Is There Life After Death?
People of most religions believe in the afterlife or life after
death.
This belief of the afterlife affirms that the existence of an
individual's consciousness or identity continues to live after the
death of his or her physical body.
In some ancient worldviews, this continued existence takes place only in
a spiritual realm. But in others, the individual may be reborn or
reincarnated into this earthly world and begin the life cycle all over
again, most likely with no memory of what he or she has done in the
past. In this latter view, such reincarnations of rebirths and
redeaths may take place over and over again continuously until the
person finally arrive at the state of nirvana, and enter into a
spiritual realm of enlightenment.
The Hebraic and Christian faiths believe that God determines
where the dead will go after death. And it is primarily based on
their present actions and beliefs while alive on earth.
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment,
As Christians, we do not believe in reincarnations. Every person
dies once. After a person dies, he or she is judged.
Luke 20:27-47
The
Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there
is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,
28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies,
having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take
his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first
took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.
31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and
they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she
become? For all seven had her as wife.”
34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age
marry and are given in marriage.
35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the
resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and
are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead
are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for
all live to Him.”
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have
spoken well.”
40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
Jesus: How
Can David Call His Descendant Lord?
41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is
the Son of David?
42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:
‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his
Son?”
Beware of
the Scribes
45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,
46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long
robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the
synagogues, and the best places at feasts,
47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long
prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.””
The Sadducees were an ancient Jewish sect that believed there was a
God but no existence of life after death. The Pharisees believed in the
resurrection of the dead and the afterlife. The Sadducees did not
believe in either of these. The Pharisees believed in the spiritual
realm and the existence of angels. But the Sadducees did not.
In this passage of the Bible, the Sadducees came to Jesus and asked
Him a very tricky question as they did not believe that people would
rise from death and have an afterlife.
They asked Jesus, “Teacher, Moses wrote that
when a man’s brother died, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and have children for his dead
brother.”
They were referring to the Levirate marriage
written in the Torah. It was a type of marriage in which the brother
of a deceased man was obliged to marry his brother's widow. This was
done so that the dead brother would have some descendants. The first
son she had must be named after the dead brother. Then his name
would not be forgotten in Israel.
Deuteronomy 25:5-6
Marriage Duty of the Surviving
Brother
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has
no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a
stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to
her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s
brother to her.
6 And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears
will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not
be blotted out of Israel.
The Sadducees continued and gave Jesus this
riddling question, “Now there were seven brothers. The first
brother married, but died. He had no children. Then the second
brother married the widow, and he died. And the third brother
married the widow, and he died. The same thing happened with all the
other brothers. They all died and had no children. The woman was the
last to die. But all seven brothers married her. So when people rise
from death, whose wife will the woman be?”
Jesus knew what the Sadducees were trying to do. This difficult question
would confirm their belief that there was no life after death. The
same question would also defeat Jesus if He failed to answer them
satisfactorily and acceptably.
With divine wisdom, Jesus said to the
Sadducees, “On earth, people marry each other. But those who will be
worthy to be raised from death and live again will not marry. In
that life, they are like angels and cannot die. They are children of
God, because they have been raised from death."
Jesus also told them, "Moses clearly showed
that the dead are raised to life. When Moses wrote about the burning
bush, he said that "the Lord is the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob." God is the God of living people, not
dead people. All people will live for God.”
If people who are worthy and are resurrected to life, they will
live again and will not marry. There will not be any need to declare
their marital
status. All will be single, and will live for God. Those who have
loving spouses while on earth might be disappointed. But those who have unloving
spouses while on earth would not be upset. All people will be and can be friends forever,
living as neighbours. None will be lonely or be left alone! There
will not be any lack for food, drink, housing or companionship.
There will be love, joy and peace forever!
There will not be any jealousy and strife, lusting for sex and
other earthly pleasures. Those who have multiple wives or husbands
will have none. No more chasing after pretty girls or handsome guys.
No more trying to look good to impress others.
All will be healthy, active and energetic. All will be like angels
of God in heaven. And all will live for God.
