HOW WE LIVE FOREVER

HOW WE LIVE FOREVER

We are more than just a physical body. The physical body, that which we have now, is the image one sees when looking in a mirror. The physical body is the one that feels the pain of getting older, the one that decays with age. The physical body is the one that has blood in it and the one that also has sin in it. But man has more than just a physical body, he is comprised of three things; just as God is a trinity, so is man. Gen 9:6 “for in the image of God made He man.”

Paul lists “spirit and soul and body” in 1 Thess 5:23. Paul recognized that we have three parts (bodies), a Natural physical body, a Spiritual body and a Soul. A reference is also found in Heb. 4:12 concerning three parts of man, the natural (joints and marrow), spiritual and soul.

1. The body. That part that we see in the mirror. The flesh and blood or the natural.
2. The soul. Scriptures showing that the soul is separate from the body. Gen. 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Ezek. 18:3-4. Soul departs the body at death. Gen. 35:18; Matt. 10:28 “but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
3. The spirit. The spirit is not flesh and blood. 1 Cor. 6:20. “Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”.

Science divides the earth into two categories, living and non-living. In the living category, there are plants and animals. Plants have life, but animals are more. Animals have a conscious and realize they are alive. This conscious also allows them to have feelings, think and to make decisions. This conscious is referred to as a soul. Now humans have a third part, a spirit.

We realize that at death when our physical bodies are put into the ground that decay starts and continues until only dust remains. This is our outside shell, our house. Just like we live in a house, but that house in not us. The house may somehow be destroyed by flood, fire or some other natural disaster, but our life is not over, we continue. We live in the physical body and eventually it will go away, but the part inside, the WE, goes on.

The plain truth is that once someone is born, they live forever, not in the physical body for it could not withstand the demands of eternity. But our soul and spirit lives on. 1 Cor. 15; 50-53 tells us that “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Corruption means decay, so the physical body, that which is put into the grave will corrupt or decay. But at the instance of death, the physical body immediately separates from the soul and the spiritual body, the physical body goes into the ground. The soul and the spiritual body will at this time go in one of two directions.

This is explained to us by Christ in Luke 16: 19-31. This is a story not a parable, it is about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Lets examine the facts revealed in this passage of Scripture;

(1) they both died, that is, the physical body died. Even though they both died they still exist.
(2) the two found themselves in two very different locations. The rich man was in a place of torment and it seems that he was very uncomfortable.
(3) Lazarus found himself in a comfortable location.
(4) the rich man recognized Abraham showing us that the spiritual body maintains characteristics similar to the physical body.
(5) they communicated.
(6) the rich man felt pain, thirst, and emotions, he had mental awareness, reasoning ability and memory. This story tells of the time between physical death (grave) and the resurrection. The resurrection is told by Christ in John 5:25-29. Here Christ tells about those who have died will “come forth” either in the “resurrection of life” or the “resurrection of the damnation.” All spirits will come back for a type of body for their spirit and soul to incarnate once again.

In conclusion: once born we live forever. Of course the physical body will have to die for it cannot withstand the rigors of eternity. The Lord will resurrect all in a new and different body. In John 5:28-29 tells of those “resurrection of life” and “resurrection of damnation”. Then will be the judgment for what we have done here on earth.

We will be either eternally with God, or eternally without God. Just as in the story about the rich man and Lazarus, their choices while on earth determined where they were to spend eternity, so will the choices we make in this physical body determine where we will spend eternity. It is never too late to accept Christ as our Savior, that is as long as we are alive here on earth. But if you know exactly at what time you are going to die, them you know exactly how much time you have to make that choice. But most do not know the exact time that they are going to die. Most are only guaranteed now. 2 Cor. 6:2 “behold, now is the day of salvation”. For now is all that one can control.

No one but God knows the future, and that is one instant after now. So repent and ask Christ to be your Savior, follow Him as your Lord. Choose this and you will be with Jesus eternally. Reject this and you will be in the same place as the rich man.

You just made a choice I pray it was the right one.

Tagged As: Spirits