Life after death (Part 2 of 4)

Last week, we premised the fact that there is life after death, the end of all men’s mortal experience. By God’s design and will, only two persons did not suffer physical death as recorded in the bible --Enoch and Elijah. Everyone else has or will experience death. Even Jesus Christ himself gave his life on the cross, on the most eventful day some 2,000 years ago, only to resurrect three days after. All of us humans die.

Today, Filipinos traditionally observe All Souls’ Day, even as yesterday is flagged as All Saints’ Day. The difference between the two is normally, casually blurred, just that these days are spent visiting dead loved ones in the cemetery. Which is an enigma by itself – why the cemetery? Do they stay there once buried? Aren’t they somewhere else? Do they return to the cemetery every November 1st and 2nd only? People go to the extent of even preparing the favorite food of their loved ones – will they be delighted by physical food?

Maybe all these traditions and beliefs stemmed from a hazy understanding of what or who man really is. We’re all convinced that we physically exist of course, that we have bodies that grow and age, get sick, and eventually die. But what about those intangibles which we also know exist, but we can’t see or touch? Our mind and will, our desires and personal preferences and choices. How about our emotions, especially in response to situations in life? These we usually refer to as our “soul” and are reflected in our personality.

In the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:23), God tells us this: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Man has a body, soul, and spirit. The body we certainly know is distinct, but oftentimes we equate soul and spirit as one and the same. The Word of God, however, makes a clear distinction between the two. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, …” And Scripture speaks of both in entirely different roles in man’s existence.

But what and where, and for what, is man’s spirit? Again, we turn back to Scriptures and read, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24). Our spirit is that part of us which enters into a living relationship and commune with God. The unfortunate truth is, all of us are born spiritually dead, unless we are reborn of the Spirit of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6). Regeneration is accomplished in the human spirit by the Holy Spirit when man comes into repentance of his sin and accepts the redemptive death of Jesus and his saving grace by faith.

Death does not end in the cemetery. For some, it is a transition to something infinitely better. Eternal life.