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Life After Death
Contributed by Pastor Renji George on Jun 1, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: Those who have escaped earthly judiciary with their money and influence will meet with the Divine justice of God there. No money, influence or human power will stand up there. No sinner will escape the wrath of God.
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There is a life after death. Life after death is more important than life on earth. It is because, even if we live the maximum allotted time, we may live up to 120 years. But life after death is living in the eternity-unlimited number of years! Eternity is more important than time. We cannot be short-sighted and think only of this life. A wise man looks on to the future and lives a life worth for eternity. What we see around us will be no more there. The time is flying towards a finishing line. That is the final day of judgement. The final judgement is a public display of God’s righteous and holy character. He wants every rational creature who ever lived on this earth to understand why Jesus had to suffer and die. On that great day every sin will be met with justice.
Those who have escaped earthly judiciary with their money and influence will meet with the Divine justice of God there. Wicked people who live in the lap of comfort and luxury, murderers, rapists and thieves who are never caught, dictators who oppressed the poor, tortured and murdered innocent people, still living in palaces in their earthly splendours will be exposed and punished for their crimes. There have been millions of Christians who have been slandered, beaten, humiliated, imprisoned and murdered for their faith. Do you think the God of perfect justice will leave the culprits unpunished? IMPOSSIBLE! No money, influence or human power will stand up there. No sinner will escape the wrath of God. God will openly reward those who believed in Christ and faithfully served Him.
One cannot ignore the biblical passages that speak of the judgement of both the saved and the unsaved as a unique event (Eccl 12:14/Matt 13:30,36-43,47-50,25:31-34,41/Acts 17:30-31/Rev 20:12-13). The standard by which all men will be judged is revealed in the Scripture. Lord Jesus said, “He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my words has that which judges him- the Word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48/5:28-29/Matt 25:32/Rev 20:13/Rom 2:16). Even people who have not heard the gospel will also be judged. The Holy Spirit says in Romans 2:12, “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law”. Those who have not heard the gospel were also created in God’s image.
The Bible says, “The works of the law are written on their hearts” (Rom 2:15). They have consciences that accuse or excuse when they commit certain acts. Hence, no human being that ever born on this earth would tell God that God’s judgement is not right. But the severity of the punishment will be based on light rejected by the persons involved. (Mathew 11:21-22/25:20-30/Luke 12:47-48). Even believers will receive rewards based on the quality of the works done while on earth. Quantity of work will be tested for quality (1 Cor 3:12-15). Our motives, intentions, reasons will be tested from our restless activities done in the name of the Lord (2 Cor 5:10/1 Cor 4:4-5). In addition, the Bible clearly says that fallen angels will be judged on that day (2 Pet 2:4/Rev 20:10). This fate awaits all demons. That is why the demons asked Jesus in Mathew 8:29, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Even the demons know that they await a day of judgement over which Jesus Christ will be the supreme Judge.
We are on a ‘countdown’. Each day we pass, the count goes down to the day when we all shall finally end up in the grave. Death is a separation of our soul and spirit from the body. The Bible says each of us will have to give an account of our earthly life to God. I remember a man of God preaching about how the billions of people who have lived on this earth during the many centuries of history will be judged on the record of everything that every man did, said and thought during his lifetime. God keeps this record in each man’s memory. I believe it could be true. He said, our memory is like a videotape that faithfully records everything that we do, say and think. It also records our inner attitudes and motives. Memory is a part of the soul, which goes with the spirit to God when a person dies. When each person’s turn comes for judgement, God will only have to replay the videotape of the man’s own memory. No one will be able to question the accuracy of that display because it will be his own memory recounting the details of his earthly life. Our real nature and character will be displayed openly there. None of religious activities or religions will save us there. The real inner person will be exposed.