What is the purpose of life (1993)
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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? How Can You Find It?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?
How Can You Find It?
IS THERE A PURPOSE TO LIFE?
2 WHO CAN TELL US?
3 A UNIQUE SOURCE OF SUPERIOR WISDOM
CHRISTENDOM HAS BETRAYED GOD AND THE BIBLE
LIFE HAS A GRAND PURPOSE
WHY SO MUCH SUFFERING AND INJUSTICE?
7 GOD'S PURPOSE SOON TO BE REALIZED
LIVE FOREVER ON A PARADISE EARTH
© 1993
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND
TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA
All rights reserved
Publishers
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND
TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
First Printing in English, 5,000,000 Copies
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures —With References, 1984 Edition
What Is the Purpose of Life?
How Can You Find It?
English (pr-E)
Made in the United States of America IS THERE A PURPOSE TO LIFE?
Sooner or later, nearly everybody wonders what the purpose of life is. Is it to work hard to improve our living conditions, to provide for our families, to die after perhaps 70 or 80 years, and then to be nonexistent forever? One young person who felt this way said that there is no other purpose in life than "to live, to have children, to be happy and then to die." But is that true? And does death really end it all?
2 Many in both Eastern and Western lands feel that the main purpose in living is to acquire material wealth. They believe that this can lead to a happy, meaningful life. But what of people who already have material wealth? Canadian writer Harry Bruce said: "A baffling number of rich people insist they are not happy." He added: "Polls suggest a terrible pessimism has infected North America . . . Is anybody happy out there? If so, what's the secret?"
3 Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter stated: "We've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. . . Piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose." And another political leader said: "I have for several years now been engaged in an intensive search for truths about myself and my life; many other people I know are doing the same. More people than ever before are asking, 'Who are we? What is our purpose?'
Conditions More Difficult
4 Many doubt that life has a purpose when
they see that living conditions have become more difficult. Throughout the world more than a billion people are seriously ill or malnourished, resulting in the death of some ten million children each year in Africa alone. Earth's population, nearing 6 billion, continues to grow by more than 90 million a year, more than 90 percent of that growth in developing countries. This constantly expanding population increases the need for food, housing, and industry, which brings further damage to land, water, and air from industrial and other pollutants.
5 The publication World Military and Social Expenditures 1991 reports: "Every year an area of forest equal to the whole surface of [Great Britain] is destroyed. At present rates (of clearance) we shall, by the year 2000, have removed 65 percent of forests in the humid tropical zones." In those areas, according to a UN agency, 10 trees are cut for every 1 planted; in Africa the ratio is
"Every year an area of forest equal to the whole surface of [Great Britain] is destroyed"
more than 20 to 1. So desert areas increase, and each year an area the size of Belgium is lost for agricultural use.
6 Also, this 20th century has had four times as many deaths from war as the previous four centuries put together. Everywhere, there is a rise in crime, especially violent crime.
The breakdown of the family, drug abuse, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and other negative factors are also making life more difficult. And world leaders have not been able to provide solutions for the many problems plaguing the human family. Thus, it is understandable why people ask. What is the purpose of life?
7 How has that question been addressed by scholars and religious leaders? After all these many centuries of time, have they provided a satisfactory answer?
What They Say
8 Confucian scholar Tu Wei-Ming said: "The ultimate meaning of life is found in our ordinary, human existence." According to this view, humans would continue to be born, struggle for existence, and die. There is little hope in such an outlook. And is it even true?
9 Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Nazi death camps in World War II, observed: "Why are we here?" is the most important question a human being has to face. . . I believe that life has meaning in spite of the meaningless death I have seen." But he could not say what the meaning of life was.
10 Editor Vermont Royster stated: "In the contemplation of man himself, . . . of his place in this universe, we are little further along than when time began. We are still left with questions of who we are and why we are and where we are going."
11 Evolutionary scientist Stephen Jay Gould noted: "We may yearn for a 'higher' answer —but none exists." For such evolutionists, life
is a struggle for survival of the fittest, death ending it all. There is no hope in that view either. And, again, is it true?
12 Many religious leaders say that the purpose of life is to lead a good existence so that at death a person's soul can go to heaven and spend eternity there. The alternative offered for bad people is eternal torment in hellfire. Yet, according to this belief, on earth there would continue to be more of the same unsatisfactory existence that has prevailed throughout history. But if God's purpose was to have people live in heaven like angels, why did he not just create them that way to begin with, as he did the angels?
13 Even clergymen have difficulty with such views. Dr. W. R. Inge, a former dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, once said: "All my life I have struggled to find the purpose of living. I have tried to answer three problems which always seemed to me to be fundamental: the problem of eternity; the problem of human personality; and the problem of evil.
I have failed. I have solved none of them."
The Effect
14 What is the effect of so many different ideas by scholars and religious leaders on the question of life's purpose? Many respond as did an elderly man who said: "I've been asking why I'm here most of my life. If there's a purpose, I don't care anymore."
15 Quite a number who observe the profusion of views among the world's religions conclude that it really does not matter what one believes. They feel that religion is just a diversion for the mind, something to provide a little peace of mind and comfort so that one can cope with life's problems. Others feel that religion is nothing more than superstition. They feel that centuries of religious speculation has not answered the question about life's purpose, nor has it improved the life of the common people. Indeed, history shows that this world's religions have often held mankind back from progress and have been the cause of hatreds and wars.
16 Yet, is it even important to find the truth about the purpose of life? Mental-health professional Viktor Frankl answered: "The striving to find a meaning in one's life is the primary motivational force in man . . . There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one's life."
