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Death And Loved Ones (An Honest Answer)

4/27/2015

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"But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us, and anyone wanting to come to you from here is stopped at its edge; and no one over there can cross to us."
-Luke 16:25-26

Today, I had a co-worker ask me a question I hadn't really given much thought to. She asked me, "Do you think our loved ones still hear us after they're gone." Since I was busy, I told her, "I don't know," and went about my business. Recently having a grandmother I love greatly pass away, this question intrigued me, so I put some thought into it. I fully intended on talking to her about it later, but it never happened. That was a missed opportunity, and I don't want to miss an opportunity to answer this question. This is not an answer directed at her loved one, but is a response intended to cover the majority of those who would ask this question.

The Scripture cited at the beginning of this post is from a parable that Jesus was telling. In it, we see mentioned "Abraham's Bosom" (Heaven) and hell. It talks about two people who have died, each going to a different place. Since this is a parable, everything in it is not to be taken literally, but allegorically. From it we discern that, after death, there are only two places people could end up. Each one is freely chosen by the one who is sent there. Once there, there is no turning back. It is with this understanding that I would like to answer this question.

Hell is one of the two options. Those who go there have freely chosen to reject God and Jesus Christ. Remember that hell is a place of torment. Those there will never meet the most important Person to ever walk the face of the earth. There is enough evidence in nature for God that anyone who rejects Him has freely chosen to do so. Paul the apostle made this clear in Romans 1:20, and so have those who study natural theology. We can gain at least a basic understanding of Who God is by simply looking at His creation. The free choice to accept or reject this is up to the person.

Heaven is the second option. Remember that Heaven is a place of unspeakable joy, where we cannot even put into words the joy that we will see. Even if we could comprehend them, words could not express them. Those who go here accept the most important Person to ever walk the face of the earth, and will meet Him face to face. There is no greater joy for them than this. They have given up everything in order to find the One who made everything.

Now that we understand the two choices, we can say that the answer is, more probably than not, no. The reason is simple: those who have chosen hell experience no joy, including speaking to loved ones. Those in Heaven are already experiencing all of the joy they could possibly experience by being with the One for whom they were made. If it were possible, speaking to them would only diminish the joy they are experiencing. All the words we could say and all of the love that we can give are just a drop compared to the ocean of things they are experiencing in Heaven---things so great that no human language could adequately express even the smallest of these experiences.

If we truly love our departed loved ones, we will seek Jesus. For those of them who are in hell, I am sure that they would want you to find the joy that they missed. For those of them who are in Heaven, I am sure that they would not want you to miss the joy they are experiencing. So regardless, we are left with a choice: reject Jesus and miss the joys of Heaven, or accept Him and gain this joy that some of our loved ones are surely experiencing with Him.
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Three Questions

4/10/2015

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"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
-John 17:3


We live in a world that is constantly asking questions. "What's the big deal about believing in God?" "What difference will it make in my life?" "How can I believe in a God who will punish me for not believing in Him?" These are some of the questions that have been asked to Christians by unbelievers. I think that all of these are misguided questions, and I would like to take a minute to address them.

So, what is the big deal about believing in God? I think that the person who asks this question is missing the point. If what we think about God were not such a big deal, then why do militant atheists try to push failed arguments against His existence? The point is that we all know that what we think about God will affect how we live our lives. However, this question is misguided in another way.

Ultimately, God does not simply want us to believe in Him. He wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to talk to us, and for us to talk to Him. The person who makes a big deal about the existence of God is missing the mark and failing to see the bigger picture. The question is not "What's the big deal about believing in God?" Rather, the more important question is, "What's so important about being in a relationship with God?" The short answer is that it is of the utmost importance.

So what difference will this make in your life? The answer is that you are influenced the most by those who are the closest to you. What you believe about God will affect how you live. Whether or not you walk with Him will affect how others live. Knowing God and walking with Him brings hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. It will not only change your life and give you hope in the darkest of times, but your walk with God will also shine through to others.

Some have asked the question, "How can I believe in a God who will punish me for not believing in Him?" This question is misguided. Any punishment received from God is because of disobedience, not merely for choosing not to believe. Besides, this question is akin to asking, "How can I believe that a judge would sentence me to prison if I commit a crime?" It's not a matter of belief. Judges like this exist, and God most certainly does exist. It's a matter of truth, not a matter of belief. It is misguided and careless not to believe that a judge will sentence you to prison should you commit a crime worthy of prison. In the same way, it is misguided and careless not to heed God's word. However, there is one more thing that must be addressed in regards to this question.

This question is misstated, as well.The question should not be, "How can I believe in a God who will punish me for not believing in Him?" Instead, the question should be, "How can I reject the loving and holy God who, by His grace, allowed me to wake up this morning? Especially since He knows about every single time I have 'stabbed Him in the back'." The truth is that this question betrays an entitlement mentality. But we are not entitled to anything. Everything we receive is by His grace. This is something we must always keep in mind.
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    Travis Stockelman is an evangelical Christian who lives in Phenix City, Alabama.

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