Biblical Response to Life's Meaning in Interviews

The biblical understanding of life's meaning centers on God as the ultimate source and sustainer of all life, with a particular emphasis on eternal life found through Christ ^{[4, 3]}. This perspective offers a framework for understanding human existence, purpose, and destiny.

Life, in its most basic sense, refers to physical existence ^[4]. However, biblical texts frequently expand this concept to include figurative meanings such as immortality, conduct, spiritual vitality, and salvation ^[4]. The Psalms express a desire for life according to God's mercy and a commitment to His testimonies ^[2]. The path of life is found in God's presence, where there is fullness of joy and eternal pleasures ^[8].

A central theme is "eternal life," which is presented as the ultimate reward for the redeemed ^[5]. This concept appears in the Old Testament in Daniel 12:2 and frequently throughout the New Testament ^[5]. Eternal life is not merely an unending existence but a quality of life characterized by knowing God and Christ ^{[3, 11]}. Jesus explicitly states, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), indicating that the power to restore, impart, and maintain life resides in Him ^[9]. Believers, even in death, will live through Him, as death is overcome by His righteousness ^[9].

The acquisition of eternal life is consistently attributed to God and Christ. It is given by God and through Christ ^[3]. Those who believe in God and Christ receive it ^[3]. John Calvin emphasizes that Christ's body, given for the life of the world, becomes spiritual food for the soul, and through faith, believers partake in this life ^{[10, 13]}. The Heidelberg Catechism describes eternal life as a "perfect blessedness" that begins in this life as an "experience in my heart of the beginning of eternal joy" and culminates in a state of praising God forever ^[11].

The human nature of Christ was essential for His mediatorial office, allowing Him to partake in flesh and blood and experience human limitations like hunger, thirst, and weariness, thereby connecting humanity to the source of life ^[6]. Through Christ, a "better hope" is brought forth, described as lively, sure, steadfast, and gladdening ^[7]. This hope is obtained through grace, the Word of God, and faith ^[7].

Assurance of eternal life and salvation is a privilege for believers, stemming from faith, hope, and love ^[1]. This assurance is rooted in the understanding of the Gospel and confirmed by the unalienable love of God ^[1]. It is an effect of righteousness and provides certainty regarding one's election, redemption, adoption, and union with God and Christ ^[1].

Augustine of Hippo connected eternal life with God's grace, stating that while justification is grace, eternal life is both a reward for a good life and also grace, given gratuitously ^[14]. He also linked eternal peace with eternal life, describing it as the "end of our good" ^[15]. The apostle Paul confidently anticipated immediate admission to Christ's presence at death, indicating that the redeemed enter into a Sabbath of rest ^{[12, 5]}.

