Death. That word invokes revulsion to most. Not something to be brought up as a topic of conversation. People just don't want to discuss it. The fact that one day your life will be over.
Throughout the entire history of the human race people have tried to describe it. Some said you just cease to exisit. The great nothingness of non- exisitence. Other cultures believed you would have the things in this life with you in the next. The Egyptian Pharaohs placed various items in their tombs to take with them into the next life. Others that you would enter a spiritual world unknown but thought of as better than this life.
Two thousand years ago an itinerant rabbi proclaimed "He who believes in me will live even though they die. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die." That man was Jesus the Christ. He made it plain he was the Way, the Truth and the Life. That no one comes to God the Father except through him. That He is the door and those who enter by him (by grace through faith-- trusting and obeying God's Word) at the end, when death calls they will enter into eternal life.
Jesus not only said these things, he proved He was sent by God the Father to save His people from their sins. John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to Jesus who asked, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Luke 7:22-23)
By these signs and miracles he proved He indeed was the One talked about in the Hebrew Scriptures. A child born, a Son given....who would be born of a virgin and be called Immanuel meaning God with us. (Is.7:14; 9:6) The New Testament Scriptures go even further saying Jesus was the Word that was in the beginning with God and was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-3) That Jesus is the brightness of God's glory and express imagine of His person. (Heb. 1:1-3) That He had glory with the Father before the world began. (John 17:5) That Jesus is Himself the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col. 1:15-16)
There is something worse than death. For it is not the end. It is the beginning of your place in eternity. And where you spend eternity isn't based on what you do. But in who you know. Or rather who knows you.
Death. It is not something that people like or want to discuss. Yet Death comes to us all. It is a vicious reality in this material world. Every ache. Every new pain. Loss of eyesight, hearing, or other faculties that graced our youth become a dim memory. And are a reminder that our time on this earth is coming to an end. The bible says we are but strangers and pilgrims passing through.
Why do we die? Does anyone have the answer to this perdicament of the human condition. Does anyone have the answer to humanities seemingly hopeless condition? Do we have a soul, a spirit that lives on after we die? Many different religions abound brought about by various seerers, prophets, guru's. Those enlightened, so they say, with visits by angels (islamism and mormonism,) that God revealed the wisdom of the ages.
But only One spoke of a God who provides a real answer to mankinds condition and the cure not only for this temporal condition but for an eternal exisitence as well. And proved that he was the very Son of God and indeed was himself God, in the flesh, prophesied in the writings of the Hebrew Scripture and in what is now called the New Testament. Was witnessed by those who had seen Him, talked with Him, followed Him, walked with Him, and realized by His signs and wonders that he indeed was "the Savior of the World." (1 Cor. 15:1-8)
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
750 years before Jesus birth, Isaiah the prophet set down these inspired words. Fulfilled in Jesus The Christ, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed a virgin girl named Mary, the One born to her would save His people from their sins. (Matt. 1:22-23)
For Jesus said "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”(Luke 7:22-23)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, (For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.. ..)
Ponder this for just a moment. Why is there anything when their should be nothing? Do you really believe all this just somehow happened without any creator? I would then say you have more faith than I. The Bible explains who created all things and the Bible details why the human race is in such a shambles.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. As David proclaimed in Psalm 51, " I was brought forth in wickedness and in sin my mother conceived me. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. We were born that way.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor 4:4)
Mankind (which includes all people) represented by our first parents Adam And Eve believed the lie. The serpent of old, the dragon, the devil that is satan himself said "Has God said you will die, if you eat from the tree in the middle of the garden? “You will not certainly die,” For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4-5)
And ever since mankind has believed that lie and wanted to be like God. To have it their way, so to speak. Or as the the song entoned, "I did it My Way..."
The fallen human nature is inclinced toward sin. It does not take long for a little baby to exhibit it's first bout of anger, jealousy, hatred and selfishness.
and without the guidence that God provides, humanity drifts off into unbridled debauchery, heathenism, and every sort of perversion.
God is very plain about who we are....Jesus The Christ said to the people "You being evil" and "you must be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect."
Jesus said "“What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23)
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:20-22)
Jesus The Christ himself said "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt 10:28)
Hell is a real place. God is love, yes, but God is Holy, Righteous and Just. Just is receiving the deserved punishment for the crime. It is justice ...it is God's judgement aganist sin. God can not lie. Nor can He change the nature of who He is. So God has provided a Way out of this perdictment of eternal punishment. His One and Only begotten Son.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atonement) for our sins.(1 John 4:10)
For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Heb. 9:22)
Eternity awaits. Where will you spend it?
Punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (2 Thess 1:7-10)
Or in the Kingdom of God, A new Heaven and a new earth, where all experience the effluence which is the joy of the Lord.
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-29 AMP)
Ponder that thought. And accept God's gift through the only name under heaven by which we can be saved. From the wrath of God to come, and to the joy that awaits all those who have confessed Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead.
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:“In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:1-2)