17 Since human philosophies and religions have not satisfactorily explained what the purpose of life is, where can we go to find out what it is? Is there a source of superior wisdom that can tell us the truth about this matter?
WHO CAN TELL US?
1 Who can tell us what the purpose of life really is? Well, if you were to visit a machine designer and saw him working on a complicated piece of machinery that you did not recognize, how could you find out what it was for? The best way would be for you to ask the designer.
2 What, then, of the magnificent design we see all around us on earth, such as in all living things, down to the smallest living cell? Even the much smaller molecules and atoms inside the cell are wonderfully designed and orderly. What, too, of the marvelously designed human mind? And what of our solar system, and our Milky Way galaxy, and the universe? Did not all these awesome designs require a Designer? Surely he could tell us why he designed such things.
Did Life Originate by Chance?
3 The Encyclopedia Americana noted "the extraordinary degree of complexity and of organization in living creatures" and stated: "A close examination of flowers, insects, or mammals shows an almost incredibly precise arrangement of parts." British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell, referring to the chemical composition of living organisms, wrote: "The probability of . . . a chance occurrence leading to the formation of one of the smallest protein molecules is unimaginably small. . . . It is effectively zero."
4 Similarly, astronomer Fred Hoyle said: "The entire structure of orthodox biology still holds that life arose at random. Yet as biochemists discover more and more about the awesome complexity of life, it is apparent that the chances of it originating by accident are
so minute that they can be completely ruled out. Life cannot have arisen by chance."
5 Molecular biology, one of the more recent fields of science, is the study of living things at the level of genes, molecules, and atoms. Molecular biologist Michael Denton comments on what has been found: "The complexity of the simplest known type of cell is so great that it is impossible to accept that such an object could have been thrown together suddenly by some kind of freakish, vastly improbable, event." "But it is not just the complexity of living systems which is so profoundly challenging, there is also the incredible ingenuity that is so often manifest in their design." "It is at a molecular level where . . . the genius of biological design and the perfection of the goals achieved are most pronounced."
6 Denton further states: "Everywhere we look, to whatever depth we look, we find an elegance and ingenuity of an absolutely transcending quality, which so mitigates against the idea of chance. Is it really credible that random processes could have constructed a reality, the smallest element of which—a
The best way to find out why something was designed is to ask the designer
functional protein or gene—is complex beyond our own creative capacities, a reality which is the very antithesis of chance, which excels in every sense anything produced by the intelligence of man?" He also states: "Between a living cell and the most highly ordered non-biological system, such as a crystal or a snowflake, there is a chasm as vast and absolute as it is possible to conceive." And a professor of physics, Chet Raymo, states: "I am dazzled . . . Every molecule seems miraculously contrived for its task."
7 Molecular biologist Denton concludes that "those who still dogmatically advocate that all this new reality is the result of pure chance" are believing in a myth. In fact, he calls the Darwinian belief regarding living things arising by chance "the great cosmogenic myth of the twentieth century."
Design Requires a Designer
8The idea that nonliving material could come to life by chance, by some haphazard accident, is so remote as to be impossible. No, all the superbly designed living things on earth could not have come about by accident, since everything that is designed must have a designer. Do you know of any exceptions? There are none. And the more complicated the design, the more capable the designer has to be.
9 We may also illustrate the matter this way: When we see a painting, we accept it as evidence that a painter exists. When we read a book, we accept that an author exists. When we see a house, we accept that a builder exists. When we see a traffic light, we know that a law-making body exists. All those things were made with a purpose by those who made them. And while we may not understand everything about the people who designed them, we do not doubt that the people exist.
The complexity and design of living things can be seen in the DNA molecule
10 Similarly, the evidence of the existence of a Supreme Designer can be seen in the design, order, and complexity of living things on earth. They all bear the marks of a Supreme Intelligence. This is also true of the design, order, and complexity of the universe with its billions of galaxies, each containing billions of stars. And all the heavenly bodies are controlled by precise laws, such as those for motion, heat, light, sound, dectromagnetism, and gravit can there be laws without maker? Rocket scientist
Dr. Wernher von Braun stated: "The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a space-ship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second. These laws must have been set by somebody."
11 True, we cannot see the Supreme Designer and Lawgiver with our literal eyes. But do we deny the existence of such things as gravity, magnetism, electricity, or radio waves just because we cannot see them? No, we do not, for we can observe their effects. Then why should we deny the existence of a Supreme Designer and Lawgiver just because we cannot see him, when we can observe the results of his amazing handiwork?
12 Paul Davies, a professor of physics, concludes that man's existence is not a mere quirk of fate. He states: "We are truly meant to be here." And he says regarding the universe: "Through my scientific work, I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as a brute fact. There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation."
13 Thus, the evidence tells us that the universe, the earth, and living things on the earth could not have come about just by chance. They all give silent testimony to a highly intelligent, powerful Creator.
What the Bible Says
14 The Bible, mankind's oldest book, draws the same conclusion. For example, in the Bible book of Hebrews, written by the apostle Paul, we are told: "Of course, every house is constructed by someone, but he that constructed all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4) The last book of the Bible, written by the apostle John, also says: "You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."—Revelation 4:11.
15 The Bible shows that while God cannot be seen, the kind of God he is can be perceived by what he has made. It states: "[The Creator's] invisible attributes, that is to say his everlasting power and deity, have been visible, ever since the world began, to the eye of reason, in the things he has made."—Romans 1: 20, The New English Bible.
1 6 So the Bible takes us from cause to effect.
