2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
DEATH IS OUR FRIEND . .
Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death, and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14, 15 Good News Bible)
Afraid of dying? Everyone naturally fears dying. Not only is it the end of everything we know, but there is always the threat of the hereafter. What comes after death? Heaven? Hell? Is there a God, and if there is, how can we know Him and what's His name?
There is no end of debate and argument in this world, and I could write a book, or several making arguments that no one would listen to, for we are enemies of God by birth, and unless He opens our hearts to hear His word, His voice, we are all destined for eternal hell and death. So let me cut to the chase . .
Of all the religions in human history, Christianity is totally unique. All religions are based on two things: an angry God, and a list of things to do, or not do, to get Him to quit being mad and let us into heaven/eternal life. The fighting between religions is usually over the "list", but sometimes over God's name. Only in Christianity does God become a Man. And when He comes as a Man He does two things; He does the list perfectly (Jesus who was God in human form never once commits sin), and then pays the ransom for all of us (who fail to do the list perfectly). This is why Christianity does not play well with other religions. Only one Man is the long sad tale of humanity every walked back out of a grave (other than those this man raised from the dead). this one Man said He was God and that He would judge every human at the end of time, alive or dead.
When Jesus rose from the dead it settled the religious questions of humanity once and for all. There was no more guessing whether there was life after death, what it was like, and who the true God was. Hell and religions that ruled out of fear were furious. One by one the 12 Apostles (disciples of Jesus) were hunted down and slaughtered by the devil, the prince of this world, with the exception of John. Jesus warned them that that they would be hated (Mark 13:13) of "all men for my name's sake". And why? Think about this for a moment . . how could any sane person hate someone who continually did good, worked miracles and ultimately raised from the dead? This is why:
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). We hate Jesus because He is good, really good, so good that we appear as we really are when compared to Him.
Good News! When Jesus died, He didn't die for His sins, but for the sins of all who would put there trust in Him. And when they do (and even the faith they put in Him is a gift from God [see Ephesians 2:8, 9]) they are declared perfect (Hebrews 10:14), and are given the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). We stand perfect before God! Christ's perfect record is imputed (reckoned) to our account, and our evil record was carried away on His cross. His death was our death. He died for us, not for Himself. And when He was raised, we were raised with Him, and guaranteed a home in heaven! Praise God forever!
Just as we wear the likeness of the man made of earth, so we will wear the likeness of the Man from heaven.
What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot share in God's Kingdom, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality. Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die.
So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: "Death is destroyed; victory is complete!"
"Where, Death, is your victory? Where, Death, is your power to hurt?"
1 Corinthians 15:49-55 Good News Bible
