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Chapter 1 |
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How Can I Have Real Meaning in My Life? Many people have asked What is the Meaning of Life? This is a very important general question about life. A more practical, personal question would be How can I have Real Meaning in My Life?This document explores How to Have Real Meaning in Life as it relates to highlights from eternity past to eternity future. Besides reading this document straight through from the beginning to the end, you may take one of the less detailed paths mentioned below. If you only have time right now to read 3 pages of this book, please read the summary concerning the most important decision that you will ever make. Please go to the last section of chapter 6 with the heading, “Summary of How to Have Real Meaning in Life.” If you have time right now to only read one chapter, I would recommend reading the most important chapter of this document, chapter 6, "How to Have Real Meaning in Life." I am not attempting to answer the question What is the meaning of life? I’m not sure what the answer is. I believe the Holy Bible is God’s manual on life (more will be said about this later). Since the exact question is not in the Holy Bible and since I am not aware of any verse or group of verses in the Holy Bible that directly answers the question, I’m not sure what the ultimate answer is. The Holy Bible -- as I understand it -- does have much to say to answer the question How can I have Real Meaning in My Life? Let’s begin by looking at what truth is. Source of Truth Truth is unshakeable. Truth will be truth no matter what anyone thinks, believes, says or does. I believe the Holy Bible was written by men who were inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16) (all Holy Bible references in this document are viewed from the standpoint of the text of the Authorized Version (AV) (also refer to as the King James Version (KJV)). I believe the Holy Bible teaches truth. This is why I have based this document on the Holy Bible (hereafter the Bible) -- as I currently understand it. [For more information about other versions and interpretations of the Bible, refer to appendix A , "More Information About the Bible and Which One to Use."] As I study and apply what the Bible teaches, I understand it better and better. We need to be like some of the people of Berea, who the Bible writes about in Acts 17:10,11. They were praised for their search for truth. They listened to what was spoken by Paul (an apostle), who wrote many of the books in the New Testament (the second of two main parts of the Bible), and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so [green emphasis is mine]. The events of Acts 17 occurred around 50 AD on Paul's first visit to Berea (refer to the Illustrated Dictionary and Concordance of the Bible, 1986; p. 765). (For more information on references, refer to the Bibliography section.) (When the events of Acts 17 occurred, the term scriptures probably referred to some or all of the books of the Old Testament and to some other writings. This is due to the fact that the Old Testament was not canonized (permanently compiled) until around 90 AD. (Refer to the Illustrated Dictionary and Concordance of the Bible, 1986; p. 211.) The Bereans may or may not have had access to all the books of the Old Testament.) [Berea (or Beroea) is modern Veroia (Greece) (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Micropaedia (2007) 12:326).] We should ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) so that when we study the Bible we can properly interpret it (2 Timothy 2:15). We can listen and read about what other people say the Bible teaches, but we need to go back to the Bible to see if what people say is true is in fact true and only believe what we see the Bible teaches. You should study the Bible. Only believe what I have written if it agrees with the Bible. I believe that God has given the Bible to the human race so that we can have a good understanding of who He is and how we can please Him. Many times when I apply the teachings of the Bible, especially the more straightforward ones, it works! I also see other people follow what it says and get the results the Bible said would occur. The Bible also foretells the future. Some events that have recently taken place or will take place shortly are mentioned in chapter 8, "From Jesus' Life on Earth to Eternity Future." For more information about the Bible, please refer to appendix A , "More Information About the Bible and Which One to Use." Some Opening Comments About This Document To make this document understood by as many people as possible, I have attempted to use simple words and ideas to present this most important topic. Normally, only the most direct and simplest Bible reference is given concerning a statement. It is not necessary to look at the references. Some parts of this document may have ideas that must be considered and can't be read quickly. As mentioned earlier, all references in this document are viewed from the standpoint of the text of the Authorized Version (AV) (also refer to as the King James Version (KJV). In this document (including quotations from the Bible), I have capitalized the first letter of certain pronouns such as those referring to God. The Next Chapter There are some foundational truths of the Bible that must be discussed so that we can better understand how to Have Real Meaning In Life. In the next chapter, we will look at some things concerning who God is. -- End of Chapter 1 -- Previous | Table of Contents | Next
Meaning in Life in the Framework of Eternity
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