I should now like to examine in more detail some of the scripture verses that I think reveal something about a Christian perspective on death, that is, the eternal perspective. There are two perspectives in life, one narrow and focused, the other broad and expansive. Each is appropriate in context, but one should never exclude the other. These perspectives are the temporal, focused on the present moment in which we are living, and the eternal, which includes the present moment in context of past and future, as well as the bigger picture of life beyond time. These perspectives are described by the apostle Paul,
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. (17) For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, (18) while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Paul first acknowledges the physical man in the time-cursed world. We have seen that the physical body passes inexorably through a continuous series of little deaths and births until its ultimate physical death and corruption. This series is analogous to fetal development in the womb preparing for the momentous and fearsome event of labor and delivery.
Paul acknowledges the progressive infirmity and decreptitude of the physical body in preparation for the moment of death, and reveals what comes next—“birth” into a larger life, eternal glory beyond all expectation possible from the present world’s perspective in time! Deteriorating physical eyes cannot prepare for such a glorious event; it must be “seen” with spiritual eyes and appropriated by trusting“things which are not seen” and which “are eternal.”
Such spiritual vision is hard for us, who are presently trapped in time. This world is the sum total of our experience, and is all that we have seen with physical eyes. In the blazing light and immensity of this present world, we have forgotten the darkness and limitations of the maternal womb. Therefore we must appropriate the “vision” of some reliable and authoritative witness to the eternal truth, so that we can “see” by faith. We commonly do this in our present existence, as we trust in parents, friends, experts and various other witnesses in this life for our knowledge and beliefs.
But the only authoritative human witness to the eternal is Jesus. He came from eternity to show us God and His eternal kingdom. And He died in this world to lead us back into His eternal Paradise.
“For God so loved the world, which He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment,but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24)
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
The essence of the above citations is that God truly loves all people in the world. Though hard for us to conceive, this divine love is not based on our worth as objects of His love, but on His divine nature and essence. “God Is Love!” (1 John 4:16) God’s love is His gift of Himself (Jesus) to us. Our knowledge of Jesus is true knowledge of God, and this true knowledge is Eternal Life! (John 17:3) We only have to believe what Jesus has told us.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. “And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus *said to him, “I am the way,and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me;otherwise believe because of the works themselves. (John 14:1-11)
It is that simple! All we have to do to receive eternal life is to know and believe the Holy One Who gives it! As we come to know Jesus, we come to know God and believe Him for eternal life, which begins here and now (John 5:24) and continues beyond our passage through the birth canal of death and casting off the physical body of this earthly habitation, just as the placenta is cast off after departure from the womb’s habitation.
1 Comment
Leave your reply.