Death is a serious matter.
For some people, they are stricken with grief, sorrow, and great pain when a loved one, family member, or friend passes away. Strangely, however, the news of death does not appear to bother some people.
Then, too, what do people say about life after death?
Some say hell, some say heaven, some say paradise or utopia, some say purgatory, and some say nothing.
What do some people also say when they hear of a death?
"He was a nice guy and people liked him."
"I never knew him well, but I heard he was a good golfer."
"Oh, I didn't hear. I'll remember to send a card."
"He's in a better place now!"
A better place now. We have addressed this topic before: this better place now.
When I lived in Georgia many years ago, a young man told me that he believes that God zaps us at death, like with a bug-killing light, and that's it. No eternity, no nothing. Then he added that he goes to church once a month in Alabama.
At death, we enter eternity. The door is closed behind us and all of our decisions and choices are behind us. We are no longer in authority of our own souls.
What, then, do people say about where they will spend eternity, or how they will get to heaven?
Some believe in Christ; some believe their religion has everything worked out; some believe that there are many ways to get to heaven; some believe all they need is a church membership; and some believe that others still living behind them will either pray or pay their way for them to reach heaven's gates.
In the garden of Eden, God said unto Adam:
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 17)
Adam and Eve did eat of the tree, and, of course, they surely died.
Adam and Eve also sinned against God.
Ever since that day, people have been dying, and, ever since that day, people have been sinning against God.
Jesus also lived and died, yet Jesus had no sin.
What, then, is different about this Jesus that is different from you and me and all people?
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2nd Corinthians 5: 21; underline mine)
Here is something else that is different about Jesus:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1: 1, 14)
In other words, God became human and walked on earth and was crucified by sinful men.
Death is a serious matter. Eternity is a serious matter.
God is also God of eternity because God IS eternity; therefore,
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10: 31)
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
For some people, they are stricken with grief, sorrow, and great pain when a loved one, family member, or friend passes away. Strangely, however, the news of death does not appear to bother some people.
Then, too, what do people say about life after death?
Some say hell, some say heaven, some say paradise or utopia, some say purgatory, and some say nothing.
What do some people also say when they hear of a death?
"He was a nice guy and people liked him."
"I never knew him well, but I heard he was a good golfer."
"Oh, I didn't hear. I'll remember to send a card."
"He's in a better place now!"
A better place now. We have addressed this topic before: this better place now.
When I lived in Georgia many years ago, a young man told me that he believes that God zaps us at death, like with a bug-killing light, and that's it. No eternity, no nothing. Then he added that he goes to church once a month in Alabama.
At death, we enter eternity. The door is closed behind us and all of our decisions and choices are behind us. We are no longer in authority of our own souls.
What, then, do people say about where they will spend eternity, or how they will get to heaven?
Some believe in Christ; some believe their religion has everything worked out; some believe that there are many ways to get to heaven; some believe all they need is a church membership; and some believe that others still living behind them will either pray or pay their way for them to reach heaven's gates.
In the garden of Eden, God said unto Adam:
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 17)
Adam and Eve did eat of the tree, and, of course, they surely died.
Adam and Eve also sinned against God.
Ever since that day, people have been dying, and, ever since that day, people have been sinning against God.
Jesus also lived and died, yet Jesus had no sin.
What, then, is different about this Jesus that is different from you and me and all people?
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2nd Corinthians 5: 21; underline mine)
Here is something else that is different about Jesus:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1: 1, 14)
In other words, God became human and walked on earth and was crucified by sinful men.
Death is a serious matter. Eternity is a serious matter.
God is also God of eternity because God IS eternity; therefore,
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10: 31)
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
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