We Have But One Life

Twice Tuesday morning I ran into the same poem.  First time was on a blog I read regularly, Abundant Life Now (it shows up on my Blogroll, on the right) and again with Facebook references on Only 1 Life site. You can read the entire poem on either site, because I’m going to look only at the repetition:

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

One FB poster was connected from Michigan through South Carolina to the Philippines with that phrase. A few posts down was a believer in Africa, praising sound doctrine. Another wrote:  “For many years it has hung by our front door as a reminder of the important things in life.”

Another had heard it at a funeral.  Still another wrote she heard it as a child and it remained with her. Another paraphrased ”What shall u gain to have the whole world and loose ur soul?” :

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:25-26 KJV)

What do we have to offer God to purchase our souls?  Will good works buy it for us? Not according to several Bible verses, including:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5 KJV)

The good works we do are the fruit of the Spirit within us. And, they are all done for the glory of Christ, not for salvation but because of salvation. Paul continues:

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.  (Titus 3:8 KJV)

Good works in and of themselves do help others, and when men of God cease to do good works, they are no longer glorifying God as He intended.

Jesus of Nazareth lived but one life. Thirty-three years of that life was here on earth. John knew there was more:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2 KJV)

Every person living on Earth has been affected by His life. The Tanakh prophesied His coming.  Though many do not believe Jesus was the Messiah, they hear from and about those who do. The Quran speaks of Him, too, though rejecting the doctrine He preached. Atheists battle to keep His name from being spoken aloud in public. The beautiful feet of Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15 have gone about the world preaching the gospel.

Still, the question remains in each of our hearts:  What have I done for Christ, today?