LIFE

Daily we read in our newspapers and see on our television screens, atrocities and disasters in many parts of the world - sometimes even close to home. These result in many people losing their lives. Also, daily, men and women, and even children, die from disease, accidents, or just old age. Every human being has this one thing in common - the absolute certainty of death, sooner or later.

The Bible teaches us that death is not the end, but that there is a life after death. The Bible also tells us that there are only two destinations in the after life - Heaven, a place of unending happiness where God is, and Hell, a place of unending torment. It is vitally important, therefore, in this life, is to prepare for the never-ending after life. What does the Bible say on this subject?

The truth we learn from the Bible is that every human being is a sinner, that is, we have come short of God’s infinitely holy standard. Obviously some have committed much worse sin than others, but no human being, no matter how good living, is capable of attaining God’s utterly perfect holy standard. That is why a change has to take place for any person to get to Heaven. The Bible tells us that God sent His own Son into the world to die on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, and make it possible for human beings to have their sins forgiven, and made fit for heaven.

The Bible also makes it clear that God requires a response from every person - a response which will determine where they will be in the after life. The response of many is to deny the existence of God, sin and the after life. Their denial does not alter facts. However, there are others who are prepared to accept God’s verdict about them – that they are sinners in need of forgiveness. They are then willing to thank the Lord Jesus (God’s Son) for taking the punishment for their sins on the cross, and to accept Him as their personal Saviour and Lord. In the Bible this is referred to as the new birth - being born again - so called because the person has made a life-changing decision, and now has a completely new life with Jesus Christ. He has become first in that person’s life. From then on that individual has God’s help in the trials of life, and can look forward with confidence to Heaven when death comes.