Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? - John 11:26
Some say
that life is like the flickering flame of a candle. When the flame is snuffed out, the
light is gone forever. They believe that when we breathe our last breath, we are totally
extinguished - as if we had never been!
British writer Arthur Porritt gives this sad description of how atheist Charles Bradlaugh
was buried: "No prayer was said at the grave. Indeed, not a single word was uttered.
The remains, placed in a light coffin, were lowered into the earth in a quite
unceremonious fashion as if carrion were being hustled out of sight." Porritt said
that he came away "heart-frozen," realizing how the "loss of faith in the
continuity of human personality after death gives death an appalling victory."
Life is not a brief candle-flame that death will forever extinguish. Christians in
particular can rejoice that Christ "abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10), that He is "the resurrection and
the life," and that all who believe in Him "shall never die" (John
11:25-26).
Because of God's power and grace exhibited at Calvary, we will receive bodies like Jesus'
resurrection body, and we "shall shine . . . like the stars forever" (Daniel
12:3). Praise God! We're not flickering candles, but shining stars!
-VCG
In bodies that will ne'er grow old,
We'll reign with Him, through years untold;
O precious thought, we all shall be
With Christ through all eternity.
-Watson
Because Jesus lives, we too will live