EVERLASTING LIFE BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE GRAVE
Yahweh’s House of God Oakland California
Everyone needs to know that life has purpose, that death isnít the end of our existence. One of the most compelling reasons for living a righteous life is the promise of everlasting life. Death is a reality that we cannot avoid. Sooner or later it will rise from the deep and touch every home. It befalls all men alike, great or small, old and young. It is no respecter of persons. If such be the case, if we have hope in this life only, let us eat drink and make merry for tomorrow we die. However, the promise of everlasting life through our Lord Savior Jesus Christ gives purpose to the life of each believer.
Both Old and New Testaments combine in consistently teaching this doctrine. There is, however, much confusion rampant today regarding what happens to us after we die. We pray that our apologetics is not another dump of theological rubbish. It is our desire to reaffirm what the Bible teaches, that is man can attain unto life everlasting. We believe this doctrine is consistent from Genesis to Revelation. We also believe that now is the hour of our salvation, not in the grave, or place of the dead, or purgatory or any other creation of our imagination.
Everlasting life is the gift of God to righteous believers (Ps. 69:28; Rm. 6:23; Eph. 2:8), but like many of Godís promises it comes with stipulation, i.e. if you will I will. Although I think it foolish to explain why a gift can be conditional or unconditional let me give an example of each. ìDad can I have that old car of yours?î ìWhen you show some responsibility you can have it.î (This is conditional) - ìDad I need fifty bucks!î ìHere son have a good time.î (This is Unconditional). It is Godís love for man that is unconditional, (Jn. 3:16; Rm. 5:8; 1 Jn. 4:9). God asked nothing of man in exchange for the death of his son. It was because of Godís love for man, he gave his son the perfect sacrifice for sin. However, eternal life is an inheritance, i.e. a gift with conditions. It is the inheritance of those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
Not only must one believe on the Lord and Savior Jesus, there are clearly things we must do to inherit life eternal. Letís look at a few.
And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Mt. 19:16)
And Jesus said unto him, there is nothing for you to do. There is no good thing you can do you would be working for salvation if you did something. I did it all just confess your sins and receive me as your savior and you shall have life eternal. Wrong! Thatís not Jesus answer thatís some manís answer.
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. (Mt. 19:17) ñ THATíS JESUS ANSWER.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, just like I told the other fellow there is nothing you can do. How many times must I repeat myself, how many times must I tell you folks? Just except me in your heart and confess. Wrong again! Thatís not Jesus answer thatís some manís answer.
He said unto him, what is written in the law? How readest thou? (Lk.10:26) ñ THATíS JESUS ANSWER.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Lk. 10:27)
And he said unto him, no thatís wrong: you donít have to do a thing, thatís legalistic. Thatís not Jesus answer thatís some manís answer.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live. THATíS JESUS ANSWER (Period! No babble, No rubbish, No explaining, Period!).
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (Eph. 5:5 & 6)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Gal. 6:7 & 8)
A final word on this Jesus speaks one more time on the subject of what we should do.
And why call ye me , Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say? (Lk. 6:46)
In summation there are conditions we must met in order to receive everlasting life and they must be met while we are alive. Consider this, there is no second chance from the grave.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. (Job 7:9 & 10)
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give the thanks? (Ps. 6:5)
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. (Ps.104:33)
While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. (Ps. 146:2)
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun. (Ec. 9:4-6) Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Ec. 9:10)
O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. (Isa. 38:16-20)
God has a deadline, a time for no more chances, as long as there is life in us we have hope. But if we squander this opportunity to except Christ and obey his teachings there is no hope beyond the grave. The last word on this!
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (Rev. 10:5 & 6)
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Rev. 22:10-14)
Now is the day of salvation, (2 Cor. 6:2) now is the time that God expects us to lay hold on eternal life, (1 Tim. 6:12), so we believe and teach everlasting life before going through the grave.