According to a World Death Clock on the Internet, approximately 56,000,000 people die annually. About 4,679,450 people die monthly, about 153,420 die daily and about 6,390 die hourly. “We’ve all gotta die sometime,” they say. “When your number’s up, that’s it!” True to the first statement, not true to the second one. And as it is appointed for men (people) to die once, but after this the judgment Hebrews 9:27. Everybody agrees death is unavoidable; the only exceptions to date being the Prophets Enoch and Elijah. But that’s not “it” for the rest; it is but the beginning. For those spiritually born-again in Jesus, death is not feared. For those not spiritually born-again in Jesus, death is everything to be feared.
Of these 56,000,000 annual deaths, I wonder how many die without Christ. I’m always asking myself that question even if it’s only one death. Where now is the soul of that person? Is he/she at peace in the presence of the Lord Jesus or is he/she in turmoil in hell awaiting the final judgment of God? For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25. What I do know is most people die the way they lived – without Christ. Jesus said as much: Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Continued……
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it Matthew 7:13-14. Quote: “So, says Christ, is the path to heaven. It is narrow. It is not “the great highway” that people tread. Few go there. Here and there one may be seen – traveling in solitude and singularity. The way to death, on the other hand, is broad. Multitudes are in it. It is the great highway in which people go. They fall into it easily and without effort, and go without thought.” – Albert Barnes. “Traveling in solitude and singularity.” That’s the reality of life for most spiritually born-again Christians. Those on the broad way (religious people and church-goers among them) despise, mock, judge, analyze, criticize, ridicule and sneer at us.
What is our response to this? Pity, and prayer for them; until we encountered the Lord Jesus many of us did the same. But the reason we did was not because we didn’t fear death, it was because we didn’t want to be reminded of it! Intuitively we knew that there was a God and at death we knew we would be required to give an account of our lives to Him. In addition, we knew our biblical ignorance or biblical illiteracy wouldn’t get us off the hook. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. Continued……
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God-head, so that they are without excuse Romans 1:18-20. (Underline mine). One doesn’t have to be familiar with The 10 Commandments to know that we have violated them. We’ve all had gods before the one and only true God. We’ve all made idols out of our gods – careers, homes, money, motorcars, music and sport, people, sex, etc. We’ve all blasphemed God’s name. We’ve all disregarded a day of worship to God. We’ve all dishonored our parents, had murder and adultery/fornication in our hearts, stolen, lied, gossiped, slandered and coveted.
Even though people will say, “I am a good person at heart,” (and that’s what the majority of 56,000,000 people tell God every year!), imagine being told by Him, “You were a false-god worshiper, an idolater, a blasphemer, a murderer, an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, a liar, a gossip, a slanderer and a covetous person at heart!” Imagine it! As a matter of fact, I pray that you would seriously imagine it if you’re not spiritually born-again in Jesus, because God is giving you the grand opportunity right here, right now, of not hearing Him tell you this should you be one of them this year, or this month, or this day or this hour who stands face to face before Him. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23.
What does Jesus tell us about what’s in the heart of a person? And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile a man Mark 7:20-23. That’s the real you; that’s the real me. It is wise to believe what Jesus says about us and disbelieve all to the contrary. That means there is only one act that can set us free from these things, making us forever clean before the holy and righteous God. It is not the act of praying, reciting Scriptures from religious books; it is not the act of going to church, the synagogue, the mosque or the temple.
The act is: Believe Jesus, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life…… everlasting life…… He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already…… John3:15-16, 18. Believing Jesus; that’s the first act. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation, For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:9-11. Without believing Jesus, all else in one’s religious life is fruitless. Multitudes among the 56,000,000 people who die annually have found that out.
To be spiritually born-again means we get to start life over again with a clean slate. That’s right! The human nature dies; we receive God’s nature in its place – a supernatural nature! Talk about the gift of God being eternal life; it begins the moment we truly believe Jesus died in our place – a miraculous moment. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new 2 Corinthians 5:17. Quote: “Only the power that makes a world can make a Christian. And when he is so created, the old things are passed away – Of their own accord, even as snow in spring. Behold – The present, visible, undeniable change! All things are become new.”
Continued: “He has new life, new senses, new faculties, new affections, new appetites, new ideas and conceptions. His whole tenor of action and conversation is new, and he lives, as it were, in a new world. God, men, the whole creation, heaven, earth, and all therein, appear in a new light, and stand related to him in a new manner, since he was created anew in Christ Jesus.” – John Wesley. A better commentary on the above Scripture one would be hard pressed to find. It comes from a man who experienced all things new from 1738 to 1791 – 53 years. My experience to date has been 35½ years. Believe me, we who are spiritually born-again know what it’s like to live on the other side of the tracks!
Important note: The 56,000,000 people who die annually is an approximate figure. Multitudes among them do not reach the age of accountability; millions of aborted babies, sick babies and children, plus people born of unsound mind. Every one of these dear people go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ the very moment their life ceases here. God is merciful; not one of them is lost! Therefore they are not made reference to in this post. Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven…..; for of such is the kingdom of God Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:14. However: Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it Mark 10:15.
Jesus is saying little children are teachable; they’re not proud, not arrogant, not haughty, not belligerent and not blasphemous; they are teachable. That is the attribute required by God of all who have reached the age of accountability. If one rejects this attribute and continues doing so till death, it means they have rejected the gift of God offered to them, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The alternative? Eternal death, biblically known as the second death Revelation 20:15. Through no choice, death awaits us all. Through choice, eternal death awaits many. How sad! 56,000,000 people die annually; a minimal percentage die in Christ. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved Acts 4:12 NASB.