The purpose of something can only come from the one who created or invented it. The one who uses or benefits from that something can use that something for a different purpose if he/she wants, but that never changes the intended purpose as defined by the one who invented it or created it.

If there is no God then the only other possible explanation of our existence is that we are the result of some accidental circumstance and therefore life has no meaning outside of what you, or someone else, define that meaning to be. If there is no Creator then we have to step into the role of defining who we are and what life is all about. Without a Creator there is no purpose and without purpose anything goes and nothing truly matters because whatever you can hope to accomplish in your lifetime ultimately dies with you, or at the very least within a couple of generations.

Because we are inherently aware of the fact that something has gone horribly wrong with the world. We look around and see famine, injustice, poverty, war, etc. and something inside of us says, “this is not how it ought to be.” In response to that feeling we look to other created things to try to satisfy, or maybe even pacify, the fear and anxiety we experience. We just can’t bring ourselves to admit that life doesn’t really matter because we know deep inside that it does and therefore, having removed God from the equation, we are forced to look to other created things to find meaning and purpose. Coincidentally, the very fact that we know something has gone horribly wrong with the world is an indicator that we also presuppose the world must have a purpose other than what we are experiencing.

In the end those things leave us just as frustrated and confused because as we said before, only the Creator of a thing can give ultimate meaning and purpose to the thing that was created. So we can live for money, sex, or power and in the end we will still find ourselves wanting even if we achieve great success in those areas. Creation can never be a substitute for the Creator.

The existence of God means that not only is there a design to our world and our lives, but there is a purpose that supersedes our self. It means that we are part of a bigger picture and therefore our lives have significance and meaning. Like a Stone Mason in the 14th century chiseling on one stone that will one day find its place in the massive cathedral that the Architect has designed. That Mason may spend 15 years chiseling and shaping that stone before he finally sees where it fits in the grand scheme of the beautiful building that is being formed. It is precisely because he knows the stone isn’t the end in-and-of itself, but rather that what he is doing is part of something much larger, that the Mason continues to press on even when the work gets difficult.

Because if God does exists, not only does it give us purpose, but it also means that we are not in charge and therefore cannot live life anyway we want to. See God, if He is the Creator, is also the One who judges whether or not we are accomplishing the purpose for which He created us. People don’t tend to like the idea of having to submit to another authority. We would much rather get to decide what’s right and wrong for ourselves, to do what makes us happy and feel good whenever the moment arises. Having a Creator and a Judge means we have to answer to someone for the way we choose to live life and we see that as a major restriction. The reality, though, is that true freedom is only experienced when the right restrictions are put in place. A fish my want to be free of the water, but if he is removed he doesn’t experience freedom at all.