In Sunday School this week we talked about 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. One of the phrases in this is the following, "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep . . . " It seems odd to say that someone who is dead is simply asleep. This is what Jesus does in Mark 5:39. Jesus says in John 11:26 that everyone who believes in Him will never die. So what does this all mean.
I think that it is important for us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to realize an important truth - we have been given eternal life. Not we will receive eternal life when we die, but we have eternal life in Christ Jesus. That means that life I presently live is eternal life. So when my time is up on this mortal life, I will immediately find myself very much alive in the presence of Christ my Savior.
This also means that our loved ones and friends who die in Christ also are still alive. We may grieve their absence from us, but we know that because Jesus lives, they live, and because Jesus lives, we live and we can have the hope of knowing that we who believe will ALL be with Jesus together some day. What a glorious hope we have in Christ. Death in this world is not an end, nor is it (as it is often described) a beginning in the truest sense. It is instead a continuation of that which we have in Christ. How glorious that we can live without the confines and presence of sin. How glorious that we can continue in the presence of Christ now and for eternity. How glorious that we can now live a life free from the sting of death because of the victory offered to us freely as a gift in Christ Jesus.
One word of caution. If you do not know Christ as Lord and Savior this freedom and eternal life is not yours. In its place you have eternal death and separation from God to look forward to. And given the choice, I would choose life and therefore choose Christ. Would you consider your choice today?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.