WE WILL SURVIVE DEATH
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Ons sal die dood oorlewe”
The immense thought that strikes me every time I read this passage is this –
We're going to survive death.
LUKE 16:22-26
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
I will certainly go into death but I will surely go out of death as well, to put it that way.
Every living person can be absolutely sure of one thing – we will survive death.
You're going to close your eyes to this side of the grave for the last time one day, (or someone's going to do it for you) – and you're going to open your eyes on the other side of the grave – (it does not matter in which way you are buried or whether you are buried at all.)
When you open your eyes on the other side of the grave, it will either be in Hell, or it will be in Heaven.
Why then do people end up in hell even before they are judged?
I see it this way:
If someone is caught red-handed breaking the law, the person is arrested and put in jail until his or her case is heard and then he/she is sentenced.
Because God know everything about me, He also know (as if I’m caught red handed) if I step out of this life, whether I have repented and gave my heart and life to Jesus – or not. Then I go to hell / jail and wait for my sentence.
The moment I breathe out my breath for the last time on earth, my future is irrevocably forever destined and I and I alone is the one that determined that future.
I always put it this way:
Our loving Lord want all people to go to Heaven, therefore He allowed His Son to be killed. Yet most people go to hell.
Decisions I make here on earth determine where I will spend eternity.
I cannot buy or earn a place in Heaven for myself but I can and will make a decision here on earth, which will determine where I will spend eternity.
I decide here on earth, that I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, or I decide here on earth, that I will not do it – and through this decision I make and perform, I define where I will spend eternity.
I, and I alone decide here on earth; if I am going to follow Jesus until the end – or I decide to not follow Him anymore – but the decision I take, (because I am not a puppet/robot), determines where I will spend eternity.
JOHN 1:12-13
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
JOHN 3:18-19
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
If you cut to the bone what I am now sharing with you, it works like this:
My place in Heaven was reserved by Jesus on Calvary – but by decisions I make here on earth, I choose whether I will take my place or not.
By far the most important decision I ever made in my life was when I decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, because through that decision I determined where I was going to spend the Hereafter!
We must also remember that not deciding is in fact already a decision.
It is Jesus who speak here:
MAT 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
I must not think that I can just say that I accept Jesus, just so that I can escape hell.
Believe me, there are many people today, who serve the Lord not because they love God, but because they are very afraid of hell and just do not want to end up in hell.
There are even people who serve the Lord just so they can end up in Heaven because they understand it is such a nice place.
With great respect said, but I have to put it strongly so you can see the folly of some people for what it is – God is not an idiot.
God is almighty and He can see in you and my heart and He say:
MAT 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
If anyone asks me the question:
What is God's will? In other words; What is God’s – let's call it His main will from which all flow that God expect of us?
JOHN 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Only when I truly accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of my heart and life, I can find God's will statured in my life. Only then can I truly love God in sincerity and worship Him in sincerity.
It is Jesus who speak here:
JOHN 4:23-26
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things."
26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
How wonderful! God revealed this wonderful truth to you and me!
In ecstasy I rejoice with Paul when I think of it, that God has also chosen me to know this truth and that I can be a part of it.
ROM 11:33-36 Give glory to God!
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
More writings regarding this subject which you can freely request or read on my website are:
“What happens to me after the grave?”
“What happens to us during judgement on that great day?”
“We will continue living”
Greetings,
Sakkie