He Passed

I'm going to die. Well, maybe not this afternoon but eventually. And when I do, let no one say, "he passed". To me that sounds like I passed gas. While I may do a lot of that in my final years, it's not something I want to announce to the public, particularly at my funeral.

I have, however, already passed. According to John 5:24 and 1 John 3:14 I have already passed from death unto life. Not from life to death, but from death to life.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 (RSV) 

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.” 1 John 3:14 (RSV)

This world is the domain of death. It is dominated by death. Due to abortions, far more people die than are born. Death is the one constant that everyone can look forward to. No matter how rich or how famous, all are hastening to death.

So do not wait until you die to pass. What a tragedy it would be to spend this life in death, only to pass on to eternal death when you die. Far better to pass into life now and never fear death.

For the Christian, death is very much like birth.

We spend our first nine months in the womb, comfortable, warm, and with all our needs provided. We don't have a care or a worry. Everything is perfect. And then we are born. Our eyes are opened and we experience totally unimaginable joys. We can see what we never imagined. We can enjoy pleasures that we never dreamed existed. We can communicate with others, have relationships, love and be loved. And it lasts, not for nine months, but possibly ninety years!

And then we die. And our eyes again are opened. We are welcomed into an environment of previously unimaginable joys. Our understanding is expanded and we experience emotions that never existed before. Relationships are so much more real than ever before and we communicate on a deeper level in absolute truth. And it lasts, not for nine months, not for ninety years, but for all eternity!

As the fetus cannot possibly imagine the joys of life outside the womb, so we cannot imagine the joys that await us beyond the grave.

"But as it is written, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.'” (1 Corinthians 2:9 ISV)