Why God Created Human Beings

1Why this topic matters

A student who knows why she is at school, to learn and prepare for her future, uses her time well. In the same way, Christianity and Islam teach that knowing why God created human beings gives life direction and meaning. In this lesson you will study what each faith teaches about the purpose of human life.

2In Christianity

1. To know, love and glorify God. God speaks of his people as those "whom I have created for my glory" (Isaiah 43:7). In heaven, God is praised: "for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed and were created!" (Revelation 4:11). To glorify God means to honour him and show his greatness by worship and by the way one lives.
2. To reflect God's image. "God created man in his own image." (Genesis 1:27). Human beings can think, choose, love and create, and are called to show God's goodness.
3. To care for creation (stewardship). God told the first humans: "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it." (Genesis 1:28), and put the man in the garden "to cultivate and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). Dominion or "subduing" the earth means responsible rule, like a good manager of someone else's farm, not destruction. A steward is a person trusted to look after what belongs to another.
4. To live in relationship and family. "It is not good for the man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18). People are made for friendship, marriage and community.
5. To do good works and obey God. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10). "Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

3In Islam

1. To worship Allah. "I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me." (Qur'an 51:56). Worship ('ibadah) includes prayer and fasting, but also every good action done for God's sake: honest work, kindness, study and caring for one's family.
2. To be God's viceroy (khalifah) on earth. "Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth" (Qur'an 2:30). A viceroy rules on behalf of a king; human beings are to look after the earth on God's behalf and according to his will.
3. To carry the trust (amanah). "Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it." (Qur'an 33:72). The trust is the responsibility of free choice and obedience that God has given to human beings.
4. To be tested. God "hath created life and death that He may try you which of you is best in conduct" (Qur'an 67:2). To try here means to test.
5. To use knowledge well. God "taught Adam all the names" (Qur'an 2:31): human beings are given intelligence to understand and use creation wisely.

4What both faiths share

• Human beings are the most honoured of God's creatures (Genesis 1:27; Qur'an 17:70).
• They exist to worship God and to live by his will.
• They are responsible caretakers of the earth: stewards in Christianity, viceroys (khulafa') in Islam.
• They will answer to God for how they have used their lives.

Worked example

Question: Using one text from each faith, explain that human beings were created to care for the earth. (4 marks)

Model answer: In the Bible, God put the first man in the garden of Eden "to cultivate and keep it" (Genesis 2:15), so people are stewards who must look after creation for God (2 marks). In the Qur'an, God said: "Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth" (Qur'an 2:30); a viceroy rules on behalf of another, so people must manage the earth according to God's will, not destroy it (2 marks).

Practice