If a man dies, will he live again?
Is there
life after death?
puricarefiles
There are many people
who do not bother about death, believing that when they die they will undergo
an endless sleep.
So they live to enjoy all the pleasures in life, trying and doing everything that can bring them temporal happiness. They are convinced that human beings are nothing more than an intricate composition of atoms, which at death simply disintegrate, the body having lived out its usefulness.
They have convinced
themselves not to fear the unknown and would depart from this life with minimum
pain and suffering if possible.
They do their best to leave a legacy that their
name may be honored and their lives revered as exemplary models of humanity.
The ancient Biblical character Job
asks the question about life after death very simply :
“14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my service I would wait,
till my renewal should come.” (Job 14:14) English Standard
Version (ESV)
But who can answer Job’s question with
authority?
Who has tread the way into death’s chambers and made a
guaranteed exit for others who would follow?
Death was feared in all times, in
all cultures. During Job’s time, death was called the “king of terrors.”
“14 He is torn from the tent in which
he trusted
and is brought to the king of terrors.” (Job 18:14) (ESV)
During his trip to Athens, the
apostle Paul was addressing a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus:
“30 The
times of ignorance God
overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because
he has fixed a day on which he
will judge the world in
righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about
this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom
also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others
with them.” (Acts 17:30-34) (ESV)
They had been bathed in their
teacher’s philosophy and likely knew well the statement made by Apollos the
Epicurean, who said during the founding of the Areopagus, “When the dust has soaked up a person’s blood, once he is dead, there
is no resurrection."
Those philosophers have been convinced that there
is no life after death.
But Jesus has gone through death, went to heaven, and came back to tell us what to expect. He alone possesses the knowledge and authority to tell everyone the truth about the afterlife.
. The Expert on the Afterlife
But Jesus has gone through death, went to heaven, and came back to tell us what to expect. He alone possesses the knowledge and authority to tell everyone the truth about the afterlife.
. The Expert on the Afterlife
No credible studies have disputed
the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. He was put to death by
crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. Jesus went through death to the other side
and returned in complete victory.
.
His resurrection has earned Jesus as being the sole authority and qualified witness to answer the question, “Is there life after death?”
.
His resurrection has earned Jesus as being the sole authority and qualified witness to answer the question, “Is there life after death?”
What is Jesus’ message regarding
the afterlife?
- There is life after death and there
are two different eternal destinies;
- There is a way to attain a glorious destiny in heaven
with God
- There is a way to attain a glorious destiny in heaven
While on earth, Jesus has taught
that there is an afterlife in a number of biblical passages.
In an encounter with the
Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, Christ rebuked them by saying,
“26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how
God spoke to him, saying,‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You
are quite wrong.” (Mark
12:26-27) (ESV)
Jesus was telling them that those God’s
people who had died centuries before were very much alive with God at that very
moment.
.
In another passage, Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them that they can look forward to being with Him in heaven:
.
In another passage, Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them that they can look forward to being with Him in heaven:
“14 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house
are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a
place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may
be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am
going.” (John 14:1-4) (ESV)
The Two Eternal Destinies After Death
In Luke’s account of the rich man
and Lazarus, Jesus says,
“22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also
died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in
torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.”
(Luke 16:22-23)
(ESV)
Jesus spoke authoritatively about
what destiny awaits every one who dies: one with God and the other one without
God.
The other aspect of the story is
that there is no intermediate state for those who die - they go directly to
their individual eternal destinies. The writer of Hebrews says, “It is appointed for men to die once and
after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). (ESV)
Jesus speaks about the two final destinies again when
He is confronted by the religious leaders in the book of John:
“25 Truly, truly, I say to
you, an hour is coming, and is
now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who
hear will live. 26 For as the Father has
life in himself, so he
has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute
judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this,
for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of
judgment.” (John 5:25-29) (ESV)
Again, Jesus gave a brief statement regarding the two destinies:
“46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
(ESV)
After Death What? How Do We Choose
Our Eternal Destiny?
The gospel of John contains many promises
by Jesus on regarding life after death. Let us consider one of them:
“14 And as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever
believes in him may have eternal
life.
16 “For God so loved the world,that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life. 17 ForGod did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes
in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the
name of the only Son of God.”(John
3:14-18)
(ESV)
Jesus’ own statements regarding
the two eternal destinies are pictured here. The love of God the Father
provided for the salvation of those who would accept His Son, Jesus by dying on
the cross to pay for their sins. For those who repent and receive Christ as
their Savior and Lord, the afterlife will consist of a glorious eternity in
heaven with God.
Jesus contrasts these two
destinies His Sermon on the Mount: “13Enter by the narrow
gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those
who enter by it are many.14 For the gate is
narrow and the
way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
(Matthew 7:13-14). (ESV)
.
Conclusion
.
Conclusion
If there is life after death Who
has ever defied death and lived again? If He has conquered death as He said is
it possible that He provided a way for me to do it also?
“Yes.” One Person has both
defeated death and provided a way for all who put their trust in Him to
overcome death as well. His Name is Jesus.
No one who trusts in Him needs to
be afraid.
Rejoicing in this promise, the
Apostle Paul wrote,
“54 When
the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death
is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55) (ESV)
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55) (ESV)
Are you struggling
with a big decision or wondering how your eternal future will play out?
Why not talk to the
God of the universe and let Him work in your behalf?
He says, “I will instruct you and teach you the way
you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask God to show you
what to do. Pray the following prayer:
“Heavenly
Father,
I admit that I
am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You. I now want to turn away
from my past sinful life and begin a new life with You.
Please forgive
me. I now receive your Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I
believe and confess that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose
from the dead.
I want to
receive all that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says,
‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).
I believe and
confess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes
unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I
pray and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You
that you have given me eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am born
again.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit that is in me now. I
surrender my life to You. . I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.
Use me for Your
glory.
In Jesus Name.
Amen.”
Related Posts:
“LORD I LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH”
lyrics
Lord I lift Your name on high
Lord I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us
Lord I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us
You came from heaven to earth
(To show the way)
(To show the way)
From the earth to the cross
(My debt to pay)
(My debt to pay)
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high
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