The tragedy of human life is that many do not know who they are, where they came from, what they are supposed to be doing here and what will happen to them after this life. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not” (Job 14:1-2). Although man has eternal existence, life in the flesh is limited to a few years. Compared to eternity life in the flesh is like a drop of water in the ocean or a grain of sand at the seashore. The Psalmist said: “Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Ps 49:20).
Who Are You And Why Are You Here?
Jesus was asked many questions during His earthly ministry such as:
Who are you?
Where did you come from?
Why are you here?
Where are you going from here?
How will you get there?
The difference between the righteous and the unrighteous of this world is that the former have answers to the questions of life. During His earthly walk, Jesus gave answers to these five cardinal questions.
Question #1: WHO ARE YOU?” In Jn 8:25 the Jews said to Jesus “Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (Jn 8:25, 28). At different occasions Jesus responded to the question by saying:
“I am the light of the world.
“I am the door of the sheep.
“I am the bread of life” – which came down from heaven.
“I am the good shepherd.
“I who speak to you am He” – the Messiah.
“I am He” – Jesus of Nazareth.
Question #2: WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?
Jn 6:41-42 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” In Jn 8:19 Jesus was asked: “Where is thy Father?” The Jews wanted to know where He came from. “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (Jn 8:23). People may think they know you but only you can truly know yourself.
Question #3: WHY ARE YOU HERE?
Jn 6:51 Jesus said: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” What He said in essence was that He came to earth to do His Father’s will: to seek and save the lost; to give eternal life to them that believe. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (Jn 12:24, 27).
Question #4: WHERE ARE YOU GOING FROM HERE?
Jesus told the Jews “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me” (Jn 7:33). He also told His disciples privately He was returning to heaven where He came from. “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (Jn 6:62). Speaking to His Father before going to the cross, Jesus said: “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (Jn 17:11-13).
Question #5: HOW WILL YOU GET THERE?
Jesus answered this question by laying down His life for the brethren. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (Jn 15:13-14). For this purpose Jesus came into the world to give His life a ransom for many. “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn 6:50:51).
Born again rapture-ready Christians have answers to the five cardinal questions of life. Old Testament saints knew who they were what they came to earth to do and the expected result. They believed the Report (Isa 53:1) and did exploit in the name of Jehovah.
JOSEPH
Joseph knew who he was and why he was sold into slavery in Egypt. A slave in Photiphar’s house he was tempted through lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life. At his most vulnerable moment, his master’s wife said to him: ‘come and lie with me.’ Joseph told Photiphar’s wife: ‘how can I do this and sin against God?’
It takes those who know who they are, where they came from, what they are doing here and where they are going after this life to take correct decisions in life’s daily battle. Joseph knew he was heir to the blessings of Abraham. He understood that yielding to the diverse lusts for a season would abort God’s purpose for his life and put off-course God’s plan for succeeding generations. Even when his brothers became remorseful in selling him to Ishmaelite merchants for twenty shekels of silver, Joseph comforted them by saying: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Gen 45: 5, 7).
ESTHER
Esther knew that her being beautiful, young and a slave in Babylon was not by accident. She knew her purpose in life was to preserve life even at the expense of her own life. “If I perish, I perish.”
JOHN THE BAPTIST
John the Baptist knew he was not the Christ but one sent ahead to lay the groundwork for Christ’s earthly ministry. “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias” (Jn 1:19-23).
Do you have biblical answers to the cardinal questions of life? The original apostles knew who they were, what to do at every situation looking forward to the reward promised by the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
THE APOSTLES IMITATED CHRIST
True Apostles of Christ throughout the years gone by knew who they were. They knew Jesus was the Messiah. The original Apostles saw Him ascend into heaven and knew He would come back as He said. The Disciples expected the rapture to take place in their time. Their focus on the imminence of the rapture made them to be watchful. They were devoted to the things of God and earnestly longed to be with the Lord. They qualified as those who ‘fell asleep.’ The original eleven including Paul died as martyrs.
HOW TO ANSWER THE CARDINAL QUESTIONS OF LIFE
The starting point is to be on the right path. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. All other ways lead to perdition. To be on the right way you must be translated from death to life. Everyone born into this world carry a suspended death sentence. Jesus said: ‘Ye are from beneath.’ We all came from hell beneath having been conceived in sin and born in iniquity. With the new birth a change in origin and destination takes place.
In John chapter 3, Jesus told Nicodemus “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Again He said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” The first step in answering the cardinal questions of life is to be born again. See the post titled: ‘What If You Are Not Born Again?’
