Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thoughts on Life, Death and Eternity
Proverbs 24:11-12 "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?"
If you have read many entries of my blog, you probably know that I often "preach" to those who go by the name "Christian". I want preface this particular blog by saying that I preach to myself first and foremost. It has been a while since I've had an entry. It's spring, which has proven to be as busy a time of year as the Christmas season -- if not more so! In my busyness, these verses should cause me to stop dead in my tracks and evaluate...
Do I do everything I can to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain? Well, of course, if I saw someone in danger of dying, I would absolutely do anything in my power to rescue them! Wouldn't you? I would have to have a pretty severed conscience to stand idly by and watch another human die!
Reality check... I do have a severed conscience. I do come across dying people every day when I step out of my home. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. That means anyone who has ever broken God's law is being "drawn unto death" and are "ready to be slain". Romans 3:23 clearly states that all have sinned, and I think the truth of this verse is pretty evident! Man's struggle with sin is obvious even to my six-year-old, who made this statement not too long ago, "Mom, I just don't understand it. I asked Jesus to come into my heart, but I still keep sinning...." (Romans 7!) From birth until physical death, we struggle with sin. It is, unfortunately, human nature ever since Adam and Eve exercised their free will to disobey God.
What about that death? Don't we all die anyway? The death referenced in Romans 6:23, is far worse than any physical death. It is a spiritual death. It is eternal separation from our Creator God. I'm talking about being apart from the One Being who loves us more than mere mortals can comprehend. I'm speaking of the difference between an eternity with purpose, power and peace and an eternity in the tormenting darkness of fiery hell. Yes, I believe in heaven and hell. The Bible references hell (Hades) even more often than it references heaven. They are both very real and both very eternal states of existence.
According to these verses in Proverbs, the One who keeps my soul from hell, the One in whom I have trusted and who I claim is Lord of my life, considers (discerns, understands), the fact that I do not deliver those that are drawn unto death. He not only considers it, he gives back to me according to my works. My eternal destiny is fixed. I have trusted in the blood of Jesus as the payment for the penalty I deserve for my own sins (death). However, there is still much to be gained or lost in my eternal existence. I Corinthians 3:11-15 says, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
So, I have to ask myself this question. In all my busyness, in all the works that I work every day, how much of that will withstand the test of eternity? How many of my efforts are geared toward rescuing my fellow man from spiritual death? Am I so self-focused that I am satisfied with knowing my soul is being safely kept? If I really believe the Bible is true, why doesn't this truth drive my actions? Consider, confess, change...
If you have read many entries of my blog, you probably know that I often "preach" to those who go by the name "Christian". I want preface this particular blog by saying that I preach to myself first and foremost. It has been a while since I've had an entry. It's spring, which has proven to be as busy a time of year as the Christmas season -- if not more so! In my busyness, these verses should cause me to stop dead in my tracks and evaluate...
Do I do everything I can to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain? Well, of course, if I saw someone in danger of dying, I would absolutely do anything in my power to rescue them! Wouldn't you? I would have to have a pretty severed conscience to stand idly by and watch another human die!
Reality check... I do have a severed conscience. I do come across dying people every day when I step out of my home. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. That means anyone who has ever broken God's law is being "drawn unto death" and are "ready to be slain". Romans 3:23 clearly states that all have sinned, and I think the truth of this verse is pretty evident! Man's struggle with sin is obvious even to my six-year-old, who made this statement not too long ago, "Mom, I just don't understand it. I asked Jesus to come into my heart, but I still keep sinning...." (Romans 7!) From birth until physical death, we struggle with sin. It is, unfortunately, human nature ever since Adam and Eve exercised their free will to disobey God.
What about that death? Don't we all die anyway? The death referenced in Romans 6:23, is far worse than any physical death. It is a spiritual death. It is eternal separation from our Creator God. I'm talking about being apart from the One Being who loves us more than mere mortals can comprehend. I'm speaking of the difference between an eternity with purpose, power and peace and an eternity in the tormenting darkness of fiery hell. Yes, I believe in heaven and hell. The Bible references hell (Hades) even more often than it references heaven. They are both very real and both very eternal states of existence.
According to these verses in Proverbs, the One who keeps my soul from hell, the One in whom I have trusted and who I claim is Lord of my life, considers (discerns, understands), the fact that I do not deliver those that are drawn unto death. He not only considers it, he gives back to me according to my works. My eternal destiny is fixed. I have trusted in the blood of Jesus as the payment for the penalty I deserve for my own sins (death). However, there is still much to be gained or lost in my eternal existence. I Corinthians 3:11-15 says, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
So, I have to ask myself this question. In all my busyness, in all the works that I work every day, how much of that will withstand the test of eternity? How many of my efforts are geared toward rescuing my fellow man from spiritual death? Am I so self-focused that I am satisfied with knowing my soul is being safely kept? If I really believe the Bible is true, why doesn't this truth drive my actions? Consider, confess, change...
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