Eternity

Eternity
“It's ironic that in our culture everyone's biggest complaint is about not having enough time; yet nothing terrifies us more than the thought of eternity.”
                                                   Dennis Miller American stand up comedian.
Our generation it seems fears death as have generations before us. Not knowing what is beyond the vale of death can be disturbing to say the least.
The Romans believed after death, souls would give an account of their lives standing before three judges. These judges would decide on where they would go in eternity, to the Fields of Asphodel, the Pit of Tartarus or if they were exceptionally good to the Elysium, the isles of the Blessed a place reserved for heros and gods.
They were ferried there over the river Styx by the demonic boatman Charon. A coin was place in the mouth of the deceased to pay the fare. It was believed the greater the value of the coin the smoother the ride.
Christians have no need to fear death or entering into eternity because we believe what the Bible says,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                                 John 1:12,13
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 
John 3:16,17
Peter Marshall wrote,
“No tabloid will ever print the startling news that the mummified body of Jesus of Nazareth has been discovered in old Jerusalem. Christians have no carefully embalmed body enclosed in a glass case to worship. Thank God, we have an empty tomb. The glorious fact that the empty tomb proclaims to us is that life for us does not stop when death comes. Death is not a wall, but a door.” 
     Peter Marshall.
Eternity is a door for the Christian the key to which is knowing Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
I remember laying on my hospital bed. Three weeks or so earlier I’d had a successful cancer operation in which a cancerous tumour had been removed from my leg and a lymph node removed from my groin.
Unfortunately three blood clots had formed one ended up in my groin the other two had gone to my lungs.
I was rushed to hospital were I lay in bed for eight days. During that time I knew I run the risk of dying.
I remember going to God in prayer and saying God I want to live and I know you can heal me or at the very least let the medication the doctors are giving me work.
Never the less if you wish to call me home I am ready.”
A few day’s ago at my son’s wedding I met a friend of mine who’d had cancer far worse than I did. He to I found out had said such a prayer.
We also noted that non-Christians we met in hospital didn’t have such a hope. Yet everyone can have it.
Jesus said,
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” 
                                                             Revelations 3:20.
The key to knowing where one will spend eternity is simple.
It come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 
   John 3:16,17.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                     John 14:6

   Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23,24.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
Isaiah telling us, 
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” 
                                                                                             Isaiah 64:6
  John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 
       1 John 1:9,10.
Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                  Ephesians 2:8,9
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                              Hebrews 11:1
What do you believe?
Think about it.