"Problem solving by a human brain exceeds by far the capacity of the most powerful computers"
The effect—the awesome things made—is evidence of the intelligent, powerful Cause: God. Also, we can be grateful that he is invisible, since as the Creator of all the universe, he no doubt has power so enormous that humans of flesh and blood cannot expect to see him and survive. And that is just what the Bible says: "No man may see [God] and yet live."—Exodus 33:20.
17 The concept of a Great Designer, a Supreme Being—God—should be very important to us. If we were made by a Creator, then surely he must have had a reason, a purpose, in creating us. If we were created to have a purpose in life, then there is reason to hope that things will be better for us in the future. Otherwise, we just live and die without hope. So it is very important that we find out God's purpose for us. Then we can choose whether we want to live in harmony with it or not.
18 Also, the Bible states that the Creator is a loving God who cares very much about us. The apostle Peter stated: "He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7; see also John 3:16 and 1 John 4:8, 16.) One way we can see how much God cares is by considering the wonderful way he has made us, mentally and physically.
"Wonderfully Made"
19 In the Bible the psalmist David acknowledged: "In a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14) Surely that is the truth, for the human brain and body were marvelously designed by the Supreme Designer.
20 For instance, your brain is far more complex than any computer. The New Encyclopaedia Britannica notes: "Transmission of information within the nervous system is more complex than the largest telephone exchanges; problem solving by a human brain exceeds by far the capacity of the most powerful computers."
21 Hundreds of millions of facts and mental images are stored in your brain, but it is not merely a storehouse of facts. With it you can learn how to whistle, bake bread, speak foreign languages, use a computer, or fly an airplane. You can imagine what a vacation would be like or how delicious a fruit will taste. You can analyze and make things. You can also plan, appreciate, love, and relate your thoughts to the past, the present, and the future. Since we humans cannot design such a thing as the awesome human brain, then the One who designed it obviously has wisdom and ability far greater than that of any human.
22 Regarding the brain, scientists admit: "How these functions are carried out by this magnificently patterned, orderly and fantastically complex piece of machinery is quite obscure. . . . Human beings may never solve all the separate individual puzzles the brain presents." (Scientific American) And physics professor Raymo says: "If truth be told, we still don't know much about how the human brain stores information, or how it is able to call up memories at will.
. . . There are as many as a hundred billion nerve cells in the human brain. Each cell is in communication, through a treelike array of synapses, with thousands of other cells. The possibilities of interconnection are staggeringly intricate."
23 Your eyes are more precise and adaptable than any camera; in fact, they are fully automatic, self-focusing, color motion-picture cameras. Your ears can detect a variety of sounds and give you a sense of direction and balance. Your heart is a
pump with capabilities that the best engineers have not been able to duplicate. Also magnificent are other body parts: your nose, tongue, and hands, as well as your circulatory and digestive systems, to name a few.
24 Thus, an engineer who was hired to design and build a large computer reasoned: "If my computer required a designer, how much more so did that complex physio-chemical-biological machine which is my human body—which in turn is but an extremely minute part of the well-nigh infinite cosmos?"
25 Just as people have a purpose in mind when they make airplanes, computers, bicycles, and other devices, so the Designer of the brain and body of humans must have had a purpose in designing us. And this Designer has to have wisdom superior to that of humans, since none of us can duplicate his designs. It is logical, then, that he is the One who can tell us why he designed us, why he put us on earth, and where we are going.
25 When we learn those things, then the wonderful brain and body God gave us can be used toward fulfilling our purpose in life. But where can we learn about his purposes? Where does he give us that information?
23, 24. Name some wonderfully designed body parts, and what comment did an engineer make?
25, 26. What should the Great Designer be able to tell us?
A UNIQUE SOURCE OF SUPERIOR WISDOM
1 Is the Bible the record of that superior wisdom? Can it give us truthful answers to the important questions that have to do with the purpose of life?
2 Certainly the Bible is worthy of our examination. One reason is that it is the most unusual book ever assembled, very different from any other book. Consider the following facts.
Oldest, Most Widely Distributed Book
3 The Bible is the oldest book ever written, parts of it being composed some 3,500 years ago. It is many centuries older than any other book considered sacred. The first of the 66 books that it contains was written about a thousand years before Buddha and Confucius and some two thousand years before Muhammad.
4 The history recorded in the Bible goes back to the beginning of the human family and explains how we came to be here on earth. It even takes us back to the time before humans were created, giving us facts about the formation of the earth.
5 Other religious books, and nonreligious ones too, have only a few copies of their old manuscripts left in existence. About 13,000
The picture the Bible presents of an earth surrounded by empty space is recognized by scholars as a remarkable vision for its time
handwritten copies of the Bible or parts of it exist in Hebrew and Greek, some of which date from close to the time of the original writing. These have survived even though the most concentrated onslaughts imaginable have been attempted against the Bible.
6 Also, the Bible is by far the most widely distributed book in history. About three billion Bibles or parts of it have been distributed in some two thousand languages. It is said that 98 percent of the human family have access to the Bible in their own language. No other book comes close to that circulation.
7 In addition, no other ancient book compares with the Bible in accuracy. Scientists, historians, archaeologists, geographers, language experts, and others continually verify Bible accounts.
Scientific Accuracy
8 For example, while the Bible was not written as a science textbook, it is in harmony
with true science when it deals with scientific matters. But other ancient books regarded as sacred contain scientific myths, inaccuracies, and outright falsehoods. Note just four of the many examples of the Bible's scientific accuracy:
9 How the earth is held in space. In ancient times when the Bible was being written, there was much speculation about how the earth was held in space. Some believed that the earth was supported by four elephants standing on a big sea turtle. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and scientist of the fourth century B.C.E., taught that the earth could never hang in empty space. Instead, he taught that the heavenly bodies were fixed to the surface of solid, transparent spheres, with each sphere nested within another sphere. Supposedly the earth was on the innermost sphere, and the outermost sphere held the stars.
