Skip to main content

Who Knows What Happens When You Die? (Pt 2)

Even though there are many who have seen firsthand what it looks like 'beyond death's door", none of them could be considered “the expert".

If you were to assemble all the greatest philosophers, writers, commanders, scientist, and leaders of history- only one would stand out as the foremost authority on matters of life and death…Jesus Christ. 

 He did something no other in history has done.
Jesus Christ is the only person to have been resurrected to new life.  Historical evidence confirms that he clinically died, lay in a cave-like tomb for three days, and came back to life; not just in a resuscitated form, but in a new resurrected form. Admittedly, others have been raised from the dead; Jesus raised Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, and the woman from Nain’s only son. Elijah raised the son of the widow, and Elisha raised the son of the Sunammite woman. In each of these miraculous cases, the person raised eventually died.  Jesus was raised to new life.

 No one has traveled beyond the grave in the way Jesus Christ did. 
After his resurrection he remained around Jerusalem for forty days, seen by over 500:

 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living." (NIV)

 What did Jesus say about the afterlife?
Jesus had more to say about heaven and hell than any other topic.  Not surprising when you consider the importance of this topic to each of us.

 Jesus clearly tells us how to get to heaven:
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (NIV)

 It’s simple faith in Christ, trusting Him, which gains us a place in heaven.   When Jesus talks about belief, it’s not only mental agreement; it means deep abiding trust- “leaning or depending on”.

 Jesus’ death on the cross accomplishes the forgiveness of sin and earns us the privilege of heaven:

  • Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NIV)
  • Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV)

Does God get any satisfaction from seeing people in hell?
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (NIV)

 The Bible strongly states how much God prefers for each of us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. If you have any doubts about where you will go when you die, why not settle it right now.  Jesus said, it's simply a matter of placing your trust and faith in Him.

 You can express your faith in a simple prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I need you.  I know that I have sinned and that I need your forgiveness.  Thank-you for dying on the cross for me.  I now receive you as my Savior and Lord.  Take control of my life.  Thank-you for giving me the free gift of eternal life.  Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Asleep or Awake?

  When you think about it, sleep is a very strange thing.   We’ve been doing it since we were born, and studies show infants sleep even in the womb.    They say you will spend a third of your life in this state.   As I get older, I find myself sleeping more.   When possible, I like a short nap after lunch, although these short naps seem to be getting longer all the time.   But consider for a minute the state of sleep: We are removed from the day-to-day realities. We may have dreams that take us on exciting or scary adventures. We are in a state of vulnerability. (A thief could break in and steal). We do not have full control of our faculties. (People sometimes hurt themselves while sleepwalking ). The Bible often uses sleeping as a metaphor for spiritual sluggishness.   We are admonished to "wake up".   Here are few of the most notable examples: “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who...
5 comments
Read more

Fear of Man

Throughout the Bible the fear of man is often contrasted with the fear of God .  When it speaks of the fear of God, it is not referring to a sinister dread, but rather an awesome honor and respect. And there are great blessings associated with a proper fear of God… The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10) The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. (Proverbs 19:23) Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it. (Proverbs 15:16)  And Jesus is our perfect example.  In John 8:28-29 Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” Throughout His earthly life Jesus lived in perfect harmony a...
5 comments
Read more

The Fear Power Gospel

  We live in a world where we often feel vulnerable. There are earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides, etc. As children were often scared of spiders, snakes, and large dogs.   There is much in our physical world to be afraid of.   But beyond the physical world, there is also the world of men.   We may experience the fear of rejection or the fear of failure . If we’ve lost a loved one, we may develop the fear of abandonment . In other words, we often feel powerless and vulnerable in this world. Fortunately, we don’t feel this way all the time. Unfortunately, we do feel fear more often than we would like. You may be interested to know that this was not the original design. God intended for humans to live in close fellowship with him, always feeling his protection and his love. We were to live in a world that was safe- in a world where we had control over the forces around us. But unfortunately, man decided to go his own way, and when he rebelled agains...
1 comment
Read more