If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” vs. 19
1 Corinthians 15:15-20
Some of us grew up believing that the whole point of having faith in Jesus was to insure that we would have eternal life when we die. There was great joy when, on their deathbeds, people would accept Jesus as their personal savior and receive the assurance of new life with him in heaven. When such confessions were not made, either because of stubbornness or unexpected death, folks didn’t say much. There was a dull ache inside and a fear that this loved one would be damned. Heaven was what life was all about! In recent years though many have begun to rethink the whole matter of eternal life and have come to believe that the emphasis on the life to come is misguided. They believe that all things will be brought to completion in Christ Jesus and that not even death can separate us from the love of God. We become followers of Jesus, not so we can go to heaven when we die, but to be the presence of Christ in the world now, and as we live in Christ we can enjoy the incredible peace of God in this life. We don’t have to wait! Of course there are those who refuse to believe that there is life beyond death for anyone. They insist that what we see is what we get, and Paul would say that they are of all people most to be pitied!
Thought for the Day: What comforts me when loved ones die?
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