The Greatest Commandment – derived from creation
If we accept that there is a Creator, then it seems reasonable to say that the purpose of life would be the purpose ofthe Creator. But what do we know about the Creator? Can we understand something about God’s nature by looking
at what has been created?

ORDER : Nature displays a high degree of biological order and complexity, carefully separated into categories andkinds. Its parameters and limits appear to be set with precision, its periods, cycles, times and seasons in carefulbalance – suggesting that the creator of such a system would probably have an affinity for order.
These biological systems rise from a rigorous system or coding and information stored in DNA – suggesting that theCreator is at least as orderly as a computer programmer.
RECORD KEEPING : The Creator necessarily preceded life, and therefore has an existence independent of life. This
alone suggests that the Creator is eternal – and what is eternal never forgets. The Creator is not just a coder with anaffinity for order– He is an eternal coder, with a memory not limited by physical constraint.
FORM, BALANCE, BEAUTY : Nature is full of systems that perform various functions. But you have probably noticed
that often these systems also possess form – an aesthetic – form in addition to function. Most living things possess
symmetry and balance, and this is even seen at the molecular level, where the masses of each amino acid are
carefully balanced. So it is probable that the Creator has an affinity for beauty, form and balance.

The author of such natural features would necessarily be a conscious and wise being - the author of complex systemsof order, who categorises and groups things into distinct kinds, who sets the regular cycles of the times and seasons,and the parameters necessary for the maintenance of life, who measures and counts everything and balances its
masses and quantities - this sounds like the kind of being who would promote social order, balance and equality, andkeep a count of all that we do - balancing good works against rewards.
And just as creative people are often artistic, so the Creator probably has an affinity for form and beauty too.
But what was created was more than just order and information – more than just function and form. God did not justcreate computers and code. He also created life.

LIFE : A living creature is distinct from a non-living entity in that it has a degree of freedom - and a creature’s bodyenables the exercise of that freedom. God could just as easily have created machines that always do as intended. But
instead He created living creatures that sometimes do as intended. Why would He do this? Because He wants thecreatures to choose His will - rather than be forced to do it. To love God rather than be compelled against will, orcompelled without will. So He wants creatures to relate to Him with love.
This is the first and greatest commandment – “Hear O Israel, the Lord is One, and you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind”

MEANING OF LIFE ?
If there is a Creator then the purpose of life would be 1. To learn God’s will from the purposes inherent in the world He created
2. To choose God’s will out of love rather than out of compulsion
3. To know that eternal wisdom and consciousness are the bedrock of our reality and we can rest in thatknowledge. It is our home. It is where we came from. It is where we belong.