Sunday, May 1, 2016

WHY THE WORLD AND MAN WERE CREATED

 Lactantius was an early Christian author who became an advisor to the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine I, guiding his religious policy as it developed, and a tutor to his son. 240 AD to 320 AD

WHY THE WORLD AND MAN WERE CREATED

"Now let us mark the whole argument by a brief definition. 

The world has been created for this purpose, that we may be born; 

we are born for this end, that we may acknowledge the Maker of the world and of ourselves -- God; 

we acknowledge Him for this end, that we may worship Him; 

we worship Him for this end, that we may receive immortality as the reward of our labours, since the worship of God consists of the greatest labours; 

for this end we are rewarded with immortality, that being made like to the angels, we may serve the Supreme Father and Lord for ever, and may be to all eternity a kingdom to God. 

This is the sum of all things, this the secret of God, this the mystery of the world, from which they are estranged, who, following present gratification, have devoted themselves to the pursuit of earthly and frail goods, 

and by means of deadly enjoyments have sunk as it were in mire and mud their souls, which were born for heavenly pursuits."

From the Divine Institutes by Lactantius