How many times have you looked into a casket, seen the face of the deceased, and listened to the following statements: "He sure has suffered, but he is better off now," or "She is at peace, never to suffer anymore." ?
Dear Reader, IF the deceased had accepted CHRIST as their personal LORD and SAVIOR and had been born again, these are correct statements. The Apostle Paul said this of Christians: "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the LORD: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the LORD." (2nd.Corinthians 5:6-8).
However, if the deceased died in a lost spiritual condition, his troubles have just begun. The instant his soul leaves his body, it goes directly to a Devil's Hell to burn forever and ever. "The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget GOD." (Psalm 9:17). The Bible states that Hell is a place "Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44). Listen to the voice of the rich man crying out from Hell: "And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in Hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." (Luke 16:22-24).
Perhaps someone looked at the face of this rich man as he was prepared for burial, and remarked that he was at peace now, never to suffer anymore. How wrong their statement would have been ! As they were saying beautiful words over his body, his soul was screaming from the pits of Hell. Suffering does not end at death for a lost person. After ten million years of eternity, he will still be burning. If you are spiritually lost and die in that condition, then you too will be doomed to a burning Hell.
You might wonder what you must do to escape this torment in a Devil's Hell. The answer is the same one that JESUS gave to Nicodemus. "JESUS answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." (John 3:3). Just as you were born physically, you must be born again spiritually to reach the portals of Heaven. "JESUS said unto him, I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE: no man comes unto the FATHER, but by ME." (John 14:6). GOD the FATHER sent GOD the SON to earth, in the flesh, to make payment in full for your sin. There is a payment for sin, "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD." (Romans 3:23) and "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD." (Romans 6:23)
The Good News of the Gospel tells us through Scripture what JESUS did for you and for me, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that HE was buried, and that HE rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:" (1st.Corinthians 15:1-4).
You are not promised another day on this earth. Tomorrow might be too late. Now is the time to do something about your lost condition. ". . .For HE said, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee: BEHOLD, NOW is the accepted time; BEHOLD, NOW is the day of salvation. . ." (2nd.Corinthians 6:2). Right now, while there is still life in your body, will you repent (turn to GOD from your sin) and call upon JESUS CHRIST to come into your heart and save your soul ? "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised HIM from the dead, thou shalt be saved. . .For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Romans 10:9,13). "But as many as received HIM, to them gave HE power to become the sons of GOD, even to them that believe on HIS name:" (John 1:12). The decision is yours. Where will your soul be when they are preaching your funeral ? Your life might end before another hour passes and your soul will be somewhere for eternity. Will you receive JESUS CHRIST as your personal LORD and SAVIOR and be confident of everlasting life, in Heaven, which is HIS promise to those who come to HIM by faith in CHRIST.
If you will accept JESUS CHRIST as your personal LORD and SAVIOR, please pray this simple prayer or one like it with all your heart:
LORD, I know that I am a sinner, and I believe YOU died and rose again for me. I am trusting YOU to forgive me, come into my heart and save me. Help me to live for you always. In JESUS' name I pray, AMEN.
The promise of eternal life and Heaven are yours only IN CHRIST. "And this is the record, that GOD has given to us eternal life, and this life is in HIS SON. He that has the SON has life; and he that has not the SON of GOD has not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the SON of GOD; that ye may KNOW that ye HAVE eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the SON of GOD." (1st.John 5:11-13).
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
