WHY SHOULD I?

 1 Peter 4:2 (NIV)

As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

               Anyone who has raised children or works with children has faced the persistent question of “why.” Children are notorious for responding to directives by adults with “why.” Much of the time they ask why out of curiosity. They really do want to understand. They want to know more about this world that we live in. Why is the sky blue? Why do birds fly south in the winter? Why do the leaves turn colors in the autumn? But there is another category of why questions that is more a statement of resistance or even defiance. Why do I have to go to school? Why do I have to go to bed at 8:00 PM? Why do I have to do what you tell me to do? One why is given with an open mind and heart. The other why is given with a closed heart and crossed arms.

               In the ancient world everyone believed in some god or gods. They saw the gods as having a direct impact upon their everyday lives. When they asked why, they were usually trying to understand why some misfortune had befallen them. There are many people today who do not believe in the existence of a god, in any form.  For many of them, when they ask why, it is a question of control. Believing that they are in total control of their lives, they ask “why do I need to believe in God?”

               From a human perspective, the question, why should I follow the directives in the Bible, is a real question. They see all that the world has to offer to them as positive and good. The world offers them fun, fulfillment, and maximum enjoyment. To them, the Bible is restrictive and archaic. Why should I live a life of self-denial when a life of self-indulgence is at my fingertips?  

               At the heart of this question is the existence of God. Not just any god, but the God who created and sustains all that is; things we see and things we do not see. If this supreme God does not exist, then I am free to live my life however I want to. But if this supreme God does exist, then I have an obligation to listen to what He has to say.

               Many people today see Christianity as only a moral code that does not mix well with our current world. If Christianity is just another moral code among many, then a person has the right to pick which code seems to fit their life the best. Unfortunately, the church has often presented our faith as a moral code to be followed. But by doing so, we have cut the heart out of the true message of our faith.

               If we want to really find the answer to the ultimate why question, then we need to start at the beginning. All religions teach that the world had a beginning. Even the majority of scientists today believe the world had a beginning. Christianity makes the case that the source of this beginning was God. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NIV) As a part of that creation God made humanity. He made humanity not to just one more piece of His creation, but to be His special agents within His creation. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

               God created humanity is His image and give humanity the role of ruling as God’s representatives over all the rest of creation. They were to care for the earth so that it would be fruitful. They were to do this in partnership with God Himself. All of creation was to be blessed by God through humanity. But something went wrong.

               Adam and Eve were the first to ask the question why. God had given them free access to everything expect to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. One day Satan, in the form of a serpent, planted the question why in the mind of Eve. Why can’t I eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge? Isn’t having knowledge a good thing? Is God holding out on me? You know the result; she took of the fruit and give some to Adam and they ate. When their eyes were opened, they realized the mistake they had made, and our world changed forever.

               After sin came into the world, instead of caring for the world so that it would thrive, humanity began to destroy the world with violence, greed, and self-indulgence. This is the world we all live in. What God created to be perfect is anything but perfect today. But God did not abandon humanity. Instead, He made a way for humanity to be restored into a right relationship with Him and with our world. He did this through Jesus Christ.

               The Gospel of John takes us back to the beginning and sets the stage for God’s renewal plan.

John 1:1-5 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 1:14 (NIV)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:16-17 (NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

               God sent Jesus into the world to restore what was lost. He came to rescue humanity from itself; from its destructive, self-centered life. He came to open the door for humanity to again walk with God in peace and harmony. But this can come only through letting go of a person’s desire to control their life and in humility accepting Jesus’ control of their life. It is only as person recognizes their rebellion against God and genuinely repents and asks forgiveness, that they can be restored to full humanity.

               Let us return to my original question. Why should I live a godly life? Why should I not just live for today and grasp all the enjoyment I can? The answer is found in Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Living in relationship with God is life. Living without God is just existence. Living according to God’s will makes it possible to experience life to its fullest, without regrets and the negative consequences of sin. Jesus didn’t come to take away our freedom and restrict our lives. He came to set us free to really experience life. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV)

               Watching football, I have been alarmed at how many ads there are for on-line betting sites. Each one promises big rewards for betting with them. What they don’t tell you is that their goal is not to give you money, but to take your money away from you. For every one who wins big, thousands more lose. Satan has offered the world the ultimate on-line betting scheme. He promises you the world, but his goal is to steal away your life.

               Setting my own course and living however I want to is opening the door for the ultimate thief, whose end goal is to destroy me. Living my life in relationship with God through Jesus Christ opens the door for me to experience life to the fullest.

               So why should I live a godly life? It is what I was created to do. It is only by living according to God’s will that I can experience life to the fullest.