10 Yet, rather than reflect the fanciful, unscientific views existing at the time of its writing, the Bible simply stated (in about the year 1473 B.C.E.): "[God is] hanging the earth upon nothing." (Job 26:7) in the original Hebrew, the word for "nothing" used here means "not any thing," and this is the only time it occurs in the Bible.
The picture it presents of an earth surrounded by empty space is recognized by scholars as a remarkable vision for its time. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: "Job 26:7 strikingly pictures the then-known world as suspended in space, thereby anticipating future scientific discovery."
11 The Bible's accurate statement predated Aristotle by over 1,100 years. Yet, Aristotle's
Some early navigators even feared sailing off the edge of the flat earth
1687 C.E., Sir Isaac Newton published his findings that the earth was held in space in relation to other heavenly objects by mutual attraction, that is, gravity. But that was close to 3,200 years after the Bible had stated with elegant simplicity that the earth is hanging "upon nothing."
12 Yes, nearly 3,500 years ago, the Bible correctly noted that the earth has no visible support, a fact that is in harmony with the more recently understood laws of gravity and motion. "How Job knew the truth," said one scholar, "is a question not easily solved by those who deny the inspiration of Holy Scripture."
13 The shape of the earth. The Encyclopedia Americana said: "The earliest known image that men had of the earth was that it was a flat, rigid platform at the center of the universe... The concept of a spherical earth was not widely accepted until the Renaissance." Some early navigators even feared that they might sail off the edge of the flat earth. But then the introduction of the compass and other advancements made possible longer ocean voyages. These "voyages of discovery," another encyclopedia explains, "showed that the world was round, not flat as most people had believed."
14 Yet, long before such voyages, about 2,700 years ago, the Bible said: "There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth." (Isaiah 40:22) The Hebrew word here translated "circle" can also mean "sphere," as various reference works note. Other Bible translations, therefore, say, "the globe of the earth" (Douay Version) and, "the round earth." —Moffatt.
15 Thus, the Bible was not influenced by the unscientific views prevalent at the time regarding the earth's support and its shape. The reason is simple: The Author of the Bible is the Author of the universe. He created the earth, so he should know what it hangs on and what its shape is. Hence, when he inspired the Bible, he saw to it that no unscientific views were incorporated in it, however much they may have been believed by others at the time.
16 The composition of living things. "Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground," Genesis 2:7 states.
The World Book Encyclopedia says: "All the chemical elements that make up living things are also present in nonliving matter." So all the basic chemicals that make up living organisms, including man, are also found in the earth itself. This harmonizes with the Bible's statement that identifies the material God used in creating humans and all other living things.
17 "According to their kinds." The Bible states that God created the first human pair and that from them all other humans descended. (Genesis 1:26-28; 3:20) It says that other living things, such as fish, birds, and mammals, did the same, coming forth "according to their kinds." (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25) This is just what scientists have found in the natural creation, that every living thing comes from a parent of like kind. There is no exception. In this regard physicist Raymo observes: "Life makes life; it happens all the time in every cell. But how did nonlife make life? It is one of the biggest unanswered questions in biology, and so far biologists can offer little more than wild guesses. Somehow inanimate matter managed to get itself organized in an animate way. . . . The author of Genesis may have had it right, after all."
Historical Accuracy
18 The Bible contains the most accurate ancient history of any book in existence. The book A Lawyer Examines the Bible highlights its historical accuracy this way: "While romances, legends and false testimony are careful to place the events related in some distant place and some indefinite time, thereby violating the first rules we lawyers learn of good pleading, that 'the declaration must give time and place,' the Bible narratives give us the date
There is more evidence that Jesus Christ existed than there is that Julius Caesar, Emperor Charlemagne, Oliver Cromwell, or Pope Leo III lived
and place of the things related with the utmost precision."
19 The New Bible Dictionary comments: " [The writer of Acts] sets his narrative in the framework of contemporary history; his pages are full of references to city magistrates, provincial governors, client kings, and the like, and these references time after time prove to be just right for the place and time in question."
20 Writing in The Union Bible Companion, S. Austin Allibone says: "Sir Isaac Newton ... was also eminent as a critic of ancient writings, and examined with great care the Holy Scriptures. What is his verdict on this point? 'I find,' says he, 'more sure marks of authenticity in the New Testament than in any profane [secular] history whatever.' Dr. Johnson says that we have more evidence that Jesus Christ died on Calvary, as stated in the Gospels, than we have that Julius Caesar died in the Capitol.
We have, indeed, far more."
21 This source adds: "Ask anyone who professes to doubt the truth of the Gospel history what reason he has for believing that Caesar died in the Capitol, or that the Emperor Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the West by Pope Leo III. in 800? . . How do you know that such a man as Charles I. [of England] ever lived, and was beheaded, and that Oliver Cromwell became ruler in his stead? . . Sir Isaac Newton is credited with the discovery of the law of gravitation . . . We believe all the assertions just made respecting these men; and that because we have historical evidence of their truth. . . If, on the production of such proof as this, any still refuse to believe, we abandon them as stupidly perverse or hopelessly ignorant."
22 Then this source concludes: "What shall we say, then, of those who, notwithstanding the abundant evidence now produced of the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures, profess themselves unconvinced? . . . Surely we have reason to conclude that it is the heart rather than the head which is at fault;—that they do not wish to believe that which humbles their pride, and will force them to lead different lives."
