More than this life
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
Think about it. What is life? We live just a handful of years in the light of eternity. It’s not very long. Most people will live and die within a few hundred kilometres from where they were born. Most will live average unassuming lives. Some sadly will be statistics among casualties of war.
Other again sadly will be numbered in the millions that die of starvation or curable illnesses, something that is possible to eliminate with the right political will.
Even those who do great deeds will eventually have their names only remembered by historians. Such is life.
For me however I do not believe life ends with death. Like the Egyptians, all ancient peoples, the Jews, Muslims, all major faiths and the majority of people on the earth, I believe man is an immortal being. Destined to live on through eternity.
I believe what the writer or Ecclesiastes states,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
I think most major faiths believe God will one day judge each individual as Ecclesiastes states.
Where I as a Christian would differ with non-Christians is that we can have our sins forgiven in this life. That we can be assured of eternal life with God today by believing in Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews says of Jesus,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus speaking of Himself states,
“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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
I believe the apostle John when he states,
“Yet to all who received him, (Jesus) 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.
John also tells us,
“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.”
1John 1:9-10
The apostle Paul make it clear we cannot work our way to heaven saying,
“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.
Confessing our sins directly to God and having faith in Jesus, accepting the saving grace of Jesus assures the individual eternal life with God.
It however all takes a step of faith. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
And having faith is perhaps the hardest thing anyone can be called to do.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind?
If you are unsure take time to read the New Testament and see what Jesus and the apostles that knew Jesus have to say about him.
Please at least think about it.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
Think about it. What is life? We live just a handful of years in the light of eternity. It’s not very long. Most people will live and die within a few hundred kilometres from where they were born. Most will live average unassuming lives. Some sadly will be statistics among casualties of war.
Other again sadly will be numbered in the millions that die of starvation or curable illnesses, something that is possible to eliminate with the right political will.
Even those who do great deeds will eventually have their names only remembered by historians. Such is life.
For me however I do not believe life ends with death. Like the Egyptians, all ancient peoples, the Jews, Muslims, all major faiths and the majority of people on the earth, I believe man is an immortal being. Destined to live on through eternity.
I believe what the writer or Ecclesiastes states,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
I think most major faiths believe God will one day judge each individual as Ecclesiastes states.
Where I as a Christian would differ with non-Christians is that we can have our sins forgiven in this life. That we can be assured of eternal life with God today by believing in Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews says of Jesus,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus speaking of Himself states,
“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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
I believe the apostle John when he states,
“Yet to all who received him, (Jesus) 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.
John also tells us,
“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.”
1John 1:9-10
The apostle Paul make it clear we cannot work our way to heaven saying,
“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.
Confessing our sins directly to God and having faith in Jesus, accepting the saving grace of Jesus assures the individual eternal life with God.
It however all takes a step of faith. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
And having faith is perhaps the hardest thing anyone can be called to do.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind?
If you are unsure take time to read the New Testament and see what Jesus and the apostles that knew Jesus have to say about him.
Please at least think about it.
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