OK… I know before you read any further that you may be thinking, has Streim lost her faith? Or maybe that I’m a tad off my “spiritual” balance. Well, neither is true. I will tell you why I make the statement ” There is no afterlife” and the purpose for writing this post.
First, here are a few verses that describe how God Almighty views our life here on earth:
1 Peter 1:24 “… because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away”
Psalm 103:14-16 “ For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more”
Isaiah 40:6-8 “ The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.”
According to the United Nations data for 2010, the average life expectancy is 67.2 years. This is an average based on all nations of the world. I am fully aware here in the US some folks live well into their 90′s; I have a dear friend who just celebrated her 92nd birthday. However in third world countries, for example Zimbabwe the average is 31.8.
definition of eternity according to onlinefreedictionary.com :
What does Almighty God say about eternity?
John 6:40 ” And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
Romans 6:22 ” But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”
We all know that at some time in our life here in earth we will die. Old age, accidents, disease… whatever, for the most part (*) everyone; man, woman or child will die. Whether we live to be 30 years or 100 years… it’s a mere “blip” in time compared to eternity. So, technically the years we spend here on earth is “PRE-LIFE” and when this body dies… there’s eternity. Eternity is “LIFE”. The real deal. And… what we do in this pre-life determines where we spend LIFE!!! There’s only two places, according to the Word of God, where we will spend LIFE eternal. 1) WITH ALMIGHTY GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST or 2) WITHOUT GOD— in a place of outer darkness filled with pain, suffering, sadness, being alone. Forever and ever and ever and ever…..“…where will you spend LIFE?”
Romans 3:18-28 (KJV) “There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped , and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested , being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe : for there is no difference: For all have sinned , and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded . By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:18-28 (NIV) “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 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. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”The Almighty LORD God created mankind out of love, wanting a personal relationship with him. HE provided a way to restore that loving, personal relationship. ♥ Streim
“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” John Stott
