If ever there was a subject that most people do not want to discuss, it is death – the inevitable end for all of us… unless Jesus comes first. However, ‘end’ is not the proper understanding. Randy Alcorn in his book, Heaven, states: “Most people live unprepared for death.” Why do we do this? Because we don’t know or understand ‘what comes next’.? Because we haven’t taken the time to study and learn about the what, where, how’s, etc. Because we don’t want to know?
I’ve just begun reading Alcorn’s book but one point has become crystal clear. No one ever really talks about death except in some vague way. Or we say, when someone dies, that they are in a ‘better place’ without fear or disease or… But do we take the time to learn in our understanding about death? It really is inevitable. Quite honestly I don’t ever remember being afraid of death and somehow I knew that this life wasn’t the end. Once I became a Christian (as opposed to only being a church goer), the first step was a belief in Jesus. This meant that I had to believe His words. Again, quite honestly, when I didn’t understand what He was meaning I tended to put it on a shelf until I was able to study out the question/issue/apparent contradiction.
When it came to a study about ‘what happens next’, bottom line for me was – did I believe in what Jesus said on all things? If I didn’t then I really didn’t believe in Him. This was something that would be totally unacceptable because everything that I said I am, is based in the Lord. Ergo, I had to accept what He said – even the hard things. After death was definitely one of the subjects. One simple example – John 14:2. If Jesus was leaving this earth and telling us He was preparing a place for us then this undeniably meant that there is more for us after our sojourn in this life.
Also, read what Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection:
“When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed
and broke it and gave it to them.” (Luke 24:30)
“Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as
you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39)
Eating. A body. I think we tend to skim over this revelation since we focus on the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. But He has provided so much more information and understanding about what happens… after death.
