“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27
Several years ago while preaching in Arizona, the preacher and his wife took my wife and I to Boot Hill Grave Yard, near Tombstone, AZ. There are more than 250 graves there. This rock-filled, dusty, weed-infested plot of ground holds the remains of babies a few months old. Also, folk who died of diseases, hardly known in America today, like scarlet fever, consumption, meningitis and leprosy! There were drownings, suicides, mining accidents, hangings and murders. Some graves held those who were killed by Indians, gun fights, stampedes and “natural causes!” One man named Lester Moore, a Wells Fargo agent, died in a dispute with another man (they both died) and had these words on his headstone: “Here lies Lester Moore—Four slugs from a .44—No Les, No More!”
Now that I hopefully have your attention, you, yes, you are going to die one day. We all have an unavoidable appointment with death. After death there will be a Judgment Day. There are two kinds mentioned in the Bible: The Judgment Seat of Christ for the Christian, and The Great White Throne Judgment for the lost.
You may have had a Christian loved one die and you responded as normal folk do, but consider this, the moment they “died” they were more alive than they ever had been! Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (John 8:51). O, and what did He say? “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7b). I’m taking His word on the matter…are you? — T.G.