“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
TEXT — Ecclesiastes 12:10-14
Message
Many people have pondered the purpose of living since Aristotle asked the fundamental question of life’s essence. For Aristotle, the essence of life is service to others and to do good work. For St. Augustine of Hippo, it is happiness. For the talented French actress Emmanuelle Riva, it is love. To freedom fighters, in the like of Jose Martin, it is liberty. For many people, what makes life worth living is possessing material things and achieving career goals. Understanding the essence of living is essential because it gives meaning and purpose to existence.
In our text, the preacher examines words which are acceptable by men, good books, and written works of philosophers and wise men and concludes that the fear of God and keeping His commandments was the whole duty of man.
It is doubtful that God would have left a vital subject like the essence of life to subjective and personal interpretations. Besides, it is myopic for man to look for the meaning of his life from within. If you strip a man of the material things that give him pleasure, he is disconnected from his drive. This is why the essence of living cannot be sought from possessing material things. The answer can only be fully provided by the Creator. Acts 17:28 states that it is in Christ we live, move and exist. There is a difference between existence and living. Those outside Christ can, therefore, not discern the true purpose or essence of living.
The purpose of our living is to fear God, obey His commandments, worship Him and serve Him with all our heart. True enough, ‘as to the making of books, there is no end’, but the fear of God and reverence for Him is the beginning of wisdom. We must live only to please God and fulfil His purpose daily.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
