In last month’s article, I asked two difficult questions: “Are we prepared to die?” and “Can our personal awareness transcend physical decay?”
Our answers will depend on whether we believe there is a Heaven and a God who decides who goes there. Is there any way we can know for sure what happens when we die? Every person has a choice whether to seek the truth about this or simply leave it up to their imagination.
How many of us older folk remember the song sung by the Beatles called, “When I’m 64?” It had an element of humour, but none of the singers had any idea that two of them would die before the age of 64. One went quickly from a bullet and the other slowly by cancer. Like so many of us, they thought they were invincible and would live to a ripe old age. No one has any idea when they will die, but all of us will.
Am I afraid of dying? Yes! I love life and deeply value those I love. It’s a natural and understandable human emotion. However, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt where I’ll go after I die. Some will ask how I can possibly know that? Skeptics of God’s existence and, therefore, Heaven, make a huge mistake when it comes to the issue of faith. They may reach the conclusion that those who believe in God do so without evidence. That’s why they choose to be unbelievers.
I used to be terrified of flying when I was a skeptic. No matter how much knowledge I learned about flying safety, I chose not to trust this information. Therefore, I was still fearful. In the same way, there is much evidence that God is real, but many choose not to believe this knowledge and sadly live without the hope of eternal life.
So when it comes to faith in God and Heaven, the die-hard skeptics disqualify themselves. By choice they refuse intellectually to believe that God exists, despite the overwhelming evidence that contradicts this, as well as the God-given moral compass of our own consciences.
Here’s how the trusting believer deals with their fear of death: They have experiential knowledge of God and totally believe that God cannot lie. They know that God is without sin and, therefore, is morally perfect. A verse in the Bible says, “In Him is no darkness at all.” His promises are absolutely worthy of the believer’s trust. When fear comes, it cannot get past this knowledge and that results in trust.
The person of God is not elusive. He has made Himself known to each one of us. Another Bible verse tells us, “Forever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God has made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities — His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20).
Again, we have the choice to rely on our own imaginations about life after death or we can seek the overwhelming evidence that God does indeed exist and has made it possible for every person ever born to trust in Him and know for sure that they will go to be with Him in Heaven when they die.
Some excerpts were taken from www.livingwaters.com and the NKJV.
Marguerite Meland is a Clearwater resident and author of Out of the Mouth of Children (as Chloe Winslow). Her book can be purchased on Amazon. She welcomes any questions regarding these articles.
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