Internal Harmony and Candor
23 Imagine that a book began to be written during the time of the Roman Empire, continued down through the Middle Ages, and was completed in this 20th century, with many different writers contributing. What result would you anticipate if the writers were as diverse in their occupations as soldiers, kings, priests, fishermen, herdsmen, and doctors? Would you expect the book to be harmonious and coherent? 'Hardly!' you may say.
Well, the Bible was written under these circumstances. Yet, it is harmonious in its entirety, not just in overall concepts but in minute details too.
24 The Bible is a collection of 66 books written over a period of 1,600 years by some 40 different writers, beginning in 1513 B.C.E. and ending in 98 C.E. The writers came from different walks of life, and many had no contact with the others. Yet, the book that resulted follows a central, coherent theme throughout, as though produced by one mind. And contrary to the belief of some, the Bible is not a product of Western civilization, but it was written by Orientals.
25 While the majority of ancient writers reported only their successes and virtues, the Bible writers openly admitted their own mistakes, as well as the failings of their kings and leaders. Numbers 20:1-13 and Deuteronomy 32:50-52 record the failings of Moses, and he wrote those books. Jonah 1:1-3 and 4:1 list the failings of Jonah, who wrote those accounts. Matthew 17:18-20; 18:1-6; 20:20-28; and 26:56 record poor qualities shown by Jesus' disciples. Thus, the honesty and candor of the Bible writers give support to their claim of being inspired by God.
Its Most Distinctive Feature
26 The Bible itself reveals why it is so accurate in scientific, historical, and other matters and why it is so harmonious and honest. It shows that the Supreme Being, the almighty God, the Creator who authored the universe, is the Bible's Author. He merely used human Bible writers as his penmen, moving them by his powerful active force to put down what he inspired them to write.
27 In the Bible the apostle Paul states: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things
The fulfillment of prophecies Jesus gave about Jerusalem's destruction in 70 C.E. is attested to by the Arch of Titus in Rome
straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." And the apostle Paul also said: "When you received God's word, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of
men, but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God."—2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
28 Thus, the Bible comes from the mind of one Author—God. And with his awesome power, it was a simple thing for him to make certain that the integrity of what was written was preserved down to our day. Of this a leading authority on Bible manuscripts, Sir Frederic Kenyon, in 1940, said: "The last foundation for any doubt that the Scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed."
29 Humans have the ability to send radio and television signals to the earth from thousands of miles in space, even from the moon. Space probes have sent back to the earth physical information and pictures from planets that are hundreds of millions of miles away. Surely man's Creator, the Creator of radio waves, could do at least as much. Really, it was a simple thing for him to use his almighty power to transmit words and pictures to the minds of those he chose to record the Bible.
30 Moreover, there are many things about the earth and life on it that give evidence of God's interest in mankind. Therefore, it is understandable that he would want to help humans find out who he is and what his purpose is for them by expressing these things clearly in a book—a permanent document.
31 Consider, too, the superiority of a book authored by God, compared with information handed down by humans only by word of mouth. Word of mouth would not be reliable, as people would paraphrase the message, and over a period of time, its meaning would be distorted. They would relay the information by the spoken word according to their own viewpoint. But a God-inspired, permanent written record is much less likely to contain errors. Also, a book can be reproduced and translated so that people reading various languages can benefit from it. So is it not reasonable that our Creator used such a means to provide information? Indeed, it is more than reasonable, since the Creator says that this is what he did.
Fulfilled Prophecy
32 In addition, the Bible bears the mark of divine inspiration in a uniquely outstanding way: It is a book of prophecies that have had and continue to have unerring fulfillment.
33 For example, the destruction of ancient Tyre, the fall of Babylon, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the rise and fall of the kings of Medo-Persia and Greece were foretold in great detail in the Bible.
The prophecies were so accurate that some critics tried, in vain, to say they were written after the events took place. Isaiah 13:17-19; 44:27-45:1; Ezekiel 26:3-6; Daniel 8:1-7, 20-22.
34 The prophecies that Jesus gave about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. were accurately fulfilled. (Luke 19:41-44; 21:20, 21) And prophecies about "the last days" given by Jesus and the apostle Paul are being fulfilled in detail in our very own time.—2 Timothy 3: 1-5, 13; Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21.
35 No human mind, however intelligent, could so accurately predict future events. Only the mind of the all-powerful and all-wise Creator of the universe could, as we read at 2 Peter 1:20, 21: "No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit."
It Gives the Answer
36 Hence, in many ways, the Bible bears the evidence of being the inspired Word of the Supreme Being. As such, it tells us why humans are on the earth, why there is so much suffering, where we are going, and how conditions will change for the better. It reveals to us that there is a supreme God who created humans and this earth for a purpose and that his purpose will be fulfilled. (Isaiah 14:24) The Bible also reveals to us what true religion is and how we can find it. Thus, it is the only source of superior wisdom that can tell us the truth about all the important questions of life. —Psalm 146:3; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 2:2-4.
37 While there is abundant proof of the authenticity and truthfulness of the Bible, do all
who say that they accept it follow its teachings? Consider, for example, the nations that claim to practice Christianity, that is, Christendom. They have had access to the Bible for many centuries. But do their thinking and actions truly reflect God's superior wisdom?
CHRISTENDOM HAS BETRAYED GOD AND THE BIBLE
1 People in many lands have avoided the Bible and have lacked respect for it because of the bad conduct of those who claim to follow it. In certain lands it has been said that the Bible is a book that leads to war, that it is a white man's book, and that it is a book that supports colonialism. But those are mistaken views.
