I'll see if I can help?
1.) What is the origin of mankind?
World teaching is that mankind came to be through means of evolutionary change, from one uniform common ancestor that was able to synthesize the complex organisms we are and see today. There is a lot of information about evolution, and many things that may make it seem convincing, but actually, evolution only explains bleakly the little history we know of known life. It however, cannot explain the source of life, because it is still being determined if there every really was one uniform common ancestor. This is why evolution is still a theory, being constantly revised, re - analyzed, and at times scrutinized if it really is tangible or not.
Evolution of course, does exist; but it seems to function more for the sake of species fitness than creating new organisms from the change in old ones altogether.
My rookie believes that we originated from great apes and primates; but the problem lies within that .1% difference in DNA that originally distinguished human beings from great apes from the very beginning of the evolutionary change. Matter of factly, in order for an organism to have traits for fitness, it must exist within the organism before hand. Like a fish won't just develop legs if it desires to, or even if the ocean begins to dry up rapidly if that trait is not encoded within it. This is why many species have died out over time.
Spiritually:
The Bible says that mankind was created from the Breath of Life given by God, and the dust of the earth; ( Genesis) The examples of this particular creation was that of Adam and Eve.
A common belief is that Adam and Eve were the first human beings ever - but in actuality, what made Adam and Eve different was the Breath of Life given by God, and the fact that they recognized God. Long ago in such ancient times, early humans were more primitive and instinctive; yet amongst these humans, suddenly there were humans who began to develop intelligence as we know today, and this uncanny, bizarre, and completely random ideal to worship gods or believe in deities.
No other creature on this planet besides humans, ever developed the mind to worship deities or take recognition of spirituality. Some humans worshiped the sun, or other elements, Adam and Eve were representatives of those who took recognition of God. The true God.
The Bible says God created the heavens and the Earth, but it never reveals the time in which God originally created the Earth, as in, when he sculpted the very foundations of the planet before earth even existed. Genesis starts after the physical earth had been created already, and then describes the creation of various elements of the earth such as light, skies, mankind, animals etc.
So there are basically two concepts for the origin of mankind - either we underwent some incredible evolution from some one common ancestor that somehow had all the encoding to perpetuate life on this grand a scale, or, we were molded from the flesh of the earth and had a spirit embedded within us from God.
Why did God embed a spirit?
2.) What is our purpose and the meaning of life?
From a worldly standpoint - if your looking at it from evolution and biology, really there is no other purpose than to perpetuate our species and survive. Really, that's all it's about. Fitness which has to do with how well a species produces children to carry on that species. However, looking at humanity, there are billions of us so really our species isn't under any immediate threat of physical extinction.
Spiritually:
We are fallen angels from heaven.
Lemme explain;
Ecclesiasties 12:7
" and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit RETURNS to God who gave it."
Keyword: RETURNS.
We know our bodies go back to the ground from where it came - turns to dust;
Return means to go back to a former place; but how can someone go back to a former place if they have never been there?
Actually what is being revealed here is that we pre - existed with God before the Earth was even made. Where does God dwell? In heaven.
What?! We were with God in heaven? No way.
Solomon and Job actually give testimony to this:
Proverbs 8:22 - 23
Solomon says: " The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning - before the world began."
Solomon was blessed with immense wisdom from God for his faithfulness - so the man knew what he was talking about.
Job 38: 4
God speaking: " Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked it's dimensions? Surely you know!"
38: 21
God speaking to Job: Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!
Job had been faithful to God and was subjected to conditions brought on by the devil; his friends were trying to comfort him in such a horrible time, and Job began to cry out to God. God answered him accordingly.
Cool isn't it? Both Job and Solomon were made just like us; the dust of the earth and the Breath of Life God gave us.
If your still not following, God even describes how the King of Tyre was before he came to the earth:
Ezekiel 28: 12 - 14
" Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
" You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you; ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones."
This is what the Lord was telling the King of Tyre; that he was on the holy mount of God, and anointed as gaurdian cherub - how can this be if the King was not yet dead to even cross into heaven?
It is because they, Solomon, Job - we have lived before the Earth.
So then, why exactly are we on the Earth? God explains what happened through testimony of the King of Tyre.
Ezekial 28: 15 - 16
" You were blameless in you ways from the day you were created, till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence and you SINNED.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.
So I THREW YOU TO THE EARTH; I made a spectacle of you before kings."
Incredible isn't it? From here we can see that the reason mankind has come to dwell on the Earth in respects to God, is actually because we were at once with God before, yet due to sins committed in heaven, we were cast down to the Earth for condemnation.
Romans 6:23
" The wages of sin is death..."
What is the reality of the Earth we live on? Death. The Earth is literally like a death row trial, with that being the destination of those who do not come to overcome their sin. The Bible warns about the 2nd death, which is the destruction of the soul - the permanent death after one has retributed from their sin ( i.e., damnation in hell.) The Bible declares that only the false prophets and Devil burn in hell for eternity, whilst the rest suffer for God's determined time and then are completely wiped from existence.
So what is our purpose according to God? To get back to heaven - but in order to do that, we have to receive the forgiveness of our sins, not only ones of the Earth, but repentance for the one we committed in heaven, which was the grievious sin deserving of death in the eyes of God.
Perhaps this is why humans have their uncanny trait of seeking out deities and dreaming of God; our souls know what our mind does not recognize fully. God is not a new concept of our thinking or hearts, but rather a memory embedded deep in our souls that has caused God to become this prominent of a reality.
Thus the purpose of life is to redeem our souls and get back to heaven where we truly and originally belong.
Why exactly don't we remember heaven?
It is due to the veil of sin which is our sinful natures - the flesh. Having lost our memories of heaven, will expose our spirits for what they really are - because those who are the true children of God, will have no problem seeking God out, following his commands, and working in accordance to his will. Those who are wicked at heart, will act against God, rebuke God, persecute those who follow God, or see no necessity of God.
And no those aren't necessarily atheist people lol. Actually, there are atheist out there who turned out to be God's people. They just had a few honest questions to be answered - and because of it they ended up seeking God out.
God loves those who seek him.
Of course there are some hardened atheist who make it there life's work to disprove God; but then one must ask why someone chooses to consciously act against God? I met one guy and we happened to be talking - I asked, " If God walked up to you, what would you say?"
He said, " I would punch him in the face and try to kill him."
0_0
Well that spirit just exposed it's true self didn't it?
Everyone is not as they seem; even the happiest of people could in reality contain a wicked spirit - likewise even the atheistic of people could truly have a heart for God.
Each man of God repents in accordance to God's time for him; and every soul will be shown for whom it is.
Pray your soul is to be righteous!
Cont in next post:
