Warning, Another Preachy Post

Yeah this one's about the leaflet I got from the JW's. It got me curious so I looked into it a bit. No adventures here, just some of that bland old insight into life, death, and eternal purpose. What Happens When You Die? Well, I was always taught that when we die we will stand at judgement before God, and our life will be laid out before us. If we were acceptable, then our name will be found in The Lambs Book of Life and we will enter into heaven then and there. If we were unacceptable then we went to Hell, where we would exist in eternal torment, worse for some than for others, depending on our lives. In the same way there will be different classifications in heaven. Basically, and this is not all inclusive but a snap shot of salvation, you have to accept that you are a sinner, just as all humanity is, and that once sin entered the world, back in the garden, God’s relationship with humanity changed. Eventually a prophesied Messiah came to earth, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Now our way into heaven is through belief in Him. I don’t mean, “Yes I believe there was a guy named Jesus.” Because the Bible says, even the Demons believe in Him and shutter. Belief as in faith in Him; believing He is the way, truth and the life, and that no body can come to the father except through him. This path is made through admitting you are a sinner and that Jesus died on the cross as a final sacrifice for your sins, so that there would no longer need be animal sacrifices. I don’t know why there had to be blood spilit in the first place, but it was required, along with other things you don’t understand in this life. Then again, I might come across it in the Bible some day and it will make sense. So yeah, I believed that you accept Christ as your savior and that you choose to follow Him. Simple as that. It is as simple as that I guess, but the terms of following Christ are more than just be happy and eat your vitamins. There is no need to mention everything one must do over and over again, because these stipulations are implied in the words “Follow Me.” To follow, His life as an example, upholding the commandments as he taught, wherein Love is the greatest command. It’s the greatest because from it spring all the others, so it’s a short way of saying follow it all. Okay okay, I’ll through some scripture in there. I know I am recounting what I believed in my head, but now it’s starting to get more technical. Mat 22:36"Teacher, which [is] the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is [the] first and great commandment. 39 And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." 2John 1:5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though {I were} writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ {as} coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into {your} house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. Every now and then I come upon a verse that makes me cringe a little, and I think, “Really God? Although I guess verse 10 and 11 is talking about those who bring an opposing message. I mean, if someone is sternly telling you something that goes against the word, then don’t listen, but I wish it was spelled out more in this manner, a little clearer. Because as it stands it is saying anyone. So if we come upon someone who doesn’t agree we are not to let them in our house? Hmmm I’ll have to think about this one, or discuss it or something. Doesn’t ring well in my ear. But I guess a homosexual who reads the Bible is going to come across several verses that make them cringe. This Bible racket is tough though isn’t it. To try understanding and accepting through the lens of our social upbringing. The customs and habits we have grown up in. So what was I talking about? Death, right. I received a tracked today from a Jehovah’s Witness, and it has a few scripture verse in it. One of the sections tells you what happens when you die. They quote Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. 7 Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine (None alcoholic for you Pentecostal crowd. Oh wait… that’s me I guess) with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. 8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that [is] your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with your might; for [there is] no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. 11 I returned and saw under the sun that-- The race [is] not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favour to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. The J W’s say, “Since the dead cannot know, feel, or experience anything, they cannot harm or help the living. Referring also to Psalms. Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, [Nor] in a son of man, in whom [there is] no help. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. I;m not really buying it though. Seems like some assumptions going on here. Sure you can derive more understanding from a verse than what it says, if one thing automatically falls under the understanding of another, but I can’t say this is enough for me to jump on board. I just want to know what part of the individual the scripture is referring to when it says They, as in “Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.” This would have to refer to the living body, the material life, because it is clear that after Jesus was crucified that dead Saints, or followers of God, or however you want to define them, they were seen walking through the streets. Awakened from their sleeping in the earth. When you put these verses together, does it makes sense that when believers die, they are resting in the ground, like Walt Disney, waiting for the return of Christ? Perhaps… I’m not going to finish that. I’m curious to know what happened to all the dead who died before Christ. Anyways, here are the verses talking about The Night of the Living Dead, or something to that effect. Matthew 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Don’t agree? Well I’m just curious, and I’m willing to admit that I am wrong. If you have any suggestions I’m open, but I hope you’re will to admit that you’re wrong as well. This is not to say that there are definite facets of faith that I wont budge on. That’s faith really, believing with a ridged mind, rather than an open one that is like shifting sand. You know, stand firm on the rock, not on sandy ground, because a rock does not move, it’s fixed, while sand is all over the place, much like Oprah’s fan base. You know, grabbing onto the latest trend in spirituality. I don’t expect to read the Bible and have it agree with everything in me, because I’m human and I’ve grown up in a western culture that has polluted my mind with jargon, rhetoric, and cultural muck. The Bible is a challenge to Christians, not to be conformed, but to conform. I guess it frustrates me to see these trends pop up, like The Secrete, which has some old ideas in there, but with a new twist. It’s a goody bag of knowledge I guess, picking the choice cuts, parts you like the most and meld well with the way you are already living, and letting the rest slide. It’s just so selfish. Faith and life isn’t about us, but fulfilling our purpose is not a daunting task, it’s an adventure, and it’s rewarding. I guess you could say it is about us in the end, because nobody wants to end up in Hell, in eternal separation from your creator. So I guess life is about me, but when I say me I’m talking about the eternal part of me that will go on after my physical life. In the end it’s a good idea to think ahead, you know, to the huge chunk of infinity that occurs after you stop breathing here, and all your Ninja turtles and Barbie dolls are gone. Along with your photo albums, Christmas gifts, house car, and all that other rubbish. We are meant to be set apart from this world, not to love it, nor to conform to it, but to penetrate it. I’m always up for being challenged, but if you can’t back up what you believe with scripture then your words probably wont hold too much water. There’s plenty more to say about death and thereafter, but I’m going to throw this up there for now. Sure nobody’s going to read this whole thing anyways, and what odds. It’s mostly for my benefit, I guess with an open invitation.