Some people say that the only thing in life that you can be sure of is death and taxes. Ha! Ha! That is humorous, but the reality of your life on earth is that one day it will end. It may be a fact that you do not like to think about, but not thinking about it does not make that fact go away. Be sure one day you will die.
As you approach the end of your life, what thoughts do you have to your eternal destiny? Charles IX, king of France, exclaimed on his death bed, “What blood, what murders, what evil counselors I have followed; I am lost; I see it well.” Is that the conclusion of your life? Do you know that you have pursued the wrong things? Have you lived a life away from God?
It is interesting that Christ addressed that same thought during His earthly pilgrimage. He wanted to make sure that you, and everyone on earth, knew how to get to heaven one day. It is not some mystery. It is not some deep theological issue too difficult to understand. Be careful, though, the verse is so familiar, that you will be tempted to gloss right over it. Plain and simple, Christ said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16; NKJV). Yes, God loves you. In fact, He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to leave the riches of heaven and to be born as an earthling. Then to show even greater love, Christ was crucified on a cross and arose from the grave. It is that faith you put into the resurrected Christ, that gives you eternal life in heaven.
Death can be defeated. That is, spiritual death, can be ripped from Satan’s grasp. All it takes is for you to have faith in the risen Christ. Now that is a life worth living on earth!
