Many years ago Job ask the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” I believe that everyone seeks an answer to that question. There was one who came inquiring of Jesus in Mark 9:17, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” We should not stop in our quest for the answer until we have found it, for there is something innate within every person that cries out for immortality. God has not left us without an answer for He brought immortality to light when He rose from the dead and declared in Revelation 1: 18 “I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.” In John 11: 25-26, Jesus was speaking to Martha on the occasion of Lazarus’ death said, “I am the Resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die….”
In exploring this truth we need to have a proper concept of the meaning of life and the manner in which it ought to be lived out in this world while anticipating the world to come. Jesus said in John 14 that He was the way, the truth, and the life and as such He was the only way back to the Father. While in this world He has a purpose for our lives and if we fulfill that purpose we will also be prepared for what follows death. Therefore let us look briefly at this life.
While here on this earth we are on probation and that involves time and choice, which will determine our eternal destiny. As creatures of time we must acknowledge its brevity. James 4 says life, “is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away.” Psalmist says that life is “swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” One stated that we spend 1/3 of life sleeping, 1/3 in infancy and preparation for our life’s work, and 1/3 is left to accomplish our purpose.
If we ever fulfill our true purpose in life and find the true meaning of life, it will be by being fully conformed to, and living in His will. The salvation will of God is clearly revealed in His Word. This requires that we become students of the Word of God. His Word teaches us that, He is “not willing that any perish but that all come to repentance.” Jesus tells us “that we must be born again.” He teaches us in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians that “this is the will of God, even your sanctification…” His Word not only reveals His salvation will, but through study and prayer He will reveal to each of His children His service will. Every life has a work to do and we are admonished to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.”
As we work and witness, labor and love, walk and fellowship with our Lord, our love will increase more and more. We are soon to recognize that we are enjoying ‘heavenly places,’ and we discover that heaven is begun below. Like the Apostle Paul said, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. “ When we make the choice to do His will we experience in this world eternal life. Jesus said in John 17, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” By choosing Christ and His will for our lives we discover that we are carrying our eternal destiny in our bosom.
We are made for something far greater than this world affords us. For every desire that our creator has imparted to us, He has given a corresponding satisfaction. For hunger there is food, for thirst there is water, for fellowship there are family and friends, for life there is life everlasting. If there is not life beyond the grave, then this earthly life would be only a mockery. Mankind with all of his capacity such as his knowledge, inventiveness, aspirations, gifts, achievements, and his craving for immortality, all of this and much more teach that he was made for something higher and nobler than merely 70 years on earth.
How could we ever believe that all succeeding generations, the saints of all ages, Abraham, Moses, Noah, Job, David, Isaiah, Wesley, Luther, Bresee, and millions and millions of more noble characters of whom the world is not worthy, flit like a shadow across the world’s horizon never to be heard of again. Born to bless the world for a few days and to perish tomorrow and be forever gone? Everything within me recoils at such an assertion. I stand on God’s Eternal Word that, “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall NEVER DIE…”
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