When we approach this subject, everyone reacts differently to death. The common reaction is that we live life to the fullest. Fulfill everything on the "bucket list" before a shovel of dirt is cast into the pit where the body will go.
Other people's reaction is to put up a facade. Some people pretend to be "strong" and face the inevitable like it's no big deal.
But death is a big deal and no one in their right mind would minimize this inevitable occurrence.
Earth to earth. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.
Where did this come from when the preacher or funeral director says these words?
After reading this Scripture below, your attitude will change.
Genesis 3:17-19 (NKJV) "Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
In these verses, is the answer that many are unwilling to accept.
Some reject the Bible because it demands accountability and sinners don't want to be held to account. If there's no God, then we can't be held to account. If there's no Bible, we can't be held to give an account.
So acceptance of the Bible is imperative and paramount.
Adam sinned against the Lord by eating off the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve was deceived and then she gave the fruit to Adam. Nothing happened when Eve ate, but it all happened when Adam ate.
Why?
Remember that the Lord said, Genesis 2:24 (NKJV) "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
They were one flesh and that's why there was a delayed reaction. To get all of man that would be born afterwards, they both needed to commit to disobey the commandment of God.
satan knew this and he had to deceive Eve first. Adam and Eve both knew the commandment. However, Eve said something different than what was given to Adam by the Lord.
Genesis 3:2-3 (NKJV) "And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
Compare this to what the Lord said to Adam.
Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV) "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
If you don't understand the magnitude of your sin, you will never repent (turn from sin).
What's the difference?
The Lord never said "nor shall you touch it."
Now you may say that this is not a big deal, but it is. Variations do make a difference. Additions to God's Word is where men get the commands of God all wrong. Which means that she was open to accept variations.
The devil picked up on this and he made his move to full blown deception.
The devil lied on God.
So that plan was simple.
See who's weak. See if they would hold fast to God's Word or accept a variation. If the variation is accepted, then go for it. Outright lie.
satan told Eve in Genesis 3:4-5 (NKJV) “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
In order to accept the lie, there must be an incentive.
"...your eyes will be opened, you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Adam and Eve were already created in the image of God so there's no need to be like God. Besides. God is all knowing, all powerful, and is everywhere at the same time. Adam and Eve were placed in a physical body so they could only be in one place at a time.
Adam and Eve didn't know everything because had they known everything, it would have included knowing what will happen in the future. And Adam and Eve had no creative power like God. So to be like God in these areas was definitely a no go.
Now who are you going to believe? God said you will die in the day that you eat of it.
satan said you shall not die...."
Someone lied and God told the truth.
Where's the evidence?
The toe tag, body bag, caskets (urns), graves, and tombstones all told the truth that the devil lied and God told the truth.
The other false assumptions describe death as transition, reincarnation, body sleep or other misleading explanations that avoid the truth. That we die like animals and when it's over, it's over.
Sin is the reason why we die.
Romans 3:23 (NKJV) "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
Galatians 3:22 (NKJV) "But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe."
Romans 5:12 (NKJV) "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Ecclesiastes 8:8 (NKJV) "No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it."
Romans 6:23 (NKJV) "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
James 1:14-15 (NKJV) "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."
Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..."
No one missed this appointment. Even the Lord Jesus kept this appointment but the amazing thing is that His death was an appeasing offering to pay for the sin of the whole world. He lived a righteous life. Fulfilled every commandment of God.
Then the Lord raise the Lord Jesus from the dead, abolishing death's power and granting men eternal life but men have to agree to the terms of salvation.
John 11:25-26 (NKJV) "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Death was necessary because man, in his sinful wicked, unrighteous condition, is incapable and unqualified to die for his own sins and live again in heaven. In other words, man couldn't vouch for himself.
The penalty required a complete releasing of the debt that only a sinless Man could pay.
Think of it like this.
You've committed a crime. Then you were found guilty, convicted of the crime. The judge pronounces a sentence to pay the debt. But Someone pays your fine. The Lord can legally let you go free because Someone paid the debt. (See Living Waters with Ray Comfort for this wonderful explanation).
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NKJV) "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time..."
A Mediator is one that stands in-between two parties. God and men. God requires the penalty be paid with sinless blood. Man wants to live forever but he can't because he's under sin.
Sin must be paid for and the death of a sinless Man is the ONLY payment that the Father will accept.
The Father sent His Son to die for sinful man to appease the requirements of the Father. The Lord Jesus on the cross is the love, grace, and mercy of God demonstrated.
But the knowledge that the Lord Jesus died for our sin isn't enough.
If you don't understand the magnitude of your sin, you will never repent (turn from sin).
What do you mean?
How many lies have you told in your life? How many items have you stolen in your life? Have you ever committed sexual sins? Pornography? Looking with lust at the same or opposite sex? How many times have you used the name of the Lord in vain? You know. That "G" expletive? Have you ever gotten drunk? How about hatred in your heart for anyone. This is murder. Think about it. Before you can murder someone, the hatred comes first.
If you think you're a good person, go back and read this list.
And hell does have some people that never committed any of these things but they've established their own righteousness and God will not accept it.
Why?
The Bible says 'There's none that's good. No not one."
Romans 3:21-22 (NKJV) "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference..."
We all need faith on Christ's righteousness to enter into heaven because our righteousness comes short. Why? John 3:3 and Titus 3:4-6.
2 Corinthians 7:10 says "Godly sorrow works repentance, leading to salvation...."
If you're not sorry for sinning against the Lord, you will never come to repentance.
This leads to salvation but what is the actual point of one receiving salvation?
When you're fully convinced that you've sinned against the Lord and receive His mercy which is offered through the expiatory act of His Son ALONE. In other words, fall on the mercy (sacrifice of Christ) of the Judge. The Lord Jesus was given as a ransom or "what is given in exchange for another as the price of his redemption."
The price of my redemption was paid by Another. Christ's death on the cross.
The Mediator died in the place of sinful, wretched man, but the terms require my repentance, which means to turn from sin.
AND the terms for salvation require that you place faith on Christ ALONE.
The Lord said in John 19:30, "It is finished."
The word "finished" means "the releasing of the debt."
Or "The debt is paid in full."
If you're not saved from sin, and you've read this far, and you now understand the magnitude of your sin, think about that penalty.
At the close of business or the end of the day, 150,000 people will die. Each day, 150,000 persons. We could die at any moment. If you've never repented and place faith on Christ ALONE, you will go to hell. Hell is this penalty. Death comes for everyone. Young old rich or poor.
If you've never repented and placed faith in Christ ALONE, you will go to burn in hell forever. Hell is not a nice place on the beach where you will have a party with your friends. It's a place of pain and suffering. Where the fire isn't quenched. Where the smoke of your torment rises forever.
Your sin was paid in full but if you neglect so great a salvation, you will be paid wages forever in a burning hot hell. Every criminal sentenced in the natural paid for their crimes but the eternal penalty. There's no release.
There's no negotiations, no defense attorney, no chance to leave to get another chance.
Death seals everyone's fate.
There's no mercy, grace, repentance, redemption, or salvation that will be offered after you go through its gates. All who pass through here, must abandon all hope.
So sin is the reason why we die, but through the ransom of Christ, we can all be made alive when we repent (turn from sin) and place faith on Christ ALONE.
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