Why do we exist? Why do we love? Why are we going to die? Is there purpose to life?

Questions like these are important to ask. And they all boil down to the question: What is truth? Because truth determines reality. (Truth exists, no one can object without making a truth claim.)

Everyone exists in reality because truth is everywhere. The laws of math and logic are good examples. Just as no one can wish numbers out of existence, no one can wish truth out of existence – truth is powerful. A number cannot change to be another number, and neither can truth change. We all exist in the same universe with the same numbers, and that fact shows that we live in the same truth. Just as the laws in math cannot contradict each other, truth cannot contradict itself – it is always consistent. Just as numbers are infinite, truth is also infinite. And finally the natural laws (i.e., the laws of chemistry, physics, motion and thermodynamics) follow the laws of math and logic in the same way that they obey truth.

But why?

Why does truth exist? Why is there only one, noncontradictory, infinite, unchanging truth that's everywhere and is powerful enough to determine math laws and the laws of the universe? We humans cannot determine truth since we are all born into a world of truth. And truth cannot come from nature since nature is physical and obeys laws; it is not a lawmaker. There is only one option: God determines truth.

There is only one truth that exists because there is only one God who exists. Truth cannot change nor contradict itself because God does not change nor contradict Himself. Truth is infinite because God is infinite. Truth is everywhere because God is everywhere (He is spirit). And truth is powerful and determines the laws in math and the laws of the universe because God is all-powerful and He determines the laws.

God determines truth, and He created this universe that we are living in. Therefore, we cannot think that He needs anything since He is giving life and breath to all. And though He created everything, He Himself has not been created because He is eternal (Psalm 90:2), having neither come into existence nor will cease to exist. The pinnacle of His creation was man and woman (Genesis 1:26) who were uniquely created, and distinct from the plants and animals. And He has made every nation, and has determined their times and boundaries so that they would seek and find God (Jeremiah 29:13), because He is not far from each one of us.

Without God, neither numbers or natural laws would exist, and this universe would be a disaster, but God controls these and is the only One capable of ruling because of His infinite power, knowledge, and love (1 John 4:8). Because God is good, everything that God originally created was good – very good. Humans and animals did not die, nor was there disease or suffering (Genesis 1:31). Obviously things have changed, but that is the way it was in the beginning.

Since God created the universe, He owns the universe and gave it laws to follow. And since He created and owns us, He has also given us moral laws to follow (Ezekiel 18:4). For example, do not have other gods but Almighty God alone (Exodus 20:3); respect your parents (Exodus 20:12); do not steal (Exodus 20:15) or even covet what someone else has (Exodus 20:17); do not lie, regardless of how small the lie might seem (Exodus 20:16); do not murder (Exodus 20:13); do not use His name as a curse (Exodus 20:7); and do not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), which includes lust (Matthew 5:28).

God is totally pure, wholly righteous, and completely holy and thus cannot be near that which is evil (Psalm 18:30) or look approvingly at anything that is impure (Habakkuk 1:13 ). Only perfect people – those who keep His laws – can be with God (Matthew 5:8).

The truth is, all of us have broken the laws of God; that is, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20) – that is why the world is no longer very good. It does not matter how many times we have rebelled against His laws. Even one rebellious act renders us morally imperfect and unacceptable to God (James 2:10). There is nothing secret from God and He will not overlook any sin (Proverbs 15:3). God loves righteousness because of His perfection; hence, He hates sin (Psalm 7:11). In order for God to be just, He must judge and punish each one of us what is due us (Revelation 20:12). The punishment from an infinite holy God cannot be anything less than an infinite, just punishment (Revelation 20:12-14).

The payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23) which is why we die. It is our rebellion against God and His law that has earned us the death penalty – not only physical death, but also eternal conscious torment in the Lake of Fire, called the second death (Revelation 21:8). It's only appropriate to fear God who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). To put it succinctly, God's standard is perfection, but every one of us has broken God's law, become morally imperfect (Isaiah 64:6), and individually will be judged and sentenced to hell (Ezekiel 18:20). There is nothing, be it ever so good, that we can do to change this fact, because evil must always be punished by God (Romans 3:10,12). But...

Although God had no obligation, He has shown us love and grace (1 John 4:9). God Almighty came to earth two thousand years ago (John 1:14) as the person of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1) to save sinners from the punishment that we have justly incurred (Luke 19:10). The Lord Jesus, fully God (John 10:30) and fully man (Philippians 2:6-7), was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23), lived completely without sin (1 John 3:5), taught people with authority (Matthew 7:28-29), and performed miracles to authenticate that He is God (John 14:11). He rebuked the religious leaders of the day for their hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13), but they spurned, tortured, and crucified Him (John 5:18).

As the Scriptures foretold centuries earlier (Luke 24:26-27), Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross and died there for our sins (Philippians 2:8), taking the infinite punishment that we deserve so that we would not perish (Galatians 3:13). Jesus Christ never sinned, so He did not need to die for Himself, but He willingly died for us (1 Peter 3:18). He was buried in a tomb (Isaiah 53:9), but three days later He rose from the dead (Mark 16:6), and showed Himself alive to more than five hundred people at one time (1 Corinthians 15:4-6) before visibly and physically ascending into heaven (Acts 1:9). Jesus came to save us from sin and hell (1 Timothy 1:15). There is no other way to be saved (Acts 4:12).

Now, God is commanding all people everywhere to repent – turn to Jesus from your sin and trust Him alone for salvation – because He has appointed a day in the future when He will judge the world perfectly (Acts 17:30-31). There are no works that you can do to earn the gift of salvation that God offers you (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift that is not to be bought; none of us can earn it anyway. You must come to Jesus for forgiveness, surrendering your life to Him and trusting that He alone will save you (Romans 10:9).

I pose this question to you: Will you surrender yourself to God, admitting your sin, believing that Jesus is God, that He took all the punishment you deserve on the cross, died, and rose from the dead? Or, will you continue living in your sins and pay the consequence forever in the Lake of Fire? What will it profit you if you gain this world and lose your soul (Matthew 16:26)? I beg you, please don’t resist the salvation Jesus offers (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Have questions? Don't wait to get answers.