One Never Dies

One Never Dies

‘AWord from the Pastor’ By Clayton Adams

In his book, Creatures of a Day and Other Tales of Psychotherapy, Irvin D.

Yalom, M.D. wrote; “Some day soon, perhaps in forty years, there will be no one alive who has ever known me. That's when I will be truly dead-when I exist in no one's memory. I thought a lot about how someone very old is the last living individual to have known some person or cluster of people. When that person dies, the whole cluster dies, too, vanishes from the living memory. I wonder who that person will be for me. Whose death will make me truly dead?”

Medically speaking, death can be explained as the cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or there is irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem, there is death. Usually, the determination of death is made in accordance with accepted medical standards.

Death happens physically but it doesn't happen spiritually.

Perhaps this topic may seem a bit strange to you during this time of Advent and the coming Christmas Day in which we celebrate Christ's birth and life-it shouldn't be strange or even upsetting. Jesus said; 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 'For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:15-16) The Bible speaks about two deaths: First there is physical death. Physical death happens only to those who have been conceived and lived, (regardless of the length of life, in or out of the womb) after all, the Bible states that God knows us before we are conceived and formed in the womb. (Psalm 139; Jeremiah 1) Unless God does something special for you or unless Jesus returns, each one has an appointed day that God has set for our physical life to end.

Death is natural, is planned, and to be expected.

The second death is spiritual. We hear less of this second death because it isn't taught much in churches, certainly not in schools nor can one find very many books about it.

In Revelation 20:14 we read, “and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death._” The second death is about our spirit being forever separated from God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. _ Jesus spoke about this second death too.

Concerning this, Jesus compared those who were to live eternally in heaven with Him as sheep and those who would experience this second death (eternal separation from Him) as goats. (Matthew 25:32-33) Jesus will make the decision as to who are sheep (following Him) and who are goats (those who chose not to follow Him). He will be the perfect judge, for only He is able to look into a person's thinking, motivation, humility and intentions. Only Christ is able to decipher a person's heart.

The apostle Paul taught and led by the Holy Spirit wrote concerning this in his letter to the followers of Jesus in Rome.

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin of death. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”

(Romans 8:1-2 & 6) If you have never read about this second death, read Matthew chapter 25, Romans chapter 8, and, Revelation chapter 20.

Find someone who may encourage you with the Word of God. Eternal life is the best gift one can receive Christmas Day.

Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ but it is so much more! We are celebrating the gift of total forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

By the way, you will never be “totally dead” because God will always know you even if no one else does, God has said; “…but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands…” (Isaiah 49) Amen.

Clayton Adams is pastor at Earle First Assembly of God. You can e- mail him at cpalaa@ yahoo. com, or find Earle First Assembly on Facebook.