We Live. We Die. Then What?
We all have something in common. We live and we die.
Some live a full, long life and die of old age. Others’ lives are “cut short” by accident, disease or at the hand of evil men. The result is the same. We all die.
Then…we face God.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28).
There are two sets of answers for We Live. We Die. Then What?
For Christians, death is not something to dread. The process may be horribly painful, but the result will be glorious.
For those who reject Christ’s offer of love and salvation, the opposite is true. Not only is death to be dreaded, but because Christ’s blood has not washed away their sins, they will still be accountable for each one of them. They will experience a great white throne judgment, a second death and eternal separation from God.
For Christians, the Word of God gives the following set of answers for We Live. We Die. Then What?
We Live. We Die. Then What?
Physical death is the only death we will experience. Christ, who conquered death, gives eternal life to all those who trust Him.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
THEN…we pass from death to life.
We Live. We Die. Then What?
As believers, the penalty for sin has already been paid for by the sacrificial death of our Lord on the cross. Filled with His Holy Spirit, we are accountable, however, for how we used the resources and the gifts He gave us. Forgiven and redeemed, conformed to the image of Christ, how wonderful it would be to say with the apostle John, love has been perfected among us in this; that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world (1John 4:17).
For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:7-10).
THEN…we will appear before Christ, giving an account of our stewardship.
We Live. We Die. Then What?
When we have gone to meet Christ, then what for those we leave behind? What we will be remembered for? Will we be remembered at all? Our names will most likely be removed from all but our tombstones. We will be out of sight and forgotten by most.
What about those who matter the most to us now? What will they remember? Will it be some sinful deed, hateful word or inconsiderable act – forgiven by God but not forgotten by man? Or will we remembered by those we have blessed – whom we have loved, whom we have taught, whom we have nourished, whom we have prayed for? Will we have passed on blessings to our children and our grandchildren? Will someone we introduced to Christ be eager to see us again?
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12: 36-37).
THEN…although our bodies will be gone, our words and actions will live on.
Our words, actions and decisions today determine our legacy for tomorrow.
What will yours be?
The righteous man walks in his integrity;
his children are blessed after him (Proverbs 20:7).
© Stephanie B. Blake
May 2016
One Focus Ministries 