2 The Bible, written in the Middle East, does not support the colonial wars and greedy exploitation that have been carried on in the name of Christianity for such a long time. On the contrary, by reading the Bible and learning the teachings of true Christianity taught by Jesus, you will see that the Bible strongly condemns warring, immorality, and the exploiting of others. The fault lies with greedy people, not with the Bible. (1 Corinthians 13:1-6; James 4:1-3; 5:1-6; 1 John 4:7, 8) So do not let the misconduct of selfish people who live contrary to the Bible's good counsel prevent your benefiting from its treasures.
3 Included among those who do not live by the Bible are the peoples and nations of Christendom. "Christendom" is defined as that part
Egyptian trinity
Museo Egizio, Turin
of the world where Christianity prevails. It is largely the Western world with its church systems, which from about the fourth century C.E. became prominent. Christendom has had the Bible for centuries, and its clergy claim to teach it and to be God's representatives. But do the clergy and missionaries of Christendom teach the truth? Do their actions really represent God and the Bible? Does Christianity really prevail in Christendom? No. Since its religion came to the forefront in the fourth century, Christendom has proved to be an enemy of God and of the Bible. Yes, the facts of history show that Christendom has betrayed God and the Bible.
Unbiblical Doctrines
4 The fundamental doctrines of Christendom are based not on the Bible but on ancient myths—those of Greece, Egypt, Babylon, and others. Teachings such as the inherent immortality of the human soul, eternal torment in hellfire, purgatory, and the Trinity (three persons in one Godhead) are not found in the Bible.
5 For example, consider the teaching that bad people will be tortured forever in a fiery hell. How do you feel about this idea? Many
find it repugnant. They find it unreasonable that God would forever torture humans, keeping them in excruciating pain. Such a fiendish idea is contrary to the God of the Bible, for "God is love." (1 John 4:8) The Bible is clear that such a teaching 'had not come into the heart' of Almighty God.—Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5; 32:35.
6 Today many religions, including the churches of Christendom, teach that humans have an immortal soul, which at death goes to heaven or hell. This is not a Bible teaching. Instead, the Bible clearly states: "The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, . . . for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol [the grave], the place to which you are going." (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) And the psalmist states that at death man "goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish."—Psalm 146:4.
7 Recall, too, that when Adam and Eve broke God's law, the punishment was not immortality. That would have been a reward, not a punishment! Instead, they were told that they would "return to the ground, for out
U.S. Army photo
of it [they] were taken." God emphasized to Adam: "For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19) Thus, the teaching of inherent immortality of the soul is not in the Bible but was borrowed by Christendom from non-Christian peoples who lived before them.
8 Also, Christendom's Trinity doctrine portrays God as some mysterious three-in-one God. But that teaching is not found in the Bible either. For instance, at Isaiah 40:25, God clearly states: "To whom can you people liken me so that I should be made his equal?" The answer is obvious: No one can be his equal. Also, Psalm 83:18 simply states: "You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth."—See also Isaiah 45:5; 46:9; John 5:19; 6:38; 7:16.
9 The teachings of the Bible about God and his purposes are clear, easy to understand, and reasonable. But the teachings of Christendom's churches are not. Worse, they contradict the Bible.
How does the Bible refute Christendom's Trinity doctrine?
What can we say about the Bible's teachings and about the teachings of Christendom's churches?
Contrary to the teachings of Jesus, the clergy on both sides have backed wars
Ungodly Actions
10 In addition to teaching false doctrines, Christendom has betrayed God and the Bible by her actions. What the clergy and churches have done in past centuries, and have continued to do in our time, is the opposite of what the God of the Bible requires and the opposite of what the Founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, taught and did.
11 For instance, Jesus taught his
followers not to meddle in this world's political affairs nor to get involved in its wars. He also taught them to be peace-loving, to be law-abiding, to have love for their fellow humans free from any prejudice, even being willing to sacrifice their own lives rather than take the lives of others.—John 15:13; Acts 10: 34, 35; 1 John 4:20, 21.
12 Indeed, Jesus taught that love for other humans would be the mark that would identify true Christians from false Christians, pretenders. He said to those who would follow him: "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." —John 13:34, 35; 15:12.
13 Yet, century after century, the clergy of Christendom have meddled in politics and have supported the wars of their nations. They have even supported the opposing sides in wars within Christendom, such as the two world wars of this century.
In those conflicts the clergy on each side prayed for victory, and members of one religion from one country were killing members of that same religion from another country. But that is how the Bible says Satan's children, not God's, act. (1 John 3:10-12, 15) Thus, while the clergy and their followers have claimed to be Christian, they have contradicted the teachings of Jesus Christ, who told his followers to 'put away the sword.'—Matthew 26:51, 52.
14 For centuries the churches collaborated with the political powers of Christendom when those nations conquered, enslaved, and humiliated other peoples during the age of imperialism. That was the case for centuries in Africa. China too experienced this, when Western nations carved out spheres of influence by force, as during the Opium Wars and the Boxer Rebellion.
15 The religions of Christendom have also been in the forefront of the persecuting, torturing, and even killing of those who disagreed with them during those centuries of history called the Dark Ages. During the Inquisition, which lasted for hundreds of years, fiendish practices, such as torture and murder, were authorized and carried out against decent, innocent people. The perpetrators were the clergy and their followers, all of whom claimed to be Christian. They even tried to stamp out the Bible so that the common people could not read it.
Not Christian
16 No, the nations and churches of Christendom were not, and are not, Christian. They are not God's servants. His inspired Word says of them: "They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their
works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort."—Titus 1:16.
17 Jesus said that false religion could be identified by what it produced, its fruitage. He said: "Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to you in sheep's covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. . . . Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those | false prophets]."—Matthew 7:15-20.
