At the end of 2017, every human being would have been one year older. If we don’t die, we would be for the most part, also a year closer to death. This is the reality of our existence as flesh and blood. Here today, gone tomorrow!
Human beings, at some point in their lives, live as if they will never die. Many of us did that before we became Christians. We live like we are immortals, but we are not! Genesis 2:7 says “And 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 soul,” (Hebrew; nephesh; or living being). We are flesh and blood formed from dust, and when we die Gen. 3:19 tells us “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” We don’t have an immortal soul, as many erroneously believe, we are living souls or living beings, as Gen. 2:7 rightly points out.
As God alone is immortal (I Tim. 6:16) we strive towards immortality. I Cor. 15:53 reminds us “the mortal (us) will put on immortality.” This will not happen until the return of Jesus Christ when we shall all be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump when the dead in Christ shall rise first, and those who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air. But, as Christians await that change to come, we are subjected to death as it “it is appointed unto men once to die,” (Hebrews 9:27). All human beings, Christians and non-Christians alike, have an appointment with death. Many will not live to see the return of Jesus Christ and you may be just one of them. You may be one of the “many” being called, who has not answered God, and guess what? Perhaps there’s a tombstone waiting for you this year. This could very well be your day of departure from this sin-sick world.
Proverbs 27:1 warns “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” You do not know whether you will live to see tomorrow; in fact, you do not know whether you will finish the day. December 31, 2017 is far away when it comes to counting minutes, hours, days, weeks and months. Many things could happen to you during this period. If you feel God is calling, do not wait until tomorrow! It may never come! This means it is time now to repent! The kingdom of God is at hand!
The Word of God is clear on repentance for those whom God is calling. Acts 2: 38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Christ laid down His life for the sins of humanity. He is calling many sons and daughters to be part of His world-ruling government that will be established on Earth when He sets up His everlasting Kingdom. He has already made that sacrifice for your sins and mine, but it calls for you now to repent and surrender your lives to Him. Remember Hebrews 6: 1 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”
You could die this year; you could die tomorrow. There are no guarantees! God says “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away,” (Psalm 90:10).
When you need a little soberness or a reminder of who we really are, the nephesh, flesh, a living being, take a walk into a cemetery at any time. You can glance at the different tombstones and the dates of people who have died along ago or just died. You will get a sense of how fragile and temporary we are and one day, eventually, you will be joining the silence of the grave. Many people don’t like to talk about death or to even think about it, but it’s intrinsically connected to the human condition and existence. One day you will have to face it somehow, maybe through the death of a relative or a friend. One day it is going to be your turn! Are you prepared to meet your Creator? Will your name be on a tombstone this year?
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