Historical Posts
What Lies Ahead?
What lies ahead for us?
What is our ultimate fate? Is there anything beyond this realm? The answers depend on who is asked! Which are correct?
Some argue what lies ahead is reincarnation!
Buddhism and Hinduism teach that each of us had innumerable human or animal lives in the past and will be reborn into innumerable future lives unless we escape this vicious cycle through moral living and spiritual awakening.
Others profess belief what lies ahead is annihilation.
This is best summarized in the statement: “When we die we are like Rover, dead all over!” Some cling to the notion that only the unrighteous are annihilated! The righteous will live in a spiritual state of one kind or another.
Universalists believe in a spiritual afterlife for everyone.
They reason that God’s love is such that no one could possibly be lost.
Latter-day-Saints (Mormons) argue for three lives:
First, a pre-existence where each person acquired a spirit body as the literal offspring of the Father God and the Mother in Heaven. Second, our life on earth. Third, is a place in a four tiered future life determined by our performance in this life. (The end result is that men become gods!)
Then there is the Biblical teaching that we live this life in preparation for what lies beyond – Heaven or Hell!
We, not God, make the determination in this life as to what lies ahead and where we will be for eternity! Man is depicted in the Bible as a dual creature with a body and spirit (Hebrews 4:12). The body is destined to return to dust and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The spirit, being eternal, will either enjoy eternal bliss or eternal damnation, dependent on the choices made in this life (John 5:28-29). This is completely consistent with what we learn about the nature of God in the Scriptures (Romans 11:22)!
What lies ahead is up to us. The choices are heaven or hell. Yes, only two choices. Which one we chose is determined by our response to Jesus Christ and the life we live as His disciples. Those who are at His side in heaven will be those who have walked in His steps here. Have you made the right choice? What lies ahead for you based on your life and choices? You can change if you don’t like the answer.
Salvation: Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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World of our Grandchildren
Thanks to Al Parr, working with the Saline Church of Christ, for the content of this post.
What will the world of our grandchildren be if the church does not evangelize?
Luke 11:28 – “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”
In what way are people “blessed … that hear the word of God and keep it”? Of course, the route to Heaven must pass through these gates, but is Heaven the only blessing, or is there a blessing to be had in our world today?
Look at the declining moral state of our modern society in today’s world. What do we see?
- brutal brawls in the arena of games
- lavish lying and criminal corruption in business and politics
- unabashed undress in movies and television
- mass murder over toys and recreation
These all result from the of rejection of the righteousness which is learned from the word of God.
Some don’t keep the word now because they have chosen to refuse the guidance of God, but most don’t keep the word today because they were never taught it growing up. Now our society and “modern” world is doing even more to ensure that this and future generations of children will hear even less of God’s word, and will be taught to disdain it even more.
If the church doesn’t increase evangelism, it votes to let others mold society. And then what will the world of our grandchildren be?
Al Parr works Confirming the Churches and preaches at the Saline Church of Christ
7300 East Michigan Avenue
Saline, MI 48176
734-429-4319
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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