Salvation Soul And Body

I have been in the ministry now for over 40 years. My First congregation was senior people. People in the church who were on pension. Some were single because either their wife or husband had died. In all cases, if an elderly person was dying, I never ever met any family member who did not feel sad. I've never ministered to a spouse who had been with their partner for 40 years or more and wanted them to pass away.

I have over the years given pastoral care to a number of people who were about to die of a terminal disease or other cause. In all these different situations the family members of the dying family member prayed for life. No one wants to die.

As a very healthy person with dreams and a hope of seeing your children’s children, you never wake up in the morning expecting to die. Expecting to get sick or have a car accident or some other form of violent death. No, you have a strong passion to live a healthy life.

People are obsessed with ways to slow down the aging process and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many are exercising and eating healthy foods, and they use all kinds of creams and body lotions to keep their skin looking young. In addition, some individuals are also turning to non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers to maintain a youthful appearance.

My question is why? Is heaven not going to be a great place? Should we not be longing to get there very quickly? Maybe we must have prayer lines where we can be prayed for to leave Earth now and go to heaven as soon as possible. Why are we so sad and even blame God for taking our loved ones or child at such an early age?

If dying is our doorway into heaven I have another question, why do we have medicine hospitals and spend so much on medical aids? It is as if we are resisting the will of God.

I have experienced families destroyed and children getting addicted to drugs because a father has died.

We sang a song at Sunday school with words that said, “This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

I would like to strongly suggest that God intends that we should have health and not die. Part of our inheritance is to live lives that will startle the world.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 For Christ must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished and put to an end is death.

You can be rich through your own efforts, live in a mansion, drive a luxury car, and wear the most expensive clothes and precious jewellery without believing in God. Actually, there are many more non-believers who are multi-millionaires than those who love God.

One thing you cannot do for yourself is a healthy safe life. No matter how much money you may have, you cannot buy health or life. Solomon said,

Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, But the dead know nothing,

And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun.

King David said, in Psalm 115:17 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.

It is not the will of God for us to be sick and die but for us to live and have divine health; to be in His image, to reflect who He is; to be perfect even as He is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Where Adam had a perfect garden with conditions set to bring about death because of a wrong choice, we now live in an imperfect world with conditions set to bring about health, and eternal life. Jesus not only came to save us from hell but also from every sickness and disease on earth.

Atonement is forgiveness and healing

Psalm 103 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits; 3 Who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases;

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.