What About Life?

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Life That Never Ends

Life is contrasted with death. Death is the absence of life.  Sin produces death, and life is a gift from God.  In the beginning God gave us life.  My life began sometime in the fall of 1939, when I was conceived in my mother's womb. June 28, 1940, I was born, and given the name Randolph Oran Gonce, son of Ollie and Gretchen Gonce. The remains of the cabin where we lived is still there in Bass Hollow.

July 1952 I was born again, having announced my faith that Jesus is the Son of God, and repenting of my sins, I was buried with Jesus in Baptism in Little Crow Creek, and raised to walk in new life in Jesus. I was given eternal life. 

My temporal life has been great in many ways, and has provided a plethora of experiences both good and bad.  Now in my 77th year, I am beginning to understand what Solomon was talking about when he said 

Ecclesiastes 12 English Standard Version (ESV)

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

12 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

Now a days I have changed my answer to the greeting "How are you doing?"

Used to be I would reply "Great!" or "Better than I deserve!" 

Now I have added another response, "I am beginning to understand what Solomon was talking about when he talked about getting older."

I am quick to add, "But I am thankful!"

Compared to most people on earth, I am blessed beyond understanding. And the focus of my blessing is eternal life.  

As Paul wrote to the Romans, the trials of this temporary life are not worth comparing with our eternal destiny, for those of us who are faithful in Jesus Christ. Romans 8: 

Future Glory

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved.

So our temporal life is not our focus, but human life in our living bodies is important.  We all want to live successful lives. Paul tells us how to be successful.

Romans 12 English Standard Version (ESV)
A Living Sacrifice

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Regarding sacrifice, we are instructed in Leviticus that under the Law of Moses God did not want any leaven or honey on the grain offering.  

Leviticus 2:11 English Standard Version (ESV)

11 “No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord.

Why did God not want honey or leaven in His grain offering?  Both are approved foods, and wasn't Canaan advertised as the land that flowed with milk and honey?

Jewish sages have proposed that the problem with honey and leaven may be how they are used in relationship to our lives. Honey may represent our craving for what tastes good,  the lust of the flesh. And leaven may represent how pride swells us up, like leaven puffs up bread. The pride of life. 

Anyhow, giving our lives as a living sacrifice involves putting God first in our life, and we do that by putting others first.  As Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Acts 20:35 English Standard Version (ESV)

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

So in the end it may be what we give up that gives us eternal life. That means we have to give up living our temporal lives selfishly, and learn to live for what we can give.  

As Jim Elliot said, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.  

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.