|
|
|
|
Divine Power Is Immeasurable! [ Selected ] June 26, 2003 No doubt, the most common experience to mankind is also one around, which much misunderstanding centers, the experience known as death. Though it is universal and knows no national or geographical boundaries, there are myriads of speculations and views concerning it. The Patriarch Job uttered a question, which is recorded in Job 14:10, that is yet being heralded today, that question posed was thus, “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” Here is a profound question that has been asked for centuries. For many long ages, these questions, and many others, lie enshrouded in the darkness of Israel's night. But when the “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) arose and a new “day dawn” (2 Peter 1:19) took place; that, which had been hidden from man through the old covenant economy was brought to light. The Apostle Paul penned to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:10, “…our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” I thank God that through “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4), death no longer needs to be an elusive ill-defined and frightful experience about which we know so little. We no longer need to consider death a harbinger of the regions of darkness; but seen in clear light, death becomes and integral part in the divine plan and scheme of the ages. Going back to the passage in 2 Timothy 1:10, we can see that through this dawning of the day of grace, “Christ…hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” Now, note that life and immortality were always realities. They did not become realities with the inception of the New Testament dispensation, but rather they were brought to light, or to an understandable position. How? “Through the gospel.” The Old Testament itself provided scriptural answers, but their minds were enshrouded with the darkness of that day, and being devoid of the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit, the truths concerning the matter remained obscure to the masses. Let us consider the Apostle’s words in the earlier portion of 2 Timothy 1:10, “Christ, who hath abolished death.” What does this mean? Are we denying the reality or existence of death? Certainly not! Perhaps a better rendering of that passage is recorded in this manner, “Who annulled death and made it of no effect.” This is what is meant when Jesus spoke the words recorded in John 8:551, “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” The Wurst expanded translation of the Greek New Testament clarifies Christ’s declaration by rendering it, “If anyone keep my word, death he will never, positively not, look at with interest and attention.” Death has always been a reality to man, and as such, been viewed as a frightful foe. This has been so, only because it approached in fearsome darkness, and boded we know not what. But when Christ makes His advent into a heart and life, He is light and He brings light, or understanding, to a previously darkened heart or mind. When we yield ourselves in real repentance, “the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin.” When this takes place, the sting of death is removed. First Corinthians 15:56 declares, “The sting of death is sin…” When sin is removed and He “giveth us the victory” (verse 57), then we can cry as in verse 55, “O death, where is they sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” When the sting (sin) is removed, death’s power and stranglehold on man is annulled. Then, we no longer see death with any interest or attention as a foe. Our Scripture text read, “But man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” Here in this verse is incorporated several vital truths. First, we can see the universal truth that “man dieth.” This same truth is reiterated in Hebrews 9:27, “…it is appointed unto men once to die…” Secondly, he acknowledged the truth that man “wasteth away,” teaching us that the external portion of our being (the physical form) does as the Wiseman declared in Ecclesiastes 12:7, when he penned, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as is was…” Next, he spoke a truth, which has been attacked, assailed, and denied, but is yet just as true as when he uttered it, “man giveth up the ghost.” This pointedly teaches us that man is not an animal: he is not merely an external being, but rather he is the apex of God’s creation; man is a spiritual being. Therefore we can plainly see that, at death, man’s two major components have two separate and distinct destinations. Over the one, (our physical form) we have no choice; however, concerning our spiritual destiny, we have both the freedom and the responsibility of choosing our eternal destiny. The question is: which eternal destiny are we choosing?
NOTE: A subscriber of "Heart Talks" ( Jackie McCune-Merical ) has written a booklet: "That Holy Thing", which we have read and enjoyed very much. Jackie has posted the booklet on her web site. We would like to encourage you to consider visiting her site and reading the booklet.
"THAT HOLY THING"
|
|
