For A Lifetime

There’s an article on NBCNews.com that helps teach that “life” does not mean from now until death.

The map shows in blue countries that have done away with life sentences – the ones in red still include sentences that put criminals into prisons until they die. The mapper did not identify the countries in gray, but from my own research, some of them do include imprisonment for life for some crimes, so I’m not certain why they were left gray. I’m not sufficiently curious to find out why because any such map will show that “life” does not mean from now until death.

We attended a marriage this past weekend.  There were many couples there who promised “till death us do part.” Some were still dancing with their partners in the Anniversary Dance when the DJ called “Over 50 years.” Several previously married couples, though, attended with their ex and their current partner. Death did not part them, divorce courts did. “Life” did not mean until death.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46 KJV)

Again, biblically, “life” does not mean until death.  Here, it means being without beginning or end; existing outside of time; continuing without interruption; perpetual; forever true or changeless. No death included.

Why is the Bible so often speaking of eternity? Because that is God.

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14 KJV)

He is the God of the living, too:

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:31-32 KJV)

Go back up to Matthew 25:46 – get that part about everlasting punishment? The parable Jesus gave spoke of those who stand before the king’s judgment seat, a picture of God’s judgment:

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12 KJV)

Don’t forget that “everlasting punishment” part.  Just as so many other things we’d like to overlook, or simply deny, it’s still there and must be faced.  Once we face it, we have to decide whether or not it applies to us. There are only two situations given. Are we righteous? How did we get there? Why aren’t we there? Lots of questions, with a very good answer available to us:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)