I got the news
yesterday that a dear cousin of mine passed away unexpectedly. He had
some health problems and was seventy two years old, but still his
passing leaves a void. I was very close to him for many years. He and
his wife sang at my mother’s funeral.
This same story is
often repeated. It could be a mother, a child, a spouse, an aged
Christian, or a young teenager. The Divine appointment of death comes to
all (Hebrews 9:27). Only Enoch, Elijah, and those alive at the time of
the Second Coming will never know death (Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11; 1
Thessalonians 4:17).
Death reminds us of
many things, most notably perhaps is the recurring message in the
scriptures of eternal life. Jesus promised at the end of the great
Judgment to come, that "…the righteous into eternal life," (Matthew
25:46). In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus makes the following promise: "Assuredly,
I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the
gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time; houses
and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with
persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."
The Bible says that
eternal life is a gift from God (Romans 6:23). He promised it before
time began (Titus 1:2; 1 John 2:25). In John 4:35-38, Jesus reminds us
that reaping fruit for eternal life is done when we do the Lord’s work
in this life, most notably sharing the gospel with others as Jesus did.
In John 6:53-58, Jesus also said: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless
you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no
life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed,
and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live
because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
This is the bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers ate
the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."
Abiding in Jesus by doing what His Word tells us to do, and being in
partnership or communion with Him through the Lord’s Supper and in what
this supper symbolizes, give us life forevermore in Him (John 6:68).
When we become
Christians we "possess" this eternal life as though we were
already living in full realization of it (1 John 5:13). Though we can
relinquish this eternal life by rebellion against and disobedience
of God, no one outside of ourselves can forcibly take this eternal life
away from us (Revelation 3:5; Psalms 69:27-28; John 10:27-29).
In Romans 2:5-10, Paul
makes it clear as to the difference between those who will obtain
eternal life and those who will not:
"But in accordance with
your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for
yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds,
eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for
glory, honor, and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking and do
not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath,
tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew
first and also of the Greek, but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who
works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Therefore,
eternal life is nothing something we can obtain by merely doing one
thing or a short list of things (Matthew 19:16-22).
Eternal life is sought
by living a life of dedication to doing the will of God and pleasing Him
(John 6:27). We "lay hold" on it or of it (1 Timothy 6:12, 19). Paul
wrote: "But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves
of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life,"
(Romans 6:22)
The cousin that died
was a member of a denomination. He was not a Christian. Knowing his
denomination, I know that he was not immersed at all, and certainly not
for the remission of his sins. This is THE most difficult aspect of
dealing with his death. God will judge him at the last day, as He will
all of us (2 Corinthians 5:10). However, if God’s Word is true and
consistent, it is certain that though this cousin of mine and I had
discussions about salvation and the need for obedience of the gospel,
since he never chose to do this eternal life will never be his. This is
why we must make our own calling and election sure, and urgently teach
and admonish others to obey before their day comes (2 Peter 1:10; 2
Corinthians 6:2).