September 2025
Finding Purpose in a Nihilistic World
Feature Article
September 2025
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Modern culture flirts with nihilism—the belief that life lacks inherent meaning. The decline of religious belief in secular society has left many adrift as traditional Christian foundations erode. Rising rates of anxiety, depression, and despair—especially among younger generations—signal this growing void. Social isolation intensifies as participation in Christian fellowship diminishes, leaving many with only a materialistic outlook on life. This casts a shadow over modern life, revealing the futility of seeking meaning apart from the triune God of Scripture.
the roots of nihilism
The philosophical roots of modern nihilism run deep. Friedrich Nietzsche famously proclaimed the “death of God,” predicting that as society abandoned belief in God, it would also destroy all meaning and value. He warned in “Parable of the Madman” that with God gone, humanity would find itself “straying, as through an infinite nothing,” facing existence without meaning or aim.
In the twentieth century, existentialist thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus wrestled deeply with the void left by the rejection of God. Sartre taught that in a godless universe, “existence precedes essence.” He meant that we arrive without any inherent purpose and must construct meaning for ourselves. Camus, confronting the absurdity of life, argued that suicide was the fundamental philosophical question: If life has no objective meaning, is it even worth living? Nihilism has helped foster a broader culture of death as evident in the rise of euthanasia and abortion. All three thinkers—Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus—shared the conviction that without God, objective truth and ultimate purpose dissolve, leaving humanity adrift in existential darkness.
This rejection of absolute truth has seeped into the broader culture as moral relativism (“what is true for you is not true for me”) and radical individualism. Cut loose from any transcendent authority, many now attempt to create their own meaning, define their own identity, and establish their own values. But this pursuit of autonomy is not new; it echoes the primal temptation in the garden: “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). The promise of godlike self-rule has always enticed fallen man, but it comes at a terrible cost. The so-called freedom of total autonomy becomes a prison of meaninglessness. In striving to be self-sufficient, man severs himself from the very source of life, truth, and purpose—and finds only futility in return.
a biblical answer: the purpose of all things
Against the bleak backdrop of nihilism, the gospel offers hope. The Bible declares that life is not an accident but the intentional creation of an eternal, purposeful God. From the beginning, we learn that God created the heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1). Creation has purpose because God created with intent.
Humanity in particular has a God-given purpose. Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?” Its answer is profound: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” We were made to reflect God’s glory and find joy in fellowship with Him. Far from being oppressive, glorifying God is the path to deepest fulfillment.
The Apostle Paul makes this clear: “All things were created through [Christ] and for him” (Col. 1:16). Everything was made through and for Jesus. Not only that, but “in him all things hold together” (v. 17). Christ is the sustaining center of the universe. As Paul exclaims elsewhere: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever” (Rom. 11:36). The Bible’s answer to nihilism is that there is a transcendent purpose—God Himself.
What happens when people reject this God-given purpose? Romans 1 provides a sobering analysis. When we do not honor God, we become “futile in [our] thinking, and [our] foolish hearts [are] darkened” (Rom. 1:21). Claiming wisdom without God, we become fools (v. 22). When we trade God’s truth for a lie, the result is futility—a tragic emptiness. This perfectly describes modern nihilism.
Yet God speaks hope into our hopelessness. Through Christ’s redeeming work, we can be restored to our purpose. The ultimate answer to nihilism is found in the resurrection. Peter exults: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). By rising from the dead, Christ has demonstrated that there is purpose beyond this mortal existence. He has secured our victory over death and called us to an eternal purpose in the heavenly places toward which we now strive.
In Christ, we discover that our daily lives have eternal significance. Every aspect of life can be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). The resurrection assures us that “in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (15:58). The Christian can confidently say, “Everything matters.”
a Christian response to nihilism
How can Christians engage a culture steeped in nihilistic despair? We must begin by recognizing that nihilism is ultimately self-defeating. Although it claims that life has no meaning, no one consistently lives as if their choices and relationships were truly meaningless. As Francis Schaeffer observed, modern man lives divided: theoretically proclaiming a purposeless universe while practically “leaping” to meaning and value. Even outspoken atheists inevitably assume the existence of love, justice, and dignity—realities that their worldview cannot sustain. Gently exposing this inconsistency creates opportunities to challenge despair and point to the truth written on every human heart.
Engaging nihilism demands more than intellectual argument. The first bridge to a despairing heart is often kindness shown “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15), not philosophy. A life anchored in Christ’s joy and purpose becomes a compelling witness. When those in darkness encounter believers radiating unshakable hope, nihilism loses its plausibility.
The Christian response to nihilism centers on a relationship, not an abstract philosophy. Christ offers Himself as the living answer to life’s deepest questions—a Savior who actively draws us into communion with God. The Bible speaks honestly about life’s apparent “vanity” yet reveals a redemptive plan giving eternal significance to our existence through Him. On the cross, Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34; see Ps. 22:1), so that all who trust in Him might never be forsaken. By rising again, He declared that despair and death are forever defeated.
In conversations with those in despair, we can gently point out that their hunger for meaning is not a cruel cosmic accident. Scripture testifies that God has “put eternity into man’s heart” (Eccl. 3:11), creating an innate longing that nihilism cannot explain away. Yet in our fallen nature, we suppress the knowledge of God and seek fulfillment in everything but the One who alone can satisfy. These persistent longings are restless echoes of a purpose that can be fulfilled only in communion with the triune God. In His incarnation, death, and resurrection, Jesus assumed our nature, bore our despair, and triumphed over it.
One of nihilism’s cruelest effects is alienation—if nothing matters, relationships lose their weight. We must therefore draw those adrift in isolation back toward the community of faith, where the love of Christ is expressed so clearly. In the fellowship of believers, people discover belonging and purpose where nihilism offers only emptiness. Our task is not primarily to win philosophical debates but to exemplify and embody the transformative reality of Christ in whom we find life, hope, and meaning.
living with purpose in a nihilistic world
Paul urges: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. . . . Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1–2). In Christ, our identity and purpose are secure: “Your life is hidden with Christ in God” (v. 3). Every aspect of our lives gains eternal significance under Christ’s lordship.
The call is to live coram Deo—“before the face of God”—that is, in His presence. True purpose is found not in autonomy but in devotion to God. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). The world’s lie is that freedom from God brings meaning; the truth is that only in communion with God do we realize our real created purpose.
As living testimonies to resurrection hope, Christians reveal that life has profound meaning. Christ is risen—this changes everything. Because He lives, we no longer wander aimlessly. In Christ, we know our identity, purpose, and destination. We echo Paul: “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair” (2 Cor. 4:8). In Christ, restless hearts find rest, searching souls find home, and lives adrift find their anchor. To God be the glory—our chief end, now and forever.