What does it mean to exist?

Most of us never stop to ask one of the most basic questions of philosophy and theology: What does it mean for something to exist?

We wake up, go about our day, interact with people and things, and never pause to reflect on what we mean when we say something “is.” And yet, the way we answer that question—often without realizing it—shapes how we understand the world, think about creation, and read the Bible.

If we misunderstand what existence means, we risk misreading both the world around us and the Word of God that speaks into it.

In the modern world, existence is almost instinctively tied to materiality. To exist is to be made of matter, to take up space, to be measurable and observable. Scientists point to atoms and molecules. Every day, people think of what can be touched, seen, weighed, or tested.

From that perspective, “creation” naturally sounds like manufacturing. God makes things—stars, planets, trees, animals, people—that were not there before. Existence means material production.

That way of thinking is powerful, deeply ingrained, and not wrong as far as it goes. But it is not the only way people have understood existence. And it may not be the primary way the biblical world thought about it at all.

In many ancient cultures, existence was defined less by what something was made of and more by what it was for. To exist was not merely to be present, but to have a role, a purpose, a place within an ordered world. Something truly “was” when it functioned as it was intended to function.

From that perspective, the more important question was not what it is made of, but what role it plays.

A river existed because it watered the land and sustained life.

A king existed not merely because he sat on a throne, but because he brought order and justice to the people.

A house existed not simply because stones were stacked together, but because it served as a dwelling where life unfolded.

Existence, in this worldview, was inseparable from purpose and order.

This distinction matters deeply for theology, especially when we read Scripture. If we approach the Bible with strictly modern assumptions, we are inclined to read texts like Genesis 1 as accounts focused almost entirely on the material production of the universe. But if we allow the ancient perspective to guide us, a different picture emerges.

Genesis may be doing less to explain how matter came into being and more to show how God ordered the world, assigned roles, and established meaning. Existence, in that sense, is not just being there—it is being placed there with purpose.

At this point, it helps to name the difference more clearly.

Modern thought tends to operate with what philosophers call material ontology. Existence is defined by physical substance: what something is made of, how it occupies space, and how it can be measured. This framework dominates modern science and everyday intuition alike.

The ancient world often leaned toward what we might call functional ontology. Here, existence is defined by role, purpose, and order. Something truly “is” when it fulfills the function for which it was designed and fits within a larger system of meaning.

You can feel the difference by thinking through everyday examples.

A chair, materially speaking, exists once wood and fabric are assembled. But functionally, it only truly exists when someone sits on it.

A company may consist of buildings, desks, and employees, but it exists in the fullest sense only when it produces, serves, and operates.

A restaurant is more than tables and kitchens—it exists when meals are prepared, served, and shared.

A computer is not merely circuits and screens; it comes alive when it processes, connects, and enables work.

A theater is walls and seats, yes—but its real existence is revealed when a performance takes place.

Function completes existence.

These examples prepare us to hear Genesis with fresh ears. In the biblical narrative, God is not merely assembling raw materials into a universe. He is ordering, assigning, and naming. Light is given dominion over the day. Heavenly bodies are appointed to mark seasons. Humanity is called to bear God’s image and steward the world.

In Scripture, existence is inseparable from God’s word of purpose. Something truly exists when God assigns it a role within His ordered creation. Creation is not only about matter coming into being, but about meaning being spoken into place.

That way of reading Genesis does not weaken the doctrine of creation. It deepens it. It reminds us that the world is not just something God made—it is something God ordered, inhabits, and rules.

And that realization changes how we understand existence itself.

To exist is not merely to be present, but to be placed with purpose under the word of God.

— Zach Strange

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