18 Thus, by what they have taught and what they have done, the religions of Christendom have demonstrated that their claim of believing in the Bible and of being God-fearing and Christian is a lie. They have betrayed God and the Bible. In doing so, they have disgusted millions of people and caused them to turn away from belief in a Supreme Being.
19 However, the failure of the clergy and churches of Christendom, as well as the failure of other religions outside Christendom, does not mean the failure of the Bible. Nor does it mean that God has failed. Rather, the Bible tells us about a Supreme Being who does exist and who does care about us and our future. It shows how he will reward honesthearted people who want to do what is right, who want to see justice and peace prevail throughout the earth. It also shows why God has allowed wickedness and suffering to exist and how he will rid the earth of those who harm their fellowman, as well as those who claim to serve him but do not.
LIFE HAS A GRAND PURPOSE
1 The way the earth and its living things were made shows that their Creator is a God of love who really cares. And his Word, the Bible, shows that he cares; it gives us the ultimate answers regarding the questions: Why are we here on earth? and, Where are we going?
2 We need to search the Bible for those answers. God's Word says: "If you search for him, he will let himself be found by you, but if you leave him he will leave you." (2 Chronicles 15:2) So then, what does a search of God's Word reveal about his purpose for us?
Why God Created Humans
3 The Bible shows that God prepared the earth especially with humans in mind. Isaiah 45:18 says regarding the earth that God "did not create it simply for nothing [but] formed it even to be inhabited." And he provided the earth with everything that people would need, not just to exist, but to enjoy life to the full. —Genesis, chapters 1 and 2.
4 In his Word, God tells of creating the first humans, Adam and Eve, and reveals what he had in mind for the human family. He said: "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26) Humans were to have oversight of "all the earth" and its animal creation.
5 God made a large, parklike garden in an
area called Eden, located in the Middle East. Then he "proceeded to take the man and settle him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to take care of it." It was a paradise that contained all that the first humans would need to eat. And it included "every tree desirable to one's sight and good for food," as well as other vegetation and the many interesting kinds of animal life. Genesis 2:7-9, 15.
6 The bodies of the first humans were created perfect, so they would not get sick, grow old, or die. They were also endowed with other qualities, such as that of free choice. The way they were made is explained at Genesis 1:27: "God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God's image he created him; male and female he created them." Since we are created in God's image, we were given not only physical and mental attributes but also moral and spiritual aspects, and these must be satisfied if we are to be truly happy. God would provide the means for filling those needs as well as the need for food, water, and air. As Jesus Christ said, "man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth."—Matthew 4:4.
7 Moreover, God gave a wonderful mandate to the first pair while they were in Eden: "Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth." (Genesis 1:28) So they would be able to repro-
God purposed that humans live forever on a paradise earth. That is still his purpose
duce and bring forth perfect children. And as the human population increased, they would have the delightful work of expanding the boundaries of the original parklike, paradise area of Eden. Ultimately, the entire earth would be developed into a paradise, inhabited by perfect, happy people who could live forever. The Bible informs us that after setting all of this in motion, "God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good."—Genesis 1:31; see also Psalm 118:17.
8 It is evident that humans were to use the subdued earth for their benefit. But this was to be done in a responsible way. Humans were to be respectful stewards of the earth, not the despoilers of it. The destruction of the earth that we witness today is against God's will, and those who share in it are going contrary to the purpose of life on earth. They will have to pay the penalty for that, for the Bible says
that God will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth."—Revelation 11:18.
Still God's Purpose
9 Thus, from the beginning it was God's purpose for a perfect human family to dwell on earth forever in a paradise. And it is still his purpose! Without fail, that purpose will be fulfilled. The Bible states: "Jehovah of armies has sworn, saying: 'Surely just as I have figured, so it must occur; and just as I have counseled, that is what will come true.'" "I have even spoken it; I shall also bring it in. I have formed it, I shall also do it."—Isaiah 14: 24; 46:11.
10 Jesus Christ spoke about God's purpose to restore a paradise on earth when he told a certain man who wanted hope for the future: "You will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23: 43) The apostle Peter too spoke of the coming new world when he foretold: "There are new heavens [a new governmental arrangement ruling from heaven] and a new earth [a new earthly society] that we are awaiting according to [God's] promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell."—2 Peter 3:13.
11 The psalmist David also wrote about the incoming new world and how long it would endure. He foretold: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it." (Psalm 37:29) That is why Jesus promised: "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth."—Matthew 5:5.
12 What a grand prospect that is, living forever on a paradise earth free from all wickedness, crime, sickness, sorrow, and pain! In the final book of the Bible, God's prophetic Word
The owner can call to account tenants who ruin his house
summarizes this grand purpose by declaring: "[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." It adds: "And the One seated on the throne said: 'Look! I am making all things new.' Also, he says: 'Write, because these words are faithful and true." —Revelation 21:4, 5.
13 Yes, God has a grand purpose in mind. It will be a new world of righteousness, an eternal paradise, foretold by the One who can and will do what he promises, for his "words are faithful and true."
WHY SO MUCH SUFFERING AND INJUSTICE?
1 However, if the Supreme Being purposed that perfect people live on earth forever amid paradise conditions and if that is still his purpose, why is there no paradise now? Why, instead, has mankind experienced so many centuries of suffering and injustice?
2 Without question, human history is filled with misery caused by war, imperialistic conquest, exploitation, injustice, poverty, disaster, sickness, and death. Why have so many bad things happened to so many innocent victims? If God is all-powerful, why has he allowed this enormous amount of suffering for thousands of years? Since God designed and ordered the universe so well, why would he allow disorder and destruction on earth?
