October 27, 1999
GREAT QUESTIONS OF THE BIBLE:
"Why will you die?"
Ezekiel 18:21
___"The context of this passage of Scripture is the entire 18th chapter of Ezekiel, where the prophet begins with the sin of the fathers setting the children's teeth on edge. Ezekiel finally comes to the point that each person is individually responsible for his own sin. Verse 21 speaks of the wicked (all sinners) turning from their sin so they don't die. Death, here, is speaking of the second death--spiritual death or being separated from God for all
eternity.
TED LATHAM
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Perryton
___ Jesus said in Matthew 10:28: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who kills both body and soul in hell." In Revelation 20:14, John writes of the second death: "The lake of fire is the second death."
___ The question, "Why will you die?" brings to mind several things.
___ Physically, all of us will die because when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, it setin motion aging and death. The couple in the Garden of Eden were kept from the tree of life after they had sinned because of God's mercy. After all, what could be worse than to live forever in sin? We will all die because of this aging process.
___ Second, and of more importance, is the "second death," which is the essence of the question. One lady was amazed when she first heard the gospel. She asked the question, "Why did a young man have to die like that?" Jesus died on the cross in our place so that we would not have to experience the second death. When we have realized that we are hopeless sinners, confessed our sin, prayed to Jesus for forgiveness of our sin, trusted Jesus as our Savior and turned from our sin; then we have passed from death to life.
___ If Jesus does not return to earth soon, then all of us will die physically, as has everyone who has ever lived. However, the second death is reserved for those who have never trusted Jesus and so are judged by their deeds rather than according to their faith.
___ Anyone judged by what he or she has done on earth will spend eternity in hell because the Bible is very clear in saying that all of us are sinners. Just like Adam and Eve, all of us have chosen to do that which we know is wrong or we have not chosen to do those things that we know are right to do. In rebellion, we have tried to be our own God; and that is the very center of sin. Hell is a place created for the devil and his angels (demons).
___ We need to come to grips with the fact God is not nearly as concerned about what we have done as by what we have not done. Our life begins or our doom is sealed on the basis of what we have done with Jesus.
___ "Why will you die?" You will either die to self and trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, or you will continue to die for all eternity separated from a loving God and the life and hope that he offers.
Previous Columns: 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11, 8/18, 8/25, 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20.
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