The meaning of life, from a biblical perspective, is thus intrinsically tied to a relationship with God through Christ, leading to spiritual vitality in the present and the promise of eternal blessedness in the future.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Assurance — Produced by faith -- Eph 3:12; 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. Made full by hope -- Heb 6:11,19. Confirmed by love -- 1Jo 3:14,19; 4:18. Is the effect of righteousness -- Isa 32:17. Is abundant in the understanding of the gospel -- Col 2:2; 1Th 1:5. Saints privileged to have, of Their election. -- Ps 4:3; 1Th 1:4. Their redemption. -- Job 19:25. Their adoption. -- Ro 8:16; 1Jo 3:2. Their salvation. -- Isa 12:2. Eternal life. -- 1Jo 5:13. The unalienable love of God. -- Ro 8:38,39. Union with God and Christ. -- 1Co 6:15; 2Co 13:5; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:5; 4:13. Peace with ”
Psalms “Psalms 119:88 (LITV) — Give me life according to Your mercy, and I will keep the testimonies of Your mouth.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Life, Eternal — Christ is -- 1Jo 1:2; 5:20. Revealed by Christ -- Joh 6:68; 2Ti 1:10. To know God and Christ is -- Joh 17:3. Given By God. -- Ps 133:3; Ro 6:23. By Christ. -- Joh 6:27; 10:28. In Christ. -- 1Jo 5:11. Through Christ. -- Ro 5:21; 6:23. To all given to Christ. -- Joh 17:2. To those who believe in God. -- Joh 5:24. To those who believe in Christ. -- Joh 3:15,16; 6:40,47. To those who hate life for Christ. -- Joh 12:25. In answer to prayer. -- Ps 21:4. Revealed in the Scriptures -- Joh 5:39. Results from Drinking the water of life. -- Joh 4:14. Eating the ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Life — Generally of physical life (Gen. 2:7; Luke 16:25, etc.); also used figuratively (1) for immortality (Heb. 7:16); (2) conduct or manner of life (Rom. 6:4); (3) spiritual life or salvation (John 3:16, 17, 18, 36); (4) eternal life (Matt. 19:16, 17; John 3:15); of God and Christ as the absolute source and cause of all life (John 1:4; 5:26, 39; 11:25; 12:50).”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Eternal life — This expression occurs in the Old Testament only in Dan. 12:2 (R.V., "everlasting life"). It occurs frequently in the New Testament (Matt. 7:14; 18:8, 9; Luke 10:28; comp. 18:18). It comprises the whole future of the redeemed (Luke 16:9), and is opposed to "eternal punishment" (Matt. 19:29; 25:46). It is the final reward and glory into which the children of God enter (1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Rom. 6:22; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 5:21); their Sabbath of rest (Heb. 4:9; comp. 12:22). The newness of life which the believer derives from Christ (Rom. 6:4) is the ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Human Nature of Christ, The — Was necessary to his mediatorial office -- 1Ti 2:5; Heb 2:17; Ga 4:4,5; 1Co 15:21; Ro 6:15,19. Is proved by his Conception in the Virgin's womb. -- Mt 1:18; Lu 1:31. Birth. -- Mt 1:16,25; 2:2; Lu 2:7,11. Partaking of flesh and blood. -- Joh 1:14; Heb 2:14. Having a human soul. -- Mt 26:38; Lu 23:46; Ac 2:31. Circumcision. -- Lu 2:21. Increase in wisdom and stature. -- Lu 2:52. Weeping. -- Lu 19:41; Joh 11:35. Hungering. -- Mt 4:2; 21:18. Thirsting. -- Joh 4:7; 19:28. Sleeping. -- Mt 8:24; Mr 4:38. Being subject to weariness. -- Joh 4:6. ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
Psalms “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more. -- Psalms 16:11”
John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 11:25: Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life--"The whole power to restore, impart, and maintain life, resides in Me." (See on Joh 1:4; Joh 5:21). What higher claim to supreme divinity than this grand saying can be conceived? he that believeth in me, though . . . dead . . . shall he live--that is, The believer's death shall be swallowed up in life, and his life shall never sink into death. As death comes by sin, it is His to dissolve it; and as life flows through His righteousness, it is His to communicate and eternally maintain it (Rom 5:21). The te”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: the efficacy and fruit of his nativity, death, and resurrection, eternal. All this Christ has elegantly expressed in these words, “The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” ( John 6:51 ); doubtless intimating, that his body will be as bread in regard to the spiritual life of the soul, because it was to be delivered to death for our salvation, and that he extends it to us for food when he makes us partakers of it by faith. Wherefore he once gave himself that he might become bread, when he g”
Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. How does the article: Q. How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you? A. Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy,1 so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God forever.2 1 Rom. 14:17 2 John 17:3; 1 Cor. 2:9 Lord’s Day 23 Q & A 59”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 76: is 730 floundering. The simple fact is that the inspired Apostle confidently anticipated for himself, and evidently for his fellow-believers, immediate admission at death to the presence of Christ. The ancients regarded the “under-world” or Hades, as “a gloomy prison,” as Mr. Alger himself calls it. That Paul should have desired death in order that he should be thrust into a dungeon, no man can believe. The Scriptures represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as being in heaven. The good, at death, are carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom. Mose”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: “And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” ( John 6:48 , 51 ). By these words he declares, not only that he is life, inasmuch as he is the eternal Word of God who came down to us from heaven, but, by coming down, gave vigour to the flesh which he assumed, that a communication of life to us might thence emanate. Hence, too, he adds, that his flesh is meat indeed, and that his blood is drink indeed: by this food believers are reared to eternal life. The pious, therefore, have admirable c”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 20.--THE QUESTION ANSWERED. JUSTIFICATION IS GRACE SIMPLY AND ENTIRELY, ETERNAL LIFE IS REWARD AND GRACE. (part 2): is nothing else than God's grace, so also the eternal life which is the recompense of a good life is the grace of God; moreover it is given gratuitously, even as that is given gratuitously to which it is given. But that to which it is given is solely and simply grace; this therefore is also that which is given to it, because it is its reward;--grace is for grace, as if remuneration for righteousness; in order that it may be true, bec”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 11.--OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE ETERNAL PEACE, WHICH CONSTITUTES THE END OR TRUE PERFECTION OF THE SAINTS.: And thus we may say of peace, as we have said of eternal life, that it is the end of our good; and the rather because the Psalmist says of the city of God, the subject of this laborious work, "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion: for He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee; who hath made thy borders peace."(1) For when the bars of her gates shall be strengthened, no”

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