Musick-al note # 80
What is the most important thing that you to do in life? Many things are important and the order we live our lives shows what we think is most important. What worth is our work, labor, energy, time to produce these things? A few years of pleasure? Is this all there is to life? What happens after we die? Is there life after death or nothing after death? Many live as though death ends it all, but within all men, there is a yearning or hope that there is more. What does the Bible teach about this?
The Bible begins with God creating the universe with the world and everything within it. His existence is outside the boundary of our universe, thus it is impossible for man to examine, prove or negate His existence, intelligence, power or abilities. To assume that this universe came into existence without an intelligent thought or force in its making is simply futile thinking. Man came into being when God formed him, breathed life into him and he became a living soul in God’s own likeness. God gave man the ability to think, reason, love, develop many things and even desire life after death. God gave man free-will to choose the course of his life, how he will live but each one will give an account to Him (Hebrews9:27, Romans 14:11-12).
Is it any wonder than that God said to Moses, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Genesis 3:6). Jesus spoke of this in answering the Sadducees and added, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). Moses knew they were all dead and buried but God said “they are living!” Life is beyond the grave! Jesus taught more concerning that ‘life’ beyond life here in his teaching of ‘the rich man and Lazarus’. Both men died but the rich man was in torment while Lazarus was taken to Abraham’s side. Between the two lay a great gulf that could not be crossed. The rich man begged for help even a drop of water from Lazarus finger. When the rich man knew nothing could be done for him, he asked that Lazarus be sent to his family to warn his five brothers so they would not come to the place of torment. Abraham reminded the rich man that Moses and the Prophets were to be heeded. The rich man begged for someone from the dead to go to them so they would repent. Abraham replied that if they do not listen to the written Word, they would not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead (Luke 16:19-31).
The lesson is extremely clear. There is life beyond the grave. However there are two locales in that region. One is wonderful but the other is chillingly dreadful. The New Testament is abundantly clear that the way each individual lives determines that person’s destiny after they die. It is also abundantly clear that God wants no person to miss heaven (2 Peter 3:9). He sent Jesus into the world that those who believe and obey Him would come to Him after this life is over (Matthew 7:21-27, John 3:16-21, 8:12, 10:9-10, Hebrews 5:9, Revelation 22:18-19). The choice is ours. Either follow Christ Jesus to life (Acts 4:12) or be forever lost (John 14:6).
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 