A Christian View of Death: We Have a Choice
Today's Scripture
"Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment." - John 5:28-29 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Both believers and unbelievers will be resurrected from death. But resurrection will bring entirely different results for the two groups. Jesus' words in today's scripture make it clear that some will rise to eternal life . . . others to judgment. Daniel said it this way:
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 NIV
Scriptures describe two resurrections. The first one is for all believers.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV
The second resurrection will be for those who did not follow Christ. They will not be with the Lord forever.
The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Revelation 20:13 NLT
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV
Consider this …
Have you made your choice? Which resurrection and judgment will be yours? If you have never committed your life to Christ, you can do that now. We have all sinned. Sin blocks our way to heaven and the presence of our holy God. But Jesus died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. You can receive forgiveness and be in that first resurrection by receiving his gift of love.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Romans 3:22-25 NLT
Prayer
Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. I know I have done wrong. I believe Jesus is your son and that he paid the price for my sins by dying on the cross. Please forgive my sins. I choose to follow Jesus. In his name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …
Handling Loss and Grief: How to Face Losses in Life and Grieve Christianly by Raymond T. Brock, Ed.D. This study teaches participants what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss.
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