Then Jesus told them some truths that were written in the
Pentateuch or the first five books of the Bible as the Sadducees
refused to go beyond the written Torah or the Pentateuch. And the
Sadducees were the wealthier people of Israel. Most of them were
from aristocratic families. Some of them were high priests or
priests holding high positions. Many were
merchants. Most of them were powerful and super rich, being the leaders and elders in Israel.
Jesus told them that Moses clearly showed
that the dead were raised to life. When Moses wrote about the
burning bush, he said that “the Lord is the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all
alive in the presence of God. And they are all individuals. Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. Not Abraham, Isaac his son or Jacob his grandson.
They are all children of God. There will be no grandchildren in
heaven! And God is their Heavenly Father.
As the Lord is the great “I Am”, they will continue to exist and
live! As the Lord lives forever, they too will live forever! God is the
God of living people, not dead people. All people will live for God.
Some of the teachers of the law said,
“Teacher, Your answer was good.” No one was brave enough to ask
Jesus another question.
But Jesus did something wonderful and
astonishing beyond their wildest imaginations or expectations. It
was His turn to ask them a question. His question really surprised them, and caught them off
guard. He asked them, “Is the Christ the Son of David?”
Jesus said, “Why do people say that the
Christ is the Son of David? In Psalm 110:1, David himself says, "The
LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your
enemies Your footstool.”" David calls the Christ ‘Lord.’ But the
Christ is also the Son of David. How can both these things be true?”
How can the Christ or Messiah be the Son of David if David
addressed Him as Lord? The LORD is God, and my Lord is my Christ
or Messiah. The Christ already existed
while David was alive on earth! David saw the Lord! He saw the
Christ! But
the Christ was not yet born on earth! He came to earth and lived
among men many many years later! About 1000 years later! As the
Christ was the Son of God, He was also the Son of Man! Yes, the
Christ is both the Son of God and the Son of David!
Jesus was actually revealing to these religious and prestigious
people that He was the
Christ. But they did not
believe Him to be their Messiah, and thereafter set their hearts in motion to
kill Him!
Jesus knew the wicked hearts of these religious leaders! As they
were listening, Jesus said to His followers, “Be careful of the
teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing clothes that
look important. And they love for people to show respect to them in
the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the
synagogues and at the feasts. But they cheat widows and steal their
houses. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long
prayers. God will punish these people severely.”
Jesus was telling them what was really important in the eyes of God.
Not just looking good, feeling important and powerful, pretending to
be holy and religious, and praying long and repetitive prayers! But doing what truly bring delights to the
Lord! And the Lord had already told them what was good, and what He
required from them. Do what is right to other people. Love others and be
kind to people. And live humbly, trusting God.
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
And in heaven, there will be only one King and Lord! Those who
are kings and queens in the present life, will live humbly like the others!
Those who are powerful and prestigious CEOs, presidents, prime
ministers, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and
such will
be humbled, and live humbly with God and others! Those who are poor,
homeless, sick and rejected by society in this present life will no
longer continue to be so in heaven. All people will be well, happy
and healthy! All will do justly
and love mercy!
Interestingly, in the Matthew account of this
same event, Jesus told them about the Greatest Commandment!
Matthew 22:29-42
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing
the Scriptures nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in
marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.
31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read
what was spoken to you by God, saying,
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His
teaching.
The
Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?
34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the
Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
and saying,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the
Prophets.”
Jesus: How Can David Call His
Descendant Lord?
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked
them,
42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
As the Pharisees learned that the Sadducees could not argue with
Jesus’ answers to them, they met together and posed Jesus a
difficult question.
One Pharisee, who was an expert in the law of
Moses, asked Jesus a question to test Him. The Pharisee asked,
“Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”
Jesus answered, “‘Love the LORD your God with
all your heart, soul and mind.’ This is the first and most important
command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your
neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the laws and the writings of the
prophets depend on these two commands.”
Jesus revealed to them the very thing that was deemed to be
impossible for them to do! Loving God, and loving others as
themselves! On earth, it was not easy, but in heaven, it would not
be difficult!
If we are in heaven after death, our eternal life will be wonderful!
We will be loving God, loving ourselves and also others! We will all
live for God! It will be a true and wonderful paradise. No more having the lust of
flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life! No more loving
the world and the things of this world!
1 John 2:15-17
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is
of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he
who does the will of God abides forever.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all
the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Written on 18 September 2023