Funerals
Am sure most of us has attended a funeral to pay our last respects to that person that has passed on, or to just have one last chance of seeing that person's body here on this earth. And as you may have attended that person's funeral, you may have seen the deceased body in the casket and people viewing him or her.
And after the viewing of the body maybe a pastor or others may have been standing up above the casket speaking good and comforting words about that person to their family and friends. And afterwards you may have seen or may have even been one of the pallbearers carrying the casket out to the hearse, so it could be taken to the grave site. And then there at the grave site a few more words may have been spoken of the deceased before being lowered down into the ground where the deceased will be seen no more here on this earth.
I sometimes think maybe it's good for us to attend a funeral. So it will remind us on how short and temporal our lives are here on this earth. And to remind us before we know it, that same funeral we may have attended to see a love one or just someone we knew for the last time-- will be us one day.
So one day we all will be lowered down into a grave and seen no more here on this earth. But the most important thing is where is your soul going---- the real you, not the body that is going to be placed in a grave one day. The soul is the real you. The body is just being used as a temporal place for your soul to dwell in. And once your soul leaves your body (it) that is your body, is not good for nothing, but for the grave. But your soul the real you will either go to heaven or hell. There is no in-between, one or the other. In God's Word it says in:
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?
Does Christ dwell in you or are you a reprobate? Other words are you saved or lost? Am not asking are you a Christian. Because most people probably think they are. Because you got some believing their a Christian because they was baptized when they where a baby, or one being older in age got baptized without being saved first. For them water baptism did nothing for them, just coming up out of the water a wet lost sinner instead of a dry one.
Or some may believe they are a Christian because they try to live a good life and do good works thinking they can please God and earn their way into heaven. But in God's Word it says in:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags.
Romams 3: 10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
So it's not by self-righteousness, or so called good works that a person becomes a Christian. It's only by God's grace through faith in his Son Jesus Christ, and is a gift from God, (not by works). So no one can boost about what they done to be saved, because it's by God's grace.
Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.
So my prayer and hope is, that you will examine yourself to see if you're truly saved or not. If not; I would plea with you that you would humble yourself before God, and ask Him to send His Holy Spirit down to convince and show you that you are a sinner and need forgiveness, and that it's only by God's grace, through faith in His Son Christ Jesus, that you can be saved.
Are you ashamed to confess Jesus Christ before men? Or do you just deny Him altogether. If you're one of these people, then here is what God's word, says about you.
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be (ashamed) of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be (ashamed), when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke12:8-9 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall (confess) me before men, him shall the Son of man also (confess) before the angels of God: (But he that (denieth) me before men shall be denied before the angels of God).
1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he that (denieth) that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that (denieth) the Father and the Son. Whosoever (denieth) the Son, the same hath not the Father...
So if you're ashamed of Jesus Christ, and deny Him. You shouldn't be surprised if you die in your sins being not saved, that Christ is going to be ashamed of you, and deny you.
Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him (Jesus Christ) shall not be (ashamed).
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...