Christian Living
Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday October 10, 2006
I talked with a man the other day who is a modern day version of a Sadducee in that he believes that this existence on Earth is all there is. No heaven, no hell, no after life, you just live and die and that’s it. Period. The tragedy is that this poor soul attends a church that in essence teaches him this uplifting? religious? truth? Why would anyone even pretend religion if this nihilism is really believed? The truth is many do and they are the lesser because of this.
The actor Jack Nicholson put the hopelessness of this concept into full view in the movie, "About Schmidt" when at the end of his rope, living what had became a life without meaning, he uttered:
"Relatively soon I will die. Maybe in 20 years, maybe tomorrow, it doesn't matter. Once I'm dead and everyone who knew me dies, too, it will be as though I never even existed. What difference has my life made to anyone? None that I can think of."
Jack Nicholson, letter to a Tanzanian child, About Schmidt.
The biblical truth of the matter is that the life I impact for Christ will have effects that last eternally. It's true that about anything of a material nature we do for others while on Earth may make their living a little better, and cause a nice warm fuzzy feeling to come over us, but that's about all unless the act is of a spiritual nature, such as telling in a compelling way about Christ, about eternity and about the how of faith. The how of faith is nowhere near as simple as we sometimes want people to think, but it is simple enough to cause whosoever hears with the thirsty ear of faith to come to belief in Jesus.
Long years before I knew Jesus I recall reading a plaque that had imprinted on it a common statement of that time:
"Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."
This truth is as true today as it was when first uttered way back in the misty past. And it will remain true for all time and eternity.
According to Bible teaching in several places we will meet our deeds, done in the name and for the glory of Christ when we see Him in the next phase of the eternal life He has given to us. This truth removes the good offered from the realm of time and makes it an everlasting blessing, to those who receive it and to those who give it.
Jack Nicholson is not the first character to face the blank future. The blankness seen with the natural eye is of all sights most miserable. And Jack graphically described the core of this belief in his hopeless letter to a child.
Considering this, what do you see as the meaning of your life, your future?
Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit
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