Death is final. I have held the hand of several folks as they passed from time into eternity. It is a privilege to escort someone who loves the Lord into the arms of their eternal Father, thanks to the grace of our Savior. Their peace and joy was precious. Some saw glimpses of heaven or heard holy angels. On the other hand, the death of an unbeliever who doesn’t know the Savior is usually fearful and unpleasant.

    Death is unavoidable. So don’t deny it. Followers of Jesus should have no fear of death. As a Christian minister, here are my non-negotiable beliefs: 1) Jesus is the Son of God; 2) The Bible is the Word of God; 3) Everybody needs a Savior. And know this: Jesus is a good savior! He ably saves his people from all their sins. That’s why he was born.

    Death has been defeated by Jesus. What a champion! Now who was this Jesus? If you are untaught, Jesus was a Jew. He lived about 2,000 years ago. Jews are those born of Abraham’s lineage, the people of the promise. Jesus was born of a virgin Jewish girl after a supernatural pregnancy. By prophecies and by divine anointing, he was the Messiah, the King of the Jews.

    The religious establishment wanted a political leader who would deliver them from Roman rule. Jesus was rejected, falsely accused, and sentenced to death by crucifixion. They did not understand that the first appearance of Jesus was to establish a kingdom by means of a new covenant, in the Spirit. His second appearance will be to rule over the nations as King of all, bringing peace.

    Ordinary people loved Jesus. But the elite establishment was threatened. When the religious Jews began to vocally reject Jesus, at one point Christ answered them and said, “If you don’t believe I am The One, you will die in your sins.” (my paraphrase).

    Two main points: 1) Jesus requires us to simply have faith in him. 2) Failure to trust in Jesus results in a state of death, of “dying in your sins.” I can think of nothing more horrible for a human than to expire and enter into eternity without a Savior.

    Let’s examine these two points further. What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Believing is an act of trusting in someone. Here is something amazing: we are to believe in a person, not just a creed. It is easy to believe the sky is blue. We can see it. It is a simple fact. But to believe in a person, we must know that person, not just know historical facts about them. Too many people believe about Jesus, not in Jesus.

    Then there is this: apart from knowing Jesus, there is no forgiveness of sins. If there were any other way (to enter the holy presence of God, to fearlessly face final judgment, or be fully released from the guilt of sins) then God wasted the life-blood of his Son by letting him suffer and die on the cross needlessly.

    Consider what it means to die apart from grace, trapped forever in your sins. Since you have a conscience and you know right from wrong, imagine being tormented by the guilt in your soul for all of eternity. Imagine feeling the pangs of incessant craving for alcohol or drugs, or of sexual lust, or of guilt, or of anger, or of jealousy, or of arrogant pride, or of racial hatred, or whatever sin grips your soul … forever and ever with no pardon, no release, no rest. “There is no peace for the wicked,” God says.

    I want to recommend to you my Savior. He has passed through death into eternity and awaits all those who choose him with eternal life. He has forgiven all my sins, washed my conscience clean, given me a new heart that desires to obey Him, and enables me to enjoy his presence daily. I have a Savior who is near and dear to me. Don’t face death – much less this present life – without knowing Jesus.

 

    Ron Wood is a pastor,

missionary, and writer who once lived in Meridian.

Contact him at wood.stone.ron@gmail.com.