Month: December 2008

The Eternal Question

A question that seems to come up in all of our lives, no matter where we are from and what background we have.  What happens when we die?  It is a question that plagues many of us.  In many peoples lives there is a deep fear of death and dying, and I feel much of this is caused by an uncertainty of our eternal destiny.  What will happen to me when I die?  Not many people can answer this with much certainty.  And those who can are often written off as radicals and fanatics.  And yet I believe it is a question that requires an answer, and many religions try to give and answer.  Some just try to write the whole subject off and say nothing happens.  You just cease to exist.  There are many answers to this question, and a lot more uncertainty regarding this question.

Just recently I was again confronted with this question.  In the two weeks in my home province there have been 7 unexpected deaths.  One family of 5, including a pair of 6 year old twins died in a house fire.  I imagine the only thing on their minds was Christmas and the coming holiday celebrations.  Just a few days later a 7 year old girl died in another house fire.  And again within a day or two a 45 year old man, walking down the street was struck by a falling sign that was hit by a car.  He died instantly, and all he was thinking about I guess was what he was going to get his wife and family for gifts.  I don’t imagine anyone was contemplating eternity.

Not one of us thinks that we will die early.  Everyone has a “won’t happen to me” attitude as we walk through life.  And yet death can grab us unexpectedly at any time.  And yet we play out our lives and never consider what will  happen to us when we die.  Not one of us can determine the day we will die.  And the only time we have to answer this question is while we are alive.  After we die it is to late.

My bible states that I can know with absolute certainty what my eternal destiny is, and can live with absolute confidence that I am secure in what will happen to me, and not have to live in fear of dying.  1John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”  I can know my destiny and answer the eternal question.  Ephesians  1:13-14″In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

I know without a doubt  what will happen to me and I am secure in that knowledge.  And would love to know that all people have the same security.

A need for each other

Have you ever looked at the church today and wondered why people do not seem to be living up to the standards set in the bible?

I have looked at my life and the lives of others around me and have wondered this.  And I have been confronted recently with an insight that I think we can all benefit from.  When I look at the lives of people around me I am confronted by a fierce independence that we all seem to be proud of.  Myself included.  Our society has propagated the lone ranger mentality that you ride off into the sunset  after accomplishing some impossible thing, and the whole time you are functioning mostly alone.  We don’t seem to need anyone and if we do it is seen as a weakness and not a strength.  And yet scripture is full of truth that says we need each other.  There are 36 one another’s in scripture.  Some are

Be Devoted to One Another
Accept One Another
Bear With One Another
Forgive One Another
Honor One Another
Live in Harmony with One Another
Greet One Another
Serve One Another
Submit to One Another
Stop Judging One Another
Encourage One Another
Offer Hospitality to One Another
Be Humble Towards One Another

…and most importantly… LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Our ability to live a Christian life is determined by our ability to lean on and rely on one another.  There are no lone rangers in the Christian faith.   One verse in particular commands us to seek out a local church and become a member. Hebrews 10:25, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some.

Our Christian life is all about relationship.  Our first and primary relationship is with our Saviour Jesus Christ.  John 3:16 says “The gift of God is eternal Life…”  we all know the verse, but John 17:3 says “This is eternal life..”,  the bible defines eternal life for us, “… That you may know God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.”   The word know is the same word know that Joseph did not know Mary until Jesus was born.  It entails intimacy and relationship.  The Christian faith is a love relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent, empowered by the Holy Spirit, as we cannot live this life without Him, and lived out in long-term committed relationships with other believers.  My pastor shares this truth all the time and it is one I love.  But yet we miss out on the long-term committed relationships.  We have difficulty letting go of our independence and living in relationships.  Something that leaves us very limited and unable to live the lives that God intends.   James 5:16 says “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be cured.”  Those things in our lives that we are having difficulty overcoming can only be dealt with as we learn to lean first on Jesus, and then upon one another.  Until we discover how to I don’t think we will ever become all that we can be.