by J.C. O’Hair
Quite recently I was called to the hospital where a Christian friend was dying. Although in real mental distress and physical agony he helped to plan for his funeral services. He mentioned the real gospel hymns he wanted his selected singer to sing. He wanted no eulogies of him in the sermon, but he wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to be exalted in the message and wanted the saving gospel of grace so clearly presented that any and every unsaved person in the audience might be without excuse in answering to the Great God of Salvation-He emphasized that no money be expended for flowers, but that “flower” money might be used in getting the gospel to poor lost sinners. With that money this message is printed.
We read in the Bible (Heb. 9:27 ): “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Then in the same Bible we read (Psa. 116:15 ): “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”
As we read these two verses in the Bible, to our minds come the question, “how could the death of a person headed for God’s after-death judgment be precious in the sight of the Lord?”
In Hebrews 4:13 we read that “all things are naked and open unto the eyes of God with Whom we have to do.” God’s Son, when on earth, stated that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the observation and knowledge of God.
There have lived on this earth, perhaps, twenty billion human beings, all descendants of Adam. By Adam sin “entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). “There is not a just man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20).
We are told that on this earth at this present time, there are nearly two billion persons. Therefore, the estimate of the descendants of Adam, whom God has seen die, is more than eighteen billion. Little wonder Job asked the two great questions, “Man wasteth away and where is he?” And, “If a man die shall he live again?” Where are those eighteen billion dead people? Where now are your loved ones included in the list of the dead? It may seem rather selfish, but it is an indication of wisdom and intelligence for each of us to ask, “where will I be after I leave this world?” No other question is more important.
We are told in Romans 14:12 that every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.” We are told in I Timothy 2:4 that God ” . . will have all men to be saved.” In Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 we are told that “. . . all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and that “. . . the wages of sin is death.” We have already quoted the verse, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
But hear this wonderful good news: The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” Who “by the grace of God tasted death for every man” (Rom. 6:23 and Heb. 2:9). . . . . When the dead sinner believes unto the saving of his soul he immediately becomes a living saint.
The Berean Bible Society has graciously allowed me to use this fine article by the late J.C. O’Hair. Please visit their site.
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