An Example
3 Let us use an example to illustrate why a God of order would allow disorder on earth. Imagine, if you will, walking into a forest and coming upon a house. As you inspect the house, you see that it is in disorder. The windows are broken, the roof has serious damage, the wooden porch is full of holes, the door is hanging on one hinge, and the plumbing does not work.
4 In the face of all these defects, would you conclude that no intelligent designer could possibly have designed that house? Would the disorder convince you that only chance could have produced the house? Or if you concluded that someone did design and construct it, would you feel that this person was not skilled and not thoughtful?
5 When you more thoroughly examine the structure, you see that it was originally put together well and gives evidence of much thoughtful care. But it was now simply run down and on the way to ruin. What could the defects and problems indicate? They could suggest that (1) the owner died; (2) he is a capable builder but is no longer interested in the house; or (3) he temporarily leased his property to unappreciative tenants. The latter is similar to the situation regarding this earth.
What Went Wrong
6 From the early Bible record, we learn that it was not God's purpose for people to suffer or to die. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, died only because they disobeyed God. (Genesis, chapters 2 and 3) When they disobeyed, they were no longer doing God's will. They pulled out from under God's care. In effect, they disconnected themselves from God, "the source of life."—Psalm 36:9.
7 Like a machine that slows down and stops when disconnected from its power source, their bodies and minds degenerated. As a result, Adam and Eve deteriorated, grew old, and eventually died. What happened then? They went back to where they came from: "Dust you are and to dust you will return." God had warned them that death would be the consequence for disobedience to his laws: "You will positively die."—Genesis 2:17; 3:19.
Not only did our first parents die but all their descendants, the entire human race, have also been subjected to death. Why? Because according to the laws of genetics, children inherit the characteristics of their parents. And what all the children of our first
parents inherited was imperfection and death. Romans 5:12 tells us: "Through one man [Adam, mankind's forefather] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned [by inheriting imperfection, that is, sinful tendencies]." And since sin, imperfection, and death are the only things people know, some view them as natural and inevitable. Yet, the original humans were created with the capacity and desire to live forever. That is why most people find the prospect that their life will be cut short by death so frustrating.
Why So Long?
9 Why has God allowed humans to have their own way for so long? Why has he allowed suffering to exist all these many centuries? One vital reason is that a very important issue was raised: Who has the right to rule? Should God be the Ruler of humans, or can they rule themselves successfully apart from him?
10 Humans were created with free will, that is, with the ability to choose. They were not made like robots or like animals, who are guided mainly by instinct. So humans can choose whom they will serve. (Deuteronomy 30:19; 2 Corinthians 3:17) Thus, God's Word counsels: "Be as free people, and yet holding your freedom, not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God." (1 Peter 2:16) However, while humans have the wonderful gift of free choice, they must accept the consequences of their choice of action.
11 Our first parents made the wrong choice. They chose the course of independence from God. True, God could have put the first rebellious pair to death immediately after they misused their free will.
But that would not have settled the question regarding God's right to rule over humans. Since the first pair wanted independence from God, the question must be answered: Could that course result in a happy successful life? The only way to find out was to let our first parents and their offspring go their own way, since that was their choice. Time would demonstrate whether humans were created to
be successful in ruling themselves independent of their Creator.
12 The Bible writer Jeremiah knew what the result would be. Directed by God's powerful holy spirit, or active force, he truthfully wrote: "I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step. Correct me, O Jehovah." (Jeremiah 10:23, 24) He knew that humans must have the guidance of God's heavenly wisdom. Why? Simply because God did not create humans to be successful apart from his guidance.
13 The results of thousands of years of human rule show beyond any doubt that it is not
in humans to direct their own affairs apart from their Creator. Having tried it, they have only themselves to blame for the catastrophic results. The Bible makes this clear: "The Rock [God], perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he. They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own."—Deuteronomy 32:4, 5.
God Soon to Intervene
14 Having allowed an ample demonstration of the failure of human rule during centuries of time, God can now proceed to intervene in human affairs and bring a halt to suffering, sorrow, sickness, and death. Having allowed
Even sincere world rulers have not been able to bring about a peaceful, paradisaic world
humans to come to the peak of their achievements in science, industry, medicine, and other fields, there is no longer any need for God to allow more centuries of time for humans independent of their Creator to demonstrate whether they can bring about a peaceful, paradisaic world. They have not and cannot. Independence from God has resulted in a very ugly, hateful, death-dealing world.
15 While there have been sincere rulers who have desired to help mankind, their efforts have not succeeded. Everywhere today there is evidence of a breakdown in human rulership. That is why the Bible counsels: "Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs."—Psalm 146:3.
What Bible counsel would we do well to heed?
GOD'S PURPOSE SOON TO BE REALIZED
1 Although God has permitted imperfection and suffering for a long time from the human viewpoint, he will not allow bad conditions to go on indefinitely. The Bible tells us that God has a specific time period for allowing these things to happen.
2 "For everything there is an appointed time." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) When God's allotted time for permitting wickedness and suffering comes to its conclusion, then he will intervene in human affairs. He will bring an end to wickedness and suffering and will fulfill his original purpose to have the earth filled with a perfect, happy human family enjoying total peace and economic security amid Paradise conditions.
God's Judgments
3 Note a few of the many Bible prophecies that state what God's intervention, that is, the results of his judgments, will soon mean for the human family:
4 "The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."—Proverbs 2:21, 22.
5 "Evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . . But the meek ones themselves will possess the
earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."—Psalm 37:9-11.
6 "Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it. Watch the blameless one and keep the upright one in sight, for the future of that man will be peaceful. But the transgressors themselves will certainly be annihilated together; the future of wicked people will indeed be cut off."—Psalm 37:34, 37, 38.
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