How can Jesus Christ save me? What do we mean by this statement? Saved from what?The answer is, Death. It is an accepted fact that everyone eventually dies. Some, perhaps, die sooner than others.Yet, most people have a lingering hope that death is not the end of life altogether. Some believe that this ‘after-life’ is freely available for all regardless of any conditions; some say it is freely available to all through the name of Jesus Christ; some say it is available only through Jesus Christ and is restricted according to certain pre-defined conditions; while others say that it can be achieved through some non-Christian belief such as Buddhism. Still others say that death is death, and that it is the extinction of life on a permanent basis. For them, there is no saving, or salvation, from death.Various theories and propositions exist in this respect, and people actively support their respective beliefs. So one might conclude that one theory is as good as another. So why not live the best life you can, and then hope for salvation when you die. After all, if you’ve done your best, the "Great God up above" will surely take your effort into account and reward you suitably.The subject, however, is a vital one, and we would be most unwise if we neglected to give the matter at least some serious examination. To do this, let us consider the evidence presented in the Bible, for although the Bible is considered by many to be relegated to the archives of fable and mythology, and left on the shelf to gather dust, yet to others it is a book that is unique, in that its claim to be the Word of God is recognised. So let us consider, first of all, exactly what it is that we wish to be saved from, and when we have done this, we will be in the position to see what can be done to save us from the position that we have inherited. I say inherited because that is how the Bible describes our current position in relation to death. But let us go back to the beginning of time:"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." Gen 1:1The Beginning.
The first chapter of the Bible tells us of this beginning, and informs us that God created the universe, and also created the various life-forms on it. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold it was very good." Gen 1:31And that included everything: all planets and stars, all plants, all land animals, all birds, all marine life, and human life — all was classed as very good.The second chapter of Genesis revisits the creation scene, but with more detail on the creation of the first human couple. The third chapter tells us how things began to go wrong .
This was not through any mal-creation on God’s part, but on the blatant disregard of the human pair to God’s commands that he had left with the first man, Adam. Both Adam and Eve (his created wife) openly flouted the instruction of their Creator. The reaction of their Creator was sharp and clear:"To Adam he said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, "You must not eat of it",‘Cursed is the ground because of you;through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.It will produce thorns and thistles for you,and you will eat the plants of the field.By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;for dust you are and to dust you will return.’ " Gen 3:17–19A sentence of death. This should not have come as a surprise to Adam, for God had already warned him what would happen should he choose to disobey the command of God."And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree of the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’ " Gen 2:16,17This statement of God became a reality in Adam. He was sentenced to death. As a New Testament writer puts it:"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned — ." Romans 5:12
Another New Testament writer, James, has this to say:"- each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. "Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers." James 1:14–16Universal death.The sentence of death was introduced by Adam and Eve through their disobedience, and consequently this sentence of death has been inherited from them by all mankind, since all are descendents of those first parents, Adam and Eve. Death is universal — it has been the experience of every person, with the exception of this current generation.But does death constitute the end of the living experience, or does some form of recognition survive passed the grave? Note carefully the observation of one Old Testament writer:"So I reflected on all this (apparent meaningless to life) and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.
All share a common destiny — the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not."As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them."This is the evil that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope — even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"For the living know that they will die,but the dead know nothing;they have no further reward,and the memory of them is forgotten." Ecclesiastes 9:1–5"man’s fate is like the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless.
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." Eccl 3:19,20Before we trigger the reaction which insists on a continuation of experience after death, let us pause and assess whether or not this writer has provided a correct evaluation of the situation. Isn’t what he says exactly our observations, too? Don’t dead bodies get returned to the earth, and don’t they return to dust, just as the writer stated? Except for an occasional fossil, every animal form returns to dust, and even with a fossil, the majority of the animal has returned to dust.But peoples’ reaction to this situation, is to say that these words of Ecclesiastes.are merely the uninformed opinion of a person ignorant of God. But this reaction ignores the words, for example, of the New Testament:"All Scripture [ie., the Old Testament] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness -" 2 Tim 3:16
Now this comment was made in New Testament times when the Old Testament had been in shape for at least 400 years, and included the book of Ecclesiastes. So the inference is that Ecclesiastes is also God-breathed, ie. the writer was expressing a God-given truth.So then is that it? Does it mean that there is no hope at all for a future life, even if one has been on one’s best behaviour all life through? There is an interesting passage in the writings of the Psalms: a collection of poetry from the period 1000 – 500 BC, and it reads like this:"For all can see that wise men die;the foolish and the senseless alike perishand leave their wealth to others.Their tombs will remain their houses forever,their dwellings for endless generations,though they had named lands after themselves."But man, despite his riches, does not endure;he is like the beasts that perish."This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.Like sheep they are destined for the grave,and death will feed on them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning;their forms will decay in the grave,far from their princely mansions.But God will redeem my life from the grave;he will surely take me to himself."Here he states that the wise and foolish, those he says "who trust in themselves", will perish and that will be the end of them. But with respect to himself, he was confident that he would be "redeemed from the grave" — that he would be brought back to life again. Why the difference? Why him, and not the others? Why was his position superior?
to be continue....
