I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. I can’t imagine what life would be like without God.
But there was a man in history who chose to live his life without God. He was the wisest man who ever lived, yet he did the most foolish thing in the world. Solomon.
What would life be like without God? Let's look at 8 terrible realities:
1. WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE ARE EMPTY WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 1:17-18)
Solomon says that wisdom and knowledge only bring grief and sorrow. There was a time when Solomon believed otherwise.
Proverbs 3:13, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”
True wisdom comes from God, specifically, from the Bible. But life without God excludes the Bible. So now we just have the wisdom of the world: humanistic philosophy, which is often guess-work. This does not bring joy, but sorrow. It’s best not to have wisdom and knowledge at all.
2. PLEASURE AND MIRTH ARE EMPTY WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 2:1-2)
Solomon thought that pleasure would bring him satisfaction, but he discovered it brought emptiness instead. This is because happiness is very brief without God, and no amount of laughter can bring real satisfaction.
The world says to follow your heart and fulfill your dreams. Does this bring happiness and satisfaction in life?
Jim Carrey: “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
3. WORK AND ENJOYMENT ARE EMPTY WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 2:4-11)
Solomon had everything. He spent his time working. He built houses, planted vineyards, gardens, and trees; he created pools and ponds; he had every luxury money could buy. But when he looked at it all, he saw that all of his work was vanity.
The world puts a great focus on career. Find a job you enjoy, work it for many years, and then retire with lots of money and enjoy your final years. But when you make your career your life, you’ll find out that it’s an empty life.
Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
4. LIFE LOSES MEANING WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 2:15-16)
Solomon argues that the wise man and the fool are both the same. This is an emotional assessment. The same things happen to both the fool and the wise man. He says that the wise man will eventually be forgotten, and he’s right.
Time Magazine always does a “Person of the Year” for each year. Can you remember who the person of the year was ten years ago? We’ve forgotten. The world forgets those who are “wise” (worldly-wise). Without God, life loses purpose and meaning. Good things and bad things happen to everyone. The world has left out the One who brings purpose and meaning to life.
5. LIFE IS MISERABLE WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 2:17-18)
Solomon moves to hating his life and hating his work. He says it is ALL vanity. Without God, life is truly miserable.
Ex: Robin Williams committed suicide in 2014 because he was so deeply depressed
Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher, argued for Christianity by using his Wager argument. He states that all men must wager that God either exists or He does not. If one wagers that God exists and He does, one has gained eternal life and infinite happiness. If He does not exist, one has lost nothing. On the other hand, if one wagers that God does not exist and He does, then one has suffered infinite loss. If He does not exist, then one has gained nothing. If anything, the Christian at least has something to live for.
Atheists are some of the most miserable people in the world.
6. WITHOUT GOD, ONE PURSUES WORK, NOT WISDOM (Ecc. 3:22)
Solomon says that there is nothing better than to work. This is exactly what the world says. Yet Solomon used to believe something different.
Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
Illustration: Howard Hughes was an aviator, innovator, and film director. He was a billionaire who pursued work and women. He also had health problems—obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and paranoid schizophrenia. He eventually went into seclusion and was never seen again until his death.
I truly believe that the pursuit of work apart from wisdom will make you sick. You’ve heard “All work and no play.” But I believe “All work and no wisdom” is just as dangerous.
7. LIFE HAS IMPOSSIBLE QUESTIONS WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 6:10-12)
“What is good for man in this life? What will happen to man after death?” These are impossible questions…without God. We know that the Bible has the answers to these, but for the person living without God, these are unanswerable.
“Is there life after death?” Every religion in the world has a different answer to this question, and everyone has a different opinion.
“What will happen to the earth? What if a giant meteor strikes us?” Without God, these questions can be terrifying because of the unknown.
“Why are we here? What is our purpose?” Without God, you will never find an answer to this question.
8. TIME AND CHANCE ARE SUPREME WITHOUT GOD (Ecc. 9:11-12)
Living without God removes the sovereignty of God. There is no such thing as prayer; you simply “hope for the best.” You believe in chance and luck. Anything that does happen is without purpose; life is random.
Daniel 4:25 tells us “…that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”
Romans 13:1 informs us that “…the powers that be are ordained of God.”
God is actively involved in the world, even in individual lives. But for the person living without God, time and chance are his gods. He hopes for good luck in life. What a miserable way to live!
What is life like with God? 4 wonderful realities:
1. GOD BLESSES WORK AND WISDOM (Ecc. 2:24-26)
The hand of God has given us work. Adam worked in the Garden of Eden before sin. Sin brought about sweat, thorns, and thistles into work. God also gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy.
Remember that Solomon had complete peace during his reign. He did not need to go out and fight enemies like his father David. So what did Solomon do with all that time? He worked.
Read Ecclesiastes 3:13.
Don’t hate your job because God has given you that job. He has blessed you with work.
2. GOD GIVES MAN A DESIRE FOR ETERNITY (Ecc. 3:11)
The word “world” has to do with eternity. God has placed the matter of eternity into man. This is why people all over the world, even primitive people, are curious about life after death, and all religions have some idea about eternity.
But God not only puts this desire in us, He fulfills it! Through faith in Christ, we are guaranteed a place in heaven with God for all eternity. And while we’re waiting for that day, we can be in a relationship with the eternal God.
3. ENJOYMENT IS A GIFT FROM GOD (Ecc. 5:19-20)
The things we have and the pleasure we get from them is a gift from God. We should enjoy these things, recognizing that God has blessed us with them.
The Apostle Paul tells us in I Timothy 6:17 to trust in the living God, “…who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
Aren’t you glad that we can enjoy the things we have without depending on them for absolute happiness and fulfillment? They are simply gifts from God.
4. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO GOD (Ecc. 12:13-14)
This is probably the main reason why the world doesn’t want God. They don’t want to be responsible to Him. But God is their Creator; they are responsible to Him.
For us, God is our Father; we are responsible to Him. Solomon had many regrets, but He realized what was most important: fear God, and keep His commandments. Don’t forget that the day is coming when you will answer to Him for your life.
CONCLUSION
“Life is good”—not true
Life is not good: to the one who is dying of cancer; to the child who’s parents divorced; to the person who lost a loved one to a drunk driver. Life can be unfair and cruel.
But God is always gracious, always loving, always kind, always patient, always good.
You should be very thankful that God is in your life. But let me challenge you to include Him more in your life this new year. Include God in your morning, your afternoon, and your evening. Include God in your family, friends, and neighbors. Include God in your job, finances, and every decision. Include God in your entertainment, relaxation, and personal time. Include God in your traveling and adventures. Include God when you wake up, and when you go to sleep. Include God in every area of your life, because life is too short to live without God.
