Death! Only a change of address
Death! Only a change of address
“Jesus said: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”– John 11:25
From an early age, I was taught that there was a place we went to after death and whilst there, people could pray for our sins to be forgiven, so that we could go to heaven. I was also led to believe that my father, who died when I was very young, was watching over me, and that I could speak to him and he could hear me. After I was born again, however, I started to read the Bible for myself, and I soon realised that none of this was true. Scripture is clear. Choices we make here on earth decide what happens after we die.
One often hears people speaking of how a loving God would never send anyone to hell. But the truth is that out of love, He sent Jesus to die for us and through His sacrifice on the Cross, He made it possible for man to be reconciled to Himself. Therefore, if any man believes that Jesus died for him on the Cross and acknowledges Him as his Lord and Saviour, he will be saved, and have his name written in the Book of Life. This is what determines where we will spend eternity. However, since no one knows when death will come, we always need to be ready and prepared. As believers, we should not fear death, but rather rejoice that we are going to a better place where there will be no more tears and no more suffering. This is the assurance we have as born again Christians. Death is not the end, but merely a change of address. Yes, we are always sad to lose a loved one who was in Christ, but we can rejoice that they have reached their final destination and are safe in the arms of our heavenly Father forever.