Christian Living

THE AFTERLIFE AFTERMATH

by Charles (Chuck) Robey
06/22/13
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"Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust". ( Acts 24:15)

What about it ? What do you believe about this all important subject at hand, the afterlife experience ?

According to a Fox Poll, Most Americans believe in God, heaven, miracles and angels, and while the numbers are not quite as high, large majorities say they believe in hell and the devil.

The latest FOX News poll finds that more than nine in 10 Americans (91 percent) believe in God and almost as many believe in heaven (87 percent). In addition, 84 percent say they believe in miracles and 79 percent in angels.

What about the dark side? Almost three-quarters of Americans (74 percent) say they believe in hell and two-thirds in the devil (67 percent).

It's all about that all important word " belief". Is the glass half empty or half full ? And along with belief, comes the companion word "faith". ( Hebrews 11:1-6) Do you have the faith needed to drink from that glass of belief ? You see, according to the scripture, as you think so will you become.( Galatians 6:7)

The Apostle Thomas learned a very important lesson in faith and belief, when he came face to face with the " risen Savior". ( John 20:19-31) And all Jesus' other disciples, at times, were apparently hindered by their personal "unbelief". ( Mark 17:18-21)

Nonetheless, we all come face to face with doubts from time to time. And what is the cause of such thinking ? Why it's simply "unbelief". ( Matthew 13:58) And who is the "senior partner" of "unbelief" ? Why, it's none other than "Old Mr. Satan" himself. ( Ephesians 6:12)

Like the old cliché, "we have all been there and done that". However, as Christians, we all have a way of escape.( 1 Cor 10:13)

After much prayerful though, I thought the afterlife subject interesting enough to surf the internet, in which I knew I'd get a variety of real comments from real people. You see, most Christians fail to take the scriptures literally, by not believing in an afterlife where some are judged and go to Hell & others are judged and go to heaven.

Here are just a few very interesting  random comments to this all important question, along with my replies. ( Mark 9:17-29)

COMMENT--I believe it because the Bible says it's true. I believe everything the good book has to say and why not believe you has nothing to lose. It has given me hope and something to believe in and Someone to turn to in all times good and bad. God will never forsake me or leave me by faith in Him and His word. God Bless!

MY REPLY-- All I can add here is a big "Amen" (Deuteronomy 31:6 )

COMMENT-- If I am right; I shall spend eternity in Heaven ! If I am wrong I will have lost nothing. But in striving for heaven; I will have been a better person and perhaps helped someone along the way.

MY REPLY-- A good case of giving God the benefit of the doubt. ( Hebrews 9:27)

COMMENT-- No you don't have to believe in heaven and/or hell. It is good to believe in that you have some where to go after you die. but each person can believe in what he or she wants to.

MY REPLY-- Does any human actually believe they can change the course of history, from creation, through the cross sacrifice for mans sin, to eternity future? I think not. ( Malachi 3:6)

COMMENT-- I am an atheist, and I think all of this Heaven-hell is all from a man's mind. IMO, we created god, we created religion. I mean, we have to find SOME explanation to things we cannot explain (yet), so we create an explanation instead, and build it on faith. Those who had clinical deaths and said they were seeing god, heaven, hell, white, black or anything else, is just a pure glimpse of their imagination that was formed from past life experiences, education and so on

MY REPLY-- I understand, but don't agree, with this reasoning. No book, other than the Bible ( 2 Timothy 3:16) has the proven truths of the afterlife. While it is unfortunate that Satan has blinded the thoughts of mankind ( 1 Cor 1:18), while there is life, there still is hope. (Hebrews 4:12) Just don't give up hope, but keep living the example of Christ ( Philippians 1:21) in your daily witness

COMMENT-- I believe in some form of afterlife. As the first law of thermodynamics states, energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from form to form. The energy, whatever its source, that keeps us running and makes us human cannot just dissipate as we die, it will be converted to another form. Whether this means reincarnation, or some kind of afterlife or something else entirely, who knows? All we have is speculation.

MY REPLY-- If only this person would just trust the scriptures. ( 1 Cor 15:51-52 ) ( 1 Thess 4:13-18)

COMMENT-- I believe in heaven and hell. I think it is really exist and we can only probe it when we die.

MY REPLY-- This person should search the scriptures, as well. ( 1 John 3:14) ( John 17:3) ( Ephesians 2:8-9)

I could go on and on here, but I feel you get the picture. Interesting, don't you think ? With this misleading false mind-set, our "so-called" Christian world seems to be gliding into some sort of "religious oblivion". Nothing surprises me anymore.( 1 Cor 1:18) ( 2 Timothy 3: 1-7, 13) At times this current perverse religious attitude even makes my "pyloric" stomach rumble in indignation  ( Ephesians 4:26)

You see, I'm from the school of " Give Me That Old Time Religion" philosophy. A viewpoint in which no sermon, in times past, was ever concluded without describing the blessing of "God's Heaven" and the horrible effects of a "Devil's Hell" Can I get a big "Amen".

So what did our Lord Jesus Christ say about the subject. You see, Jesus Christ is the only human, who has ever been both human and God, ( John 10:30-33) ), and who came from Heaven to earth. ( John 1:1, 14) So when he refers to Heaven ( John 14:1-6) and when He refers to Hell ( Mark 9:44) , He surely knows what He's talking about. I would surely take the word of this "God-Man" Christ Jesus, over some mere mortal. What say you ?

In addition to our Lord's scriptural insight, all Christians should also take God at His word. ( Numbers 23:19) ( Mark 13:40-43) So, why not just take God, at His word, and leave it at that. ( Genesis 1:1) ( Revelation 22:21) 

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment". ( Hebrews 9:27)