Created for Relationships: Baptist Way Adult Bible Study Guide

Have you ever wondered why you are here? Why has God placed you on the earth at this particular time? What is the purpose of your life? These are some weighty questions indeed. According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The Bible speaks to these questions through the words of Jesus in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20.) Loving God and loving our neighbors is an outgrowth of our development as disciples of Jesus, and it motivates our efforts to make disciples of others. It seems that one of the overarching themes found in the Bible is that of relationships. God has created us for a relationship with him through his Son and our savior Jesus Christ, and he has also created us to be in relationship with others. In Genesis 2:18 God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” It wasn’t then and it isn’t now. This study focuses on thirteen key relationships, beginning with our relationship with God. More than ever the outside world needs to see Christians whose lives are grounded in and guided by their relationship with God. As Christ followers, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). One of our primary purposes is to help people reconcile with God, whether they are family members, friends, neighbors, employers, or others in our community.