I received the sad news, that a friend of mine past away in Germany. From what I know, it was a heart related issue. I have lost several family members and friends in the past couple of years, and whenever I hear of someones death, several thought go through my mind about death, eternity and the destination of people.
The first thought that went through my mind, when I learned of his death was, did he believe in Jesus as his Lord and Savior? From what I know, he was not a believer the last time I saw him. Neither was I until 2006. Growing up in Germany is pretty much being secular. People in Germany have lost touch with God. That saddens me quite a bit, knowing what I know now. There is however a remnant and many think that Germany will see a revival.
The second thought that went through my mind, was, what happened to him, after his death? What happened to his spirit after it left his physical body? Where did he go?
The word of God is pretty clear about what happens to people who are not saved by the blood of the lamb. They will be eternally separated from God. Something the Bible calls Hell. An eternity without the presence of God. That is not an easy thought, even as a believer in Jesus Christ.
Nobody wants to think that a friend or family member is in Hell, because they didn’t believe in Christ. But, that is what the word of God teaches, and I believe it. They have either rejected Christ or didn’t give any thought towards God. They lived a life without thanking God for all the blessings they received, even as unbelievers. The air that we breathe, the food and water and so many other things that sustain us throughout our lives. God created every one of us and we are wonderfully made.
As a believer, I believe in creation, in a God, Who created all things. I can’t adhere to the theory of evolution or people who believe that we are here by accident or natural selection. Darwin was wrong and people who follow his theory are misguided and deceived by his teachings. Darwin led many people astray from the belief in a Creator.
But, back to my friend. What happened to him, now that his spirit passed on into the spiritual realm? What if he did not believe in God and the finished work of Jesus on the cross? If he was not a believer, will he spent eternity in Hell? As I stated before, that is not an easy thought. I don’t want to think of my friends or family member, who did not believe, being in Hell.
I think that’s where many people who are not believers i.e Christians, take issue with. The say, how can a loving God, send people to Hell. What kind of cruel God is that?
Are you telling me that everybody that does not believe in Jesus goes to Hell? What about the Muslims, Hindus and people of other faith, they all go to Hell. That’s crazy.
To be honest, I don’t know how Hell feels or looks like, but I know that I don’t want to end up there. Neither do I want anyone else to end up there. God Himself does not want people to go to Hell. That gives me comfort and hope, to know that God will do anything, for people to come to know Him.
I believe that God will reveal Himself to people facing death. They may not have worshiped Him all their lives, but I truly believe that God will somehow show His love, maybe even in a split second before death arrives. I can’t prove it, but somehow it makes sense to me, knowing that God does not want anybody to perish, but have everlasting life. I believe that God reveled Himself to my friend and to my father, who died in 2005 and was not a believer.
God is a loving God and He has sent His Son to reconcile us to Him. God does not want people to end up in Hell. God does not send people to Hell, they send themselves to Hell, because of their unbelief. They either rejected God, or they just did not want to believe in Him. That is a choice that everyone has to make. He does not force Himself on anyone, but He is long-suffering and patient. He wants all to come to the knowledge of truth and in to His marvelous light.
That is what sets Christianity apart from many other religions. We as Christians believe in the true and living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Who send His only begotten Son, to die and shed His blood for us on the cross. Jesus is our propitiation, the passover lamb. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He laid down His life for us, forgiving us of our sins and giving those who believe by faith, eternal life.
The message of the cross is foolishness to many. They believe that all roads lead to God and that they can work out their own salvation, either by good works or religious practices. That is what I like to call, a fig leaf religion. Just as Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leafs to cover their nakedness, to hide their sins. God, however did not approve of that man-made idea and covered them in animal skins, signifying the first sacrifice and that blood was needed to cover their disobedience in the Garden.
God made only one way to be reconciled with Him, and that is through His Son, Jesus the Messiah, Who is a stumbling block to many. Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life. Something that many reject and do not believe. They believe that there are many ways besides Jesus. It is not me saying this, it was Jesus Who said it. People can either believe what Jesus said, or reject it and call Him a liar. That is a choice. I would highly recommend to learn about Jesus and seek Him. Eternity apart from God, is a very long time.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
“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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” John 3:16-20.
I hope and pray, that if you are not a believer to at least read about Jesus and what He has done for you. Start with the Gospel of John and read about Him, the only One that can truly save you and give you eternal life. Maranatha Lord Jesus.
https://media4lifeministries.com/2011/11/18/eternal-life/
https://media4lifeministries.com/2013/01/04/jesus-christ-our-propitiation/
https://media4lifeministries.com/2014/01/06/the-exclusive-club/
https://media4lifeministries.com/2013/07/29/i-am-the-way-the-truth-and-the-life/
Tag: Spiritual death
Why did God punish Adam and Eve?
God punished Adam and Eve because of disobedience. They disobeyed His word and the consequence of that disobedience caused separation from God and spiritual death. In Genesis 1 God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth.
“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen 1:28
God in the beginning created everything perfect and everything was good, He walked daily with Adam and there was a communion and fellowship in the garden. God in Genesis 2 told Adam: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Gen 2:16, 17
God said this to Adam before Eve was created and in Genesis 3 we read how Satan deceived Eve by twisting and questioning the word of God:
“Now the serpent (Satan) was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; “but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Gen 3:1-5
Satan questioned and twisted the words of God, given to Adam and he lied to Eve by saying that they will surely not die. After Eve gave of the fruit to Adam, they did not die physically but they died spiritually. Though this one act of disobedience sin entered the world and sin brought forth death i.e. spiritual death, a spiritual separation from God. Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin by clothing themselves with fig leaves, which God did not accept, He clothed them with animal skins which signified that God instituted animal sacrifices and that blood was required to atone for sin. Adam and Eve fell for the lie and believed Satan rather than God and thus they forfeited the dominion over the earth to Satan. The Bible calls Satan the ruler of this world. “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” John 12:31
Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, and had to labor and experience hardship, and later in Genesis we read about the results of sin i.e. Cain killing Abel and mankind became separated and increasingly wicked, which ultimately resulted in the judgment of mankind by God causing the earth to be flooded with water.
The disobedience of Adam and Eve also illustrates that God created man with a free will to choose, He did not create them as robots, He wants a genuine relationship with man who comes from the heart and not an artificial mechanical relationship that has no meaning. God looks at the heart of man and not on the outside appearances as mankind does. God declares in Jeremiah: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jer 17:9
Sin has caused mankind to be separated from God and God required blood to atone for their sins i.e. animal sacrifices. The blood of certain animals was the only way to cover the sins of the people in OT times. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Lev 17:11
Throughout the OT times people had to sacrifice animals until God gave His only son to shed His blood for mankind once and for all. Jesus was the perfect and unblemished sacrifice that was able to take away the sin of the world for all of those who would believe in Him through faith. Mankind cannot cover their sins on their own merit, we must come through Jesus who the only way to be reconciled to God the Father. “For as by one man’s disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience (Jesus) many will be made righteous.” Rom 5:19
God is a just and righteous God and thus He cannot let sin go unpunished, light cannot dwell with darkness. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” Jhn 1:5
God provided a sacrifice as He had promised to Abraham when he was tested to offer up his only son Isaac on Mount Moriah which is the same place were Jesus 2000 years later would give His life for us on Calvary’s cross.
“Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Gen 22:2
“But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.” Gen 22:7, 8
“And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Gen 22:14
This promise God kept and fulfilled in giving His only son for us on the same mountain that Abraham was asked to offer Isaac. Sin has separated us, but we can be reconciled, forgiven and be born again spiritually through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us.
“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.” Jhn 3:16
Media 4 Life Ministries 
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