So from a creationist's standpoint why did God create man? Why are we here? Some think because God was lonely but that's not true. Some think because he wanted robots to do his bidding. That's not true either because we just have to look at each other to see that is far from the truth.
So why did God create man? Was it for our own purpose? His purpose?
I believe man was created to demonstrate the glory of God and to fellowship with his creator. Man was given both responsibilities and restrictions right from the beginning. One of these responsibilities was to assume headship over all nature and eventually over the entire universe. When he was put into the garden, how many know it literally meant "park of a King?" Man had it made until he fell and rebelled against his creator.
Yes, for some it's a myth, for others it's true that Satan approached Eve, first slyly helping her to doubt God's word and then brazenly denying it. This is still going on today. We are still hearing...."is it really true?" "Do you really believe this?" Two things we see with Eve here in the garden. She committed two fatal mistakes. She adds to God's word and then she takes from God's word after listening to this devil. Nothing new under the sun here either. Still happening.
So after the sin was committed God, the judge set up his court right there in the Garden and the trial began. He gave out a threefold sentence on the serpent, upon Satan and upon Adam and Eve. Our first parents would suffer shame, fear, discord, death, suffering, weariness of labor, and separation from God.
Like anything else there are a few positions explaining this story. The first is the Liberal position claiming the whole story is a myth, a silly Hebrew legend. Then there is the Pelagian position. Pelagius was a fifth century British monk who taught that Adam's sin only affected himself. He said the only effect of Adam's sin had on the world was that of a bad example. This doctrine was condemned by the council of Carthage in 418 AD.
Then there is the Arminian position. Arminius (1560-1609) was a professor who lived and taught in Holland. He said that while Adam's sin definitely weakened the will of his posterity to remain sinless it did not destroy the possibility.
Last but certainly not least is the Augustian position which most Christians would adhear to. Augustine was one of the greatest of the early church fathers. He taught that because of the unity of the human race in Adam, man's sin is imputed to his posterity. Thus, corrupted nature begets corrupted nature. This is the only position amply supported by scripture.
Some get all upset about every little sin or deed done against God but Paul especially often distinguishes between "sin" and "sins." Sin is the root of man's problems and is his corrupted nature which he received from Adam. Sins, on the other hand are the fruit of man's problems and a reference to those actions resulting from his corrupted nature. So in other words we inherited Adam's sin nature and by doing so we commit individual sins that go against God.
So we are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are born sinners. There is a distinction here. The real disease is not the outward sins committed but can be found in the bloodstream (sin nature).
So now what? What about man's destiny? Where does man go from here? Again there are different views out there. We have the view of Nirvana, which I believe is offered to a confused world today as an option. This is an oriental Hindu philosophy which teaches that at death a man ceases all personal existence and is absorbed by some great life-giving principle in the universe. Then there is restorationism which is the belief that in a future life all men will be given a second chance to make that choice for God they did not make during this life. This is hugely refuted by scripture.
Then there is materialism and what we consider the atheistic view. Man forever ceases to be and quietly rots into nothingness. This philosophy has been described on an ancient tombstone which read, "I was not, I became, I am not, I care not." Again this is refuted clearly by scripture.
There is also a belief called annihilationism which is somewhat common in cults and is the belief that all the ungodly will someday literally be "uncreated." or annihilated by God. Charles Taze Russell in the 1800's believed in this and the story is told that as a boy he had a great fear of hell.
There is also the belief in soul sleep which is the belief that once you die, your soul sleeps until the resurrection which is also refuted by scripture. Then we have purgatory and limbo. Purgatory is the belief that those who die at peace with the church but not perfect must undergo penal and purifying sufferings. Any dying in mortal sin is condemned to Hell so only those who die in venial sin are allowed purgatory. Then the belief of limbo, which I've heard recenlty has been done away with but is the belief among Catholics that unbaptized children and mentally incompetent upon death proceed to a permanent place of happiness but not heaven.
Next we have reincarnation. Most are very familiar with this belief in the rebirth of the soul which has been fundamental to most religions and philosophies of India. As one sows in the present life he will reap in the next. Thus a man's state of life is seen not as something meaningless but as the working out for good or ill. This theory, like the previous, is totally without scriptural support.
Last but not least we have the cross or Chrisitanity's answer for the destiny of man. In the OT, before the cross, we read of Sheol which is a holding place for all the dead. In the NT it was called Hades translated Hell but in all reality was also a holding place. Originally there were two sections of Hades, one side held the saved dead and the other for the lost dead. The saved section is sometimes called "Paradise." and sometimes referred to "Abraham's bosom." If you remember Christ said to the thief on the cross, "today you will be with me in Paradise."
After Christ made full payment for the sin on Calvary one side of Hades was totally emptied never to be full again. He set the captives free it says in scripture but the side with the unsaved dead wait for the future judgment. The state of the unsaved dead remained and reamins unchanged after the cross.
Stephen just beofre he died:
"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a oud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when he said this, he fell asleep." Acts 7