christian-perspective

Purpose

This research provides a comprehensive exploration of what Christianity teaches about the meaning and purpose of human life. It examines perspectives from the major Christian traditions: Protestant/Reformed, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, along with the biblical foundations that inform these views.

The Central Question

Christianity offers one of the most complete and systematic answers to the question “What is the meaning of life?” While different traditions emphasize different aspects, they converge on several core themes: relationship with God, transformation into Christ’s likeness, love for God and neighbor, and eternal life.

Protestant Reformed Tradition

The Westminster Catechism (1647)

The most famous formulation comes from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, written in 1646-1647 by the Westminster Assembly of English and Scottish theologians.

Question 1: “What is the chief end of man?”

Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

The Westminster Larger Catechism phrases it: “Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for ever.”

Key Insights

Glory and joy are linked: The Puritans deliberately placed these together in a single question, signaling that glorifying God and human joy are inseparable
Order matters: “It is placed first because you must glorify Him before you can enjoy Him. If enjoyment was placed first, you would be in danger of supposing that God exists for man instead of men for God”
Forever: The purpose extends into eternity - this is not merely about earthly life but eternal existence

Biblical Foundation (Protestant View)

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 - Solomon’s conclusion:

“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

The Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:30-31) - Jesus’ answer:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength… Love your neighbour as yourself.”

Four Original Purposes

According to the creation account, humanity was made for:

Glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him
Build healthy relationships with others
Engage in meaningful work
Exercise stewardship over creation

Sin disrupted these purposes, but restoring fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ reestablishes life’s meaning.

Catholic Teaching

Salvation as a Process

The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is not a single moment but a lifelong process of growing closer to God:

We were saved (Romans 8:24) - initial justification
We are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18) - ongoing sanctification
We will be saved (Romans 5:9-10) - final glorification

Key Doctrines

Grace and Free Will:

Salvation comes through Jesus alone (Acts 4:12)
God’s grace is a free gift, accessible through repentance, faith, and baptism
Human cooperation is needed - faith without works is dead (James 2:24)
Eternal life is both grace and reward for good works

Sanctifying Grace: Humans cannot merit salvation in the strict sense. God justifies freely by a free gift of holiness (sanctifying grace). As Pope Francis summarized: “The Church has repeatedly taught that we are justified not by our own works or efforts, but by the grace of the Lord, who always takes the initiative.”

Human Dignity: The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of moral vision for society.

Universal Scope: Through Christ’s sacrifice, salvation is possible even for those outside the visible boundaries of the Church - Christians and non-Christians who respond positively to grace.

Eastern Orthodox: Theosis (Deification)

The Central Doctrine

Theosis (Greek: θέωσις) is probably the central idea of Eastern Orthodox theology. It refers to:

Humanity’s initial vocation (the task God gave Adam and Eve)
The goal of salvation

St. Athanasius of Alexandria famously stated:

“The Son of God became man, that we might become god.”

(The second “g” is always lowercase - humans never become God in essence)

What Theosis Means

Deification does not mean humans become gods ontologically. Rather, theosis is:

The process of acquiring godly characteristics
Gaining immortality and incorruptibility
Experiencing communion with God
Union with the energies of God (not His essence, which remains hidden)

The Orthodox affirm this is true union with God that is not pantheistic - the divine and human retain their unique characteristics.

How Theosis Is Achieved

Theosis requires synergy (cooperation) between human effort and God’s uncreated energies:

Catharsis - Purification of mind and body
Theoria - Illumination with the vision of God
Sacraments - Especially baptism, penance, and the Eucharist
Christian life - Prayer, fasting, ascetic practices

Life’s Fulfillment

“Orthodoxy believes that human life reaches its fulfillment only when it becomes divine.”

Theosis describes the spiritual pilgrimage in which each person becomes:

Ever more perfect
Ever more holy
Ever more united with God

It is the possibility of acquiring in this life the state we will have as resurrected, glorified persons in the presence of God in eternity.

Common Themes Across Traditions

Despite theological differences, all major Christian traditions agree on:

1. Made in God’s Image (Imago Dei)

Genesis 1:27 teaches that humans are made “in the image of God.” This means:

Having a conscience and knowing right from wrong
Having the capacity to love
Having desire for justice
Having extraordinary creativity
Being able to have relationship with God

2. Relationship with God

All traditions emphasize that life’s meaning is found in relationship with God:

Protestant: Glorifying and enjoying God
Catholic: Growing closer to God through grace and sacraments
Orthodox: Union with God through theosis

3. Transformation into Christ’s Likeness

God’s purpose is to conform believers to the image of Christ - transformation in character to reflect God’s character and live a life of love and good works.

4. Love as Central

The Christian life centers on God’s love:

Love for God (vertical relationship)
Love for neighbor (horizontal relationship)
Receiving God’s love (grace)

5. Eternal Perspective

All traditions view earthly life in light of eternity:

“If this world is all there is, then life is surely meaningless” (1 Corinthians 15:32)
Present life is preparation for eternal existence with God

The Role of Jesus Christ

All Christian traditions agree that Jesus Christ is central to life’s meaning:

Incarnation: God becoming human to restore humanity’s original purpose
Redemption: Christ’s death paying the price for sin
Resurrection: Offering eternal life and transformation
Example: Showing how to live a meaningful life
Mediator: The “one mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

Practical Implications

Living Purposefully as a Christian

Worship: Regular prayer, participation in sacraments, corporate worship
Service: Loving and serving others as expression of loving God
Stewardship: Caring for creation and using gifts responsibly
Community: Building relationships within the body of believers
Mission: Sharing the message of Christ’s redemption
Character: Growing in virtue and Christlikeness
Hope: Living with eternal perspective, not being consumed by temporary circumstances

The Question of Suffering

Christianity provides a framework for meaning even in suffering:

Suffering can produce character and hope (Romans 5:3-5)
God works all things for good (Romans 8:28)
Present sufferings are not worth comparing to future glory (Romans 8:18)
Christ suffered, providing example and solidarity

Summary

According to Christian belief, the meaning of life is:

Tradition	Primary Expression
Reformed Protestant	To glorify God and enjoy Him forever
Catholic	To know, love, and serve God in this life, and be happy with Him forever in the next
Eastern Orthodox	Theosis - to become like God through union with His energies
Biblical (Ecclesiastes)	Fear God and keep His commandments
Biblical (Jesus)	Love God completely and love neighbor as self

All these expressions point to the same reality: human beings find their ultimate purpose and meaning in relationship with God - knowing Him, loving Him, being transformed by Him, and enjoying His presence forever.