The human life cycle encompasses birth, growth, reproduction, and death. Among these stages, death is the only certainty for those who are born. Despite its inevitability, discussing death elicits a wide range of reactions. Some people knock on wood superstitiously, while others prefer not to think about it at all.
However, physical death as we know it is not the biggest problem for human beings, nor the ultimate end. This is because while for humans, death signifies the cessation of bodily functions, for God, it represents separation. To understand this concept, we must revisit the Garden of Eden.
When God created human beings, He made us eternal. God’s plan was to maintain continuous communion with His creation, but there was one condition: voluntary obedience to Him. Voluntary because God granted us the power of choice – He did not want to be loved out of obligation. By choosing to obey God, the individual would be showing their love and trust in Him. Then, God said: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2.16-17).
We all know what happened next: they ate the forbidden fruit and, although they did not die physically as was imagined, they suffered spiritual death because of sin, which caused them to be separated from God. After all, how could they remain close to God if they were not able to listen to what He had asked of them?
From that moment, sin entered the world, and since God, in His Purity and Holiness, cannot coexist with sin, human beings became spiritually dead (separated). There was only one way for reconciliation: if someone without sins died in the place of the sinner. So, God – who never stopped loving Mankind – gave His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life (see John 3:16). It’s important to note that this promise is not for everyone, but rather “for those who believe.”
Now, going back to the beginning of this text, do you remember how we mentioned that God created us as eternal beings? When the physical body dies, the soul continues to live for all eternity. Eternal death happens to those who die physically without accepting the Lord Jesus as their Only Saviour. On the other hand, all those who accept the Lord Jesus while still alive will have eternal life.
Is death a subject that makes you feel uncomfortable? Remember, while you are alive, you have the power to choose the life you will lead both here and in eternity – essentially, the destiny of your soul. Once physical death occurs, the opportunity to decide your soul’s fate is gone. Think about it, because we are unaware of the exact moment we will depart from this world. God desires to save everyone, but He will not compel anyone to enter Heaven. Only those who willingly choose will have this chance.
What about you? Do you want it? We are here to support you. Every Wednesday we have a special meeting to help you feed your spirit and develop your relationship with God. Currently, we are learning about The 5 Foundations of a Strong Faith. Come and join us at your nearest Universal Church.
Event: The 5 Foundations of a Strong Faith
Date and Time: Started Wednesday, 11th September – until 8th October at 7:30pm (also at 7am, 10am & 3pm)
Location: At your local Universal Church
