Daily Archives: February 17, 2017

Weekly Devotional 2-13-17 Reality

Weekly Devotional 2-13-17 Reality

I am not sure about today, but when I was young there was a saying that was often used. It was, “I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.” In translation, this had to do with one doubting his or her good (or bad) luck. This person believed he or she must have been dreaming. In reality, life is not a dream, nor are consequences based upon luck. Consequences are results of an action(s)—the action(s) of the one who experiences the consequence or of another or others. Whatever happens, happens; that’s a reality and not a dream, nor is what happens a matter of luck. Every consequence of your life or of mine is rooted in a decision, followed by an action or actions. Life itself is not a dream but a reality. If you are reading this you have life; it cannot be otherwise. The question is, “Why do you, why do I have life?”

It has been said by some, “I didn’t choose to be born,” and this is true, but that doesn’t change the reality that they “are”. Even more significant is the truth that their life will never end. From the time of conception, life is a continuum. Certainly the body will die, but man is more than body. We read from Genesis 2:7 “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”(NKJV). Man is body, soul and spirit. The actuality of this is affirmed by the writer of Hebrews. In describing the Word of God, he said, “12For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). Notice that soul, spirit, and the joints and marrow (body) are divisible. They are different parts of that which gives man his being.

Scripture affirms that the body does die, but the soul/spirit part of man lives on. The next question that may arise is, “In what state does that soul/spirit find itself after the death of the body? Is it a conscious state? These questions are answered by the Lord in His testimonial of Luke 16:19-28.

“19There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’”

The spirits of Lazarus and all like persons were taken into heaven by the Lord shortly after His resurrection, but the rich man and those like him, are still held in Hades until such time that they will stand before the Lord at the ‘Great White Throne’ judgment, where they will be judged and then cast bodily into the lake of fire. From the time of Christ’s ascension into heaven until the present, all soul/spirits of those who have been granted righteousness are translated immediately into heaven when their physical body dies. The soul/spirits of those who are still in their sin find themselves, along with the rich man, in Hades awaiting their judgment. The point is, there is no cessation of life. This is the reality presented by Scripture. Now, there are some who claim that they just do not believe these things. What a tragedy, as one moment after the death of their physical bodies they will realize their mistake. Their unbelief does not change the reality of the continuum of their existence nor the consequences of the life they lived.

Life is not a dream, but a reality. One’s destination, whether heaven or hell, is not a matter of luck, but is a matter of believing God and responding to His call or not. Jesus testified, “16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:16-21 NKJV).

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle John testified, “36He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36 NKJV).

Every person should contemplate life; their reason for being. Even though his or her body will die, eventually to be resurrected, their spirit ever exists from the time of conception. The grave is not their final destination. Their destination is not a matter of luck, but is determined by believing God and trusting in His provision, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Christian National Church

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