nor involved with humanity and that man’s main purpose in life was pleasure. The Stoics, on the other hand, believed that God was the world’s soul that indwelt all things. It was man’s purpose to live in harmony with nature and rise above the emotions of pleasure and pain. To the Stoics, the affairs of man were governed by fate rather than moral choices and they worshipped creation, rather than the Creator.
Paul began his apologetics by explaining that God is the Creator of all and that all mankind came from one individual. He then refuted the Epicureans by saying that God was close to His creation and that our every breath depended on Him. He said: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17.28) God as Creator indicates design and design points to purpose. In addressing the Stoics, Paul explained that God is not nature, physical or something man can shape, carve or molded into an idol to be worship. Man must give an account for his life rather than rely on fatalistic excuses. All must, one day, stand before Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead, to be judged for his actions.
We are human beings. “In Him we have our being” What you do does not make you who you are. What you have or the position you may hold, does not give you identity. It is who you are that determines what you do. For example, going to Church does not make you a Christian, just like going to McDonalds does not make you a hamburger. Jesus said that a good tree produces good fruit, (Mat. 12.33). It is in being grafted onto the vine that the branches can produce fruit. They do not produce fruit on their own. Because you are, you do. Being in Christ results in a newness of life. Out of your being in Christ will flow rivers of living water. It is not what we think we are that defines us. God, our Creator has defined us. We are His offspring. We are not the product of ourselves. We are not human doings, nor human feelings, nor human havings, but human beings. Just as Paul called the Athenians to repentance, God is calling all men everywhere to repent. The time of overlooking our ignorance is done. Today is the day for salvation.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Acts 17.16-34; John 7.38; 4.14; 15.1-11; Eph. 1