Hebrews 9:27-28 Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
It’s just a basic question of our existence–what happens when we die. We all know we are going to die. Everyone does. We may think there is nothing after that. We may think we sit on clouds and have wings. We may think that there is just no way to tell what comes next. Still we are certain that the experience, whatever it is, is part of our future. These verses sum up the Christian position rather succinctly. We are held to account for our lives here on earth but, because Jesus has gone before us in death, the issues that might keep us from receiving what God has in store for us are no longer a problem. There are several ways to think about this resulting salvation. You can think of it in terms of guilt being taken away. You can think of it as that which is broken in us being restored or that which is sick being made healthy. You can think of it as relationships being reconciled, both with God and others. The biblical idea includes all this and more. So, what do you really believe about death? This passage asks us to trust that God has done something through Jesus that will make it ok, even good. Are you buying that?
Don
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 