This last month (September 2016) we saw two deaths that have rocked many sports commentators. First, the death of Arnold Palmer was sudden and greeted with great sadness because how he has mentored so many in the game of golf (PGA). The other death involved a young 24 year old Major League Baseball player for the Miami Marlins named Jose Fernandez who died in a boating accident. The sentiment was this was a tragic event. There was a moving ceremony honoring him before the game the Marlins played on Tuesday night, when every one of his teammates took the field wearing his number (16).
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eath of friends and family is always greeted with a feeling of sorrow. Sometimes the shock of death makes us feel nostalgic and thankful for knowing a person because of his effect in our lives. Other times the shock of death makes us feel that life is not fair or even God is not fair. Death in either case make us reassess our lives and sometimes ask, “Why do we die?”
Well the reason we die is the result of sin. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a). Everyone is guilty of the sin of Adam. The Bible again says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, ESV). You see that even after God place both Adam and Even in a perfect paradise, they were tempted by Lucifer to disobey and eat the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat (see Genesis 2:17, 3:1-6). We will all stand before God in judgement of our deeds as the writer of Hebrews says, “It is appointed man once to die and then the judgement.” (Hebrews 9:27).
Because of the brevity of life, people (and some Christians) think that God is not fair. They see the good life others live and ask, “Why can’t I have the good life?” The Gospel of Christ affirms that knowing and worshiping God beats any alternative way of living that would make this life easier. God has given us more grace than we deserve regardless of our circumstances. Even though our sin causes death due to God’s judgment, God places the good life in having a personal relationship with Him forever even after death (John 17:3.). Do you have eternal life now so you will be ready for death?
Pastor Glenn
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