© 2014 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Would you rather attend a funeral, or a party with feasting and laughter? Funerals make most people uncomfortable because, when you look at the face of your loved one in a casket, it’s natural to contemplate your own death. Although parties can help us forget about death for a little while, the fact remains that we’ve all been born dead (Psalm 58:3 & Romans 5:12) and most will exit this life into an eternal death (Matthew 7:13-14). Thus, God’s Word, the Bible, tells us, “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. … The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4).

Ultimately Jesus, Himself, will separate humanity into two distinct groups (Matthew 25:31-46). One will consist of those whose hearts God has made alive, causing them to seek after Christ, the only redeemer. God the Son, born of a virgin to die a sacrificial and bloody death on Calvary for the sins of His people, will receive all of these who, with repentant hearts seeking forgiveness, chose to follow Him (John 10:27).

The other group will consist of the remainder and largest portion of humanity who have failed to trust Christ, alone (Acts 4:12). Instead, they have tried to earn their salvation, acquire it through various religious and philanthropic organizations, or ignore it altogether. To this remaining mass of humanity, Christ will declare the following eternal sentence: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:41).

God declares, “… faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). He reminds us that “… he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). How can you diligently seek Him? Seriously search the Bible, including the various passages referenced above. Ask God to produce faith in your heart by saturating it with His Word.

At the next funeral will you be wise and thank God for the opportunity to consider your eternal destiny, or will you seek to drown your thoughts in the nearest party?

 

You may leave comments for Tom & Kathy (website administrators) below.