Death!

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. --I Thessalonians 4:16


I find it interesting that when humanism competes with any religion, it self-proclaims its superiority. It cannot compete with Jesus,who was, to say the least, unique and not of the world; He brought us the wisdom of heaven and teaching not heard in any religion. He is higher than all the man-inspired philosophies, systems, compassion, or love. The humanists are working hard to make Christianity out to be a hate religion. We know that true hate is to see a man being destroyed and to say nothing. If only for this reason, the humanists prove themselves to be full of hate, which does not exclude them from being wickedly wise. Since the believer has the hope of heaven, death on earth is not paramount in our thinking. It is here that the humanists believe they have found the chink in our armor. They are all about life on earth and want to appear to be very compassionate. They constantly cry, “See the suffering children, see how many have died from disease, see how easy it would be to alleviate suffering, and see how we have the answer?” The humanist has made death out to be the worst thing possible; it reveals his heart, for to him it will be the worst thing possible.However, we are not to be deceived into his way of thinking. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person, whose life on this earth was never meant to last forever. Christians are a unique group that does not fear death. Yet more and more believers are sacrificing integrity and effort to support the cause of doing anything and everything to see life on earth continue. Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”


I love this verse!  Almost every opportunity I have of presiding at graveside services, I read this verse and then state: “I think the two best places to be when Christ comes again would be, (1) with someone who has just placed their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be their very own personal Savior, or (2) at the graveside when the trumpet sounds, and the dead IN CHRIST rise first…”  Can you imagine what either would be like!?!


Michael unequivocally states the TRUTH…Humanism (or any religion) cannot compete with JESUS.  Period.  “He brought us the wisdom of heaven and teaching not heard in any religion. He is higher than all the man-inspired philosophies, systems, compassion, or love.”  Well, amen.


Michael also gives us a tremendous life lesson: “True hate is to see a man being destroyed and to say nothing.”  Michael’s surrounding statements show us what we DO  is relative to what is IN us: “The humanists are working hard to make Christianity out to be a hate religion…If only for this reason, the humanists prove themselves to be full of hate.”


Finally, Michael states the inevitable with timeless encouragement, then closes with Jesus’ comforting words: Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”


And as one who is now seeing His Savior face to face, Michael is experiencing the One which nothing can compete with!  And we can all hear Michael saying, “Well, amen!”


Try thinking of all this the next time you are at the graveside of a loved one, or close acquaintance…

- Mike Wells