Many people live as if they have eternal life on earth. They want to live their own lives, doing their own thing, without interference from people telling them what to do. They love the world and things of the world and all they want is to have fun and have a good time, be entertained, and enjoy the sensual pleasures. They do not want to think or talk about death, life after death, and their eternal destination. 何度も, they take their days on earth for granted and always assume there will be a tomorrow. But who says there will be a tomorrow?
What is your final destination?
Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away (ジェームス 4:13-14)
Do you know, what your final destination will be? Many people speak so easily about the future. But no one knows what tomorrow will bring, nor do they know if there will be a tomorrow. No one knows when it’s their time to leave this earth.
Some time ago, I heard a man talking about his life. He was raised in a Christian family. His parents, brothers, and sisters had devoted their lives to God. Living by faith in Him was part of their lives.
This man was raised as a Christian, but after approximately 25 years he had seen it all and was a little bit fed up with it.
He decided to leave the church and say farewell to God.
His parents, brothers, and sisters were having a hard time understanding and accepting his decision. しかし、最終的には, there was nothing they could do, then accept his decision.
He spoke about his decision, as if it was the best choice, he had ever made in his life.
If he had only known, what the consequences of his choice would be for his eternal destination. Because a few weeks later, he passed away.
Will there be a tomorrow?
This man thought, he had made the best choice ever. しかし真実は, that he had made the worst decision for himself. He had traded eternal life for temporary carnal pleasures. はい, he had exchanged it all, for the temporary enjoyment of life. Life is one great party, isn’t it? 良い, that’s what the world says, not what the Bible says.
He had traded his real spiritual freedom in Jesus Christ and eternal life in Him, for temporary carnal pleasures. He had traded all of these, for the lusts and desires of his flesh, which leads to eternal death (こちらもお読みください: ‘バラムの教義は何ですか?「).
Maybe he had already made a plan to live according to his will for only a short time, and after that time, turn back to God again.
Who knows, maybe he even said to his parents: 「Don’t worry mum, don’t worry dad, everything will be fine. Maybe in about five or ten years, I will devote my life to Christ again, and will go to church.」
But that day never came….
「地の塩となれ」
