Dear Friend,

What does life mean to you? The 5 Cs? Why are you here? Where are you going? Ever wondered how an intelligent creature like you ever got here?

If there is no God, how did you get here? By chance? Well, more and more scientists are saying that it could not have been by chance - something they call Intelligent Design, ie. everything about this entire universe appears to be designed with purpose, including the purpose of creating life and man.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

If there is a God, and if man was His purpose in creating this universe, then is it so incredible that He has a purpose for life? The violence we see, the wickedness that is so prevalent in human behaviour, the moral cesspool that has trapped and destroyed the lives of so many (even if they deny it!) - all these are sadly inconsistent with the Divine purpose for life.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

If there is a Divine purpose to man's life, is it unreasonable to expect that God would reveal it to man? He has done so - through the Bible. How did this compilation of 66 separate books written by 40 authors over 1500 years, come to have such a great influence over all of mankind? What gave the authors special knowledge of scientific facts? Why has no archaeological finding ever contradicted the Bible? Because God is the real Author.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16

With the Bible as the revelation of God's eternal mind and will to man, it would do us well to give careful heed to what He has to tell us. Amongst the most important of these:

Everyone has sinned against God. Sin carries a heavy price. It separates us from God in death.

"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23

But death is not the end of life. The separation from God will be dreadful, in torment for all eternity in the fires of hell. Yes, the Bible tells us that hell is as real as you are in your flesh reading this right now.

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched - where 'The worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched - where 'The worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire - where 'The worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.'" Mark 9:43-48

Yet, it is not God's desire that anyone should perish in such a horrible destiny.

"The Lord is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

Because God is love and He loves His creation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Out of His love for His creation, He has redeemed man from this end through paying the ransom for sin with the life and suffering of His Son, Jesus Christ.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:8-9

We can share in the glorious hope that awaits us in a new life in the resurrected Christ. We can taste the abundant life in Christ now.

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

But you have choices to make in this life. You can be rescued from a horrible destiny - if you choose to embrace the gospel of Christ through faith and obedience.

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:16

Friend, don't take chances. You are not here by chance. The mere fact that you have read this message till this point is not by mere chance. It is dreadful to reject the gospel of Christ out of ignorance. It is even more dreadful to reject if you know about it - like right now.

So what's it to be? A purposeless life without God or an abundant life in Christ? Choose life.

May God lead you into His light in your search for life answers, and we at Lavender Church of Christ would like to help you.