11. What purpose does God have for mankind?

In the Bible God declared our purpose when He created mankind in Genesis 1 verses 27 – 31. In short this passage states that we are made in the image of God as male and female, ‘to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and govern it and rule over all creatures’. Then in Genesis 12 verses 1-3 God made a Covenant with Abraham to make him and his ‘seed’ and descendants a blessing to all the families of the earth. Later, Jesus Christ was ‘the seed’ of Abraham come to earth; before leaving this earth He gave the disciples a command recorded in the Gospels of Matthew 28 verses 18-20 and Mark 16 verses 14 – 18. This command requires Jesus’ followers to go into all the world and proclaim the good news (bring the blessing) about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sin, opening the way to heaven for everyone who believes, and requiring them to make disciples, baptise believers, and teach them all the things Jesus commanded them to do. The Apostle Paul then revealed to us that this work for God could only be done in the power of His Spirit, and when we worship Him we are transformed into His image. So the greatest of our callings is to worship God, be conformed to His image, and to obey His commands. Refer to Romans 8 verse 29; Philippians 3 verses 7 – 16. Paul taught us in verse 14 ‘to press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ Being like, and acting like Jesus Christ is the life purpose of the follower of Jesus Christ.

In the Qur’an surah 5 Al Ma’idah ayah 12, it states that ‘Allâh did aforetime take a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed twelve captains among them and Allâh said: I am with you: if ye establish regular prayers, practice regular charity, believe in my messengers, honour and assist them, and loan to Allâh beautiful loans. Verily I will wipe out from you your evils and admit you to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath.’

So it seems that the purpose of mankind is to please Allâh by regularly praying, giving charity, believing in the messengers of Allâh and giving to Allâh. The last idea of giving or actually loaning to Allâh is the idea that Allâh is no man’s debtor and when we give to him He gives back more than we give so it is like our gifts to Him are like loans. The same surah 5 Al Ma’idah ayat 12-13 tells us that ‘if we do not do or believe these things then we will stray from ‘the right path’ and will be cursed by Allâh and our hearts will grow hard, and we will change the words of Allâh from their right meaning, and forget a good part of the words sent to them by Allâh. They will also invent new deceits. But we the faithful are asked to forgive them and overlook their misdeeds because Allâh loves those who are kind.’