life after death?

                                                     

The book of Job asks a question about life after death: "If a man dies, will he live again?" (Job 14:14). This question is as easy as asking; Equally difficult is finding someone to answer the question with authority and experience.

 

Jesus Christ is the only one who can speak with real authority (and experience) about things related to the afterlife. The only authority He has to speak of heaven is that He came from there: "No one has ascended into heaven except He who came down from heaven—the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John 3:13). The Lord Jesus, with His first experience in heaven, presents to us three fundamental truths about life after death:

1. There exists a life after death.

2. When a person dies, he can only go to one of two possible destinations.

3. There is a way to ensure a positive experience after death.

 

First, Christ confirms several times that there is life after death. For example, in a meeting with the Sadducees, who refused to accept the doctrine of the resurrection, Jesus said, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead—have you read the story of the bush in the book of Moses? Have you not read that God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead but of the living; therefore you are greatly mistaken! "(Mark 12 :26-27). According to Jesus, people who had died centuries ago were now very well alive with God.

 

In another passage, Jesus consoles his disciples (and us) by telling them about life after death. They can look forward to being with him in heaven: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; have faith in God and have faith in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would tell you For I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am, you may also be." (John 14:1-3).

 

Jesus also spoke authoritatively about two different destinations awaiting those in the afterlife. In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus says, "And it came to pass that the poor man died, and the angels carried him into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried, and in hell he saw his tormentors." Lifted up their eyes, and saw Lazarus afar off in Abraham's bosom." (Luke 16:22-23). Note, there is no intermediate state for those who die; They go straight to their eternal destination. Jesus taught further about the different destinations of the righteous and the wicked in Matthew 25:46 and John 5:25-29.

 

Jesus also emphasized that what determines a person's eternal destiny is whether or not a person believes in God's only-begotten Son. The necessity of faith is made clear: "Whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Have life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world through him might be saved. There is no condemnation to anyone who believes in him, but whoever believes in him He is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:15-18).

 

Those who repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior will have eternity in the afterlife to enjoy God. For those who reject Christ, life after death will be very different. Jesus described their destination as "being thrown into darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12). As the heaven-sent authority on the afterlife, Jesus warns us to choose our destination wisely: “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and straight is the way that leads to destruction. and there are many who enter in by it. For narrow is the gate and hard is the way that leads to life; and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

Today “I have only two questions to ask. One, has anyone ever defeated death? Two, has he paved the way for me to do so?" Answer to both questions is "yes." One man has defeated both and provided a way for everyone who, like him, puts their faith in him to overcome it. Anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ need not fear death, and we can rejoice in God's salvation: "When this perishable has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then the word that What is written will be fulfilled:

'Jai swallowed death.'

'O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?'" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

 

 

 

 

 

Brotherly yours

Ramesh C Koundal

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