Today, I found myself contemplating my own mortality. This typically happens when I conduct a funeral. As a pastor, I have the honor of overseeing many funerals, and today was one of those days.
A verse that stood out to me during my reflection is Hebrews 9:27: “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
This is an undeniable truth—10 out of 10 of us will face death. I realize this can be a difficult topic for many, but it’s one we must confront. As 1 Corinthians 15:22 states, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
The moment you are born, you begin your journey toward death. We all have a start date and an end date, and in between those dates is a dash—your life. The crucial question is, what are you doing with your life? You’re investing your life in something—what is it? Is that investment going to sustain you? Will it fulfill you? Will it lead to peace, or to turmoil? What we invest in today will significantly impact our tomorrow.
The only one who can bring lasting fulfillment, true peace, and satisfaction is Jesus Christ.
Notice what the latter part of 1 Corinthians 15:22 says: “...so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Death came through Adam, but Jesus came to conquer death and set us free from its penalty. For those who are in Christ, there is a promise of resurrection and new life.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 offers this assurance: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
Jesus is coming. Those who are in Christ will be resurrected to a life that never ends. Conversely, those outside of Christ will also be raised, but not to new life—instead, they will face judgment. Revelation 21:8 warns, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
So, how do we avoid this fate?
Jesus tells us in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
It’s as simple as that. Repent of your sins, confess them to Christ, and ask for His grace and forgiveness. That’s it.
1 John 1:9 reassures us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Sometimes we make it too complicated. Come to Christ, trust Him fully, lay your sins at His feet, and embrace the promise of His grace and mercy.
That’s the good news!
Life would be better if we simply followed more of what the Bible teaches us.
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