Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. - Matthew 24:44
Toss of life is a heart-wrenching experience that can leave us searching for answers. It's especially difficult when the person who has passed away seemed to have so much potential and life ahead of them. However, in these moments of grief, we often overlook one of the most important truths that these tragedies remind us of - death is inevitable. It's a reality that we all must face, regardless of our status, wealth, or personal qualities. The Bible is said to provide answers to all matters of life and death. As someone who has been a Christian for over 20 years, I strongly agree that we should seek answers within the pages of the Bible.
To this point, let’s look at two stories that Jesus spoke about during His earthly ministry. Both have the unfortunate commonality of lives apparently being cut short by various circumstances. In Luke chapter 13, Jesus is told about a recent tragedy that resulted in the loss of life in his hometown of Galilee. In verses 1 through 3 we see Jesus’ response about the Galilaeans who were killed by Pilate. Following that, we see in verses 4-5 that He speaks of 18 souls who lost their lives because a tower in Siloam fell and killed them. We conclude by the information given that these were more than illustrations, they were real events with real tragedy and real loss of life. Yet notice that He doesn’t focus on the details surrounding the tragedy itself, in the first circumstance the lives were taken by human ploy and the second by apparently no fault of anyone in particular. In both cases He issues a sober warning to each of the listeners regarding their need to repent or else they (and we) would likewise perish. Jesus knew that it is human nature for us to focus on the details that surround tragedies of this sort. We tend to want to know what happened? Who is to blame? Could this have been prevented? What kind of lives did the victims live? Did the victims deserve what happen to them because of bad karma etc.? Notice how Jesus didn’t allow His listeners to wonder down any of these dead ends. He challenged each person to change the course of their lives while they still had opportunity by repenting of their sins. Notice the ultimatum for not repenting that is mercifully delivered by the Lord in verses 3 and 5, He said “I tell you, no: but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish!” Our take away from this warning is not for us to simply avoid sociopaths like Pilate or that we should avoid standing near leaning towers but rather that our focus should not be primarily on how we can prolong this life but rather how we should prepare for the life that is to come, the life that is eternal. How do we do this? Well according to Jesus that preparation starts with us personally repenting.
Mark 1:15 (KJV) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 3:19 (KJV) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 17:30-31 (KJV) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Revelation 3:3 (KJV) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Again, what does it mean to repent? Well, it is more than feeling and even being sorry for one’s actions. I can be sorry for things that I have done and yet be unwilling to change my ways. In fact I can even be willing to change my ways and yet be unwilling to completely surrender my life to Christ. Remember, the word repent means to turn away from. Meaning that true repentance has to do with true change that begins in one’s heart, the core of who we are, it’s not just outward actions as we can easily fake actions for various reasons. Any real life change has to be driven by an internal change of the heart. Yet the actual transformation of the heart comes from the Holy Spirit of God Himself. By grace He gives us the desire to want to change and then He supernaturally causes us to become alive spiritually by the Word of God, the same Word and breathe of God that brought Adam to life will also bring the repentant heart alive in the spirit, to those that believe His Word to them.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 (KJV) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
It is in our DNA to believe that we, through our own wits and knowledge will somehow cheat death and judgement. God has already pronounced judgement on the soul that refuses to repent and has also given a promise of eternal life to the soul that believes in Jesus Christ the Messiah.
One of the hardest things for us to do is to not get distracted by the tragedies of life, neither with life itself and see the big picture from God’s perspective. With that I implore you and I to be reconciled to God while we have the opportunity, for tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
Matthew 16:25 (ESV) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.