Warm hellos friends, brethren, co-workers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God, from here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you all doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
Most all of us living in the U.S. and many other countries have our eyes currently fixed on what has been happening with Russia and the Ukraine. Volatile and strained times as this jolt us to the reality of what humans are capable of and willing to do. Its course in history repeats itself over and over.
One of the question that arises, is how much human life will be lost? Another is, what will happen to those that die in the situation at hand?
Over the past few weeks in our weekly Bible Basics online interactive study, we’ve been talking about “Mankind’s Purpose”.
Over the last couple of years many we serve here in the United States as well as in Spanish speaking countries have suffered serious health challenges and some have died.
When we have health challenges, we generally still try to hold on to life and anticipate more of life’s experiences. There comes a time however, when a person has experienced chronic severe health problems to the extent that he or she is forced to anticipate his or her death and the end of life.
With these things in mind, let’s review what the Scriptures tell us about human life and what happens at death.
Various cultures have had their ideas about the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed in a life after death, called “the afterlife”. They had their favorite possessions and practical objects buried with them for later use in the afterlife.
Ancient Greeks believed in the idea of an immortal soul or non-physical essence that lived on after death. These ancient Greeks believed that the souls of most dead persons led a shadowy existence in the underworld, called Hades.
Hindus and Buddhists believe that the nonphysical part of a person is reincarnated or reborn in different forms. The list goes on.
What’s the source of truth about man and his destiny? The only real source of truth is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures.
Jesus proclaimed, “Your [God’s] word is truth.” (John 17:17) The apostle Paul referred to the “word of truth” and importance of Scripture for defining doctrine. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Scriptures specifically speak to the origin of human life. Yet some prefer to accept what ancient Egyptian and Greek philosophers have invented and concocted. This world is filled with erroneous ideas and opinions of “what happens after death?”
We are told in the opening chapters of God’s revelation to mankind: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) Elohim instructed Adam and Eve and also warned them about sin and disobedience to God’s instruction. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. {thou shalt surely die: Heb. dying thou shalt die” (Genesis 2:17 KJV)
Here’s what many, even today do not want to believe or accept. Mankind was not made to live forever as a physical being.
What?! You might ask. Yes, all men and women will eventually die. The apostle Paul states: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
All human beings are destined to die because of the limitations of human life, the human life span, and the application of the laws of thermodynamics. Genesis 2:17 then refers to the normal death that befalls all human beings and also refers to the death that is brought upon one because of sin and disobedience to God’s laws and instructions.
The apostle Paul stated, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) This death that sin brings is the “second death” or eternal death which is contrasted with eternal life.
The famous and well known verse of John 3:16 presents two destinies – either perishing or having eternal life. That is why this penalty for sin is so serious and required the death of an eternal God being to pay the penalty.
The apostle John powerfully proclaimed: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2) It was this God (the Word) who became flesh! (John 1:14) The apostle Paul affirmed the God-level pre-existence of Jesus of Nazareth. “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped“(Philippians 2:6 RSV). Paul goes on to explain the reason why the Word became a fleshly human being. “And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (v.8)
The apostle John explains the mechanism for the forgiveness and cleansing of our sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. . . and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:9, 7)
Jesus was without sin and fulfilled the symbolism of the unblemished Passover lamb. The apostle Peter expounded on this, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) The apostle Paul refers to the death of Jesus for the sins of all mankind. “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all” (Romans 6:10) He also informs us that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3).
I know, a lot to digest…but as we begin, and seek God’s truth from His scriptures, we’ll find facts, and encouragement that this present world definitely doesn’t offer. We’ll continue this next time and examine the other Scriptures that define who man is and whether there is a spirit component to man’s identity…
Arms up friends! Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Please do pray for us as well.
