Skip to main content

The telos, or the goal of human existence.

I might say here that I do not know why we were created, and that would be a misrepresentation of the doctrine of Christ presented to us in the bible. I am not a theologian, but I am a fan of one great such, the great N.T. Wright. His telos or goal for the truly human being is new creation. When you become a christian, a whole new world opens up to you. You find that you desire new things, "the old has gone the new has come" says the scriptures. We like to call it being born again. The goal of human existence is new creation, not any creation but a creation of the renewed human being reflecting the truly human character, that reflects the glory of God back to creation. Sounds confusing? Read on.

Some of us have made personal goals in our own minds, which should stay there for now. But keep in mind that you had to create a conscious thought to formulate that goal. Whether you were aware of it or not we are all thinking beings, we have the capacity to to accept one thought or the freedom to reject a thought. I am not talking about mind sets, they change as quickly as I change my shirt every morning. I'm talking about the goal, life after life after death. This is the telos. We were created for Heaven, and if you die a believer in Jesus Christ this is your home. But we loose sight of the goal if we think that the telos is simple a disembodied state of existence, after we die. Forgive my morbidity for just one moment.

We all have a spirit, and Christ said we must be born again, but born again into what? The kingdom of God is the answer, and the goal or telos is new creation, or another way to say it is resurrection. Yes resurrection life, but the telos is resurrection from the dead. And how do we get there? Yes you must repent, yes you must turn from your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but after you believe the telos can be defined as new creation and virtue or character is the means to that goal.

When you think about what you are going to wear to work tomorrow morning, we have to think or put on christian virtue, keeping the telos in sight. I am not a self promoter, but a fan. Here are some links to one of the greatest authors on christian character, I believe. I could write my opinion, but this subject is best explained here.

http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_4?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=nt+wright&sprefix=nt+w%2Cstripbooks%2C195

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Some Bible Verses on Money.

  Bible verses about money. I bet you didn’t think the bible said that? Proverbs 23:5 When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.  1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Proverbs 13:11 Wealth quickly gained is quickly wasted — easy come, easy go! But if you gradually gain wealth, you will watch it grow. Psalm 62:10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the centre of your life. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that

My Story.

  In 1999 I suffered a mental health crisis and admitted myself into the hospital where I live, in which I was given a mental health diagnosis. I didn’t want to receive medication at the time, but unwillingly accepted it. I was in the hospital for about two months, when I asked my doctor if I could go home, and he said yes, even though he thought it would have been better if I stayed longer.   I was glad to be home though, but at 25, it took some adjusting to feel truly at home. One of the problems I was having at home was it was hard for me to eat the food in the house. I was having a psychosis where I felt the food wasn’t mine, and I literally had to go out to eat, or buy bread from the supermarket and take it home to eat it. Eventually this wore off, but I don’t remember how long.  I was now on ODSP and had a check come to me every month in order to have financial support. I would occasionally have a crisis, and ask my mom to drive me to the hospital, but eventually the crisis would

Why has the church lost its capacity and power?

  The church has modernized itself and in the process has lost something very valuable. It has lost its capacity to be personable. The way we reach lost souls is by seeing them, by getting to know them, and by recognizing them, but people are getting lost in the church. The church has become a busy place and is also becoming a less holy place. To make disciples we have to get to know people, and technology in the church is depersonalizing souls, and depersonalizing God for them. Faith becomes a marketable commodity, whereas in the past, churches and their leaders nourished and valued personal faith. While faith is still valued, it’s becoming something that is marketable, which reminds me of the story of Jesus in the temple turning over tables (Matthew 21:12-17). The problem isn’t that the church doesn’t work or doesn’t want to share the gospel, it could be how we are doing it. The church is currently being run like a business, and each Christian metaphorically speaking has a profit val