Death and end-of-life discussions are not something most of us want to be a part of. In my career, those are conversations that I am involved in regularly and have been for the 30 years or so of my nursing career. My grandfather owned a funeral home in my younger years and my father was a preacher, so I have been around those hard topics most of my life. These discussions are always difficult, and some are more difficult than others. One thing I know for certain is that I am glad I am not the one who decides where the soul goes after a person dies. I have seen some very nice people who do not seem to have a relationship with God, and I have seen people who proclaim Christ and do not appear to lead a Godly life.
After someone dies, a very common thing that I hear is, “He is in a better place, now.” Maybe it is because we want to feel better about the situation and for the family to feel better. Maybe it is true and this person has followed God. But many times, I hear this and I have been talking with the patient or family for days and, again, I am just thankful that I am not the one that has to make those decisions. Someone tells the family, “He is in a better place, now” to console the family, and I am sitting there thinking, “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7: 13-14
But God is a god of love. We have become so focused on the love part of the gospel that we have forgotten the discipline and punishment part of the gospel. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) We have taught love exclusively for so long that there is no longer any need to fear the Lord. There has even been teaching that has come along recently that says there is no hell or eternal destruction. We cannot reason out something so terrible with a God that is so good. So, instead, we decide that there cannot possibly be a hell.
Without a hell, and with our teachings focused on the love of God and everyone will go to heaven, we have lost the fear of the Lord and with that goes wisdom. We wonder why our world is becoming more evil and the sin that used to be shunned in society is now celebrated in the churches. Perhaps it is because there is no more fear of the Lord and wisdom is a rare find. We no longer go in search of understanding and knowledge of the Holy One. I saw it on social media, so therefore it must be true. I saw it on the 10 o’clock news, so therefore it must be true. I read it in a book, so therefore it must be true. I watched a 2-hour documentary on it, so therefore it must be true. We no longer go in search of truth. We prefer to sit on the sofa and let someone else tell us what truth is.
Jesus is drawing to an end of the sermon on the mount. He has just finished talking about not judging others. Most of the Sermon on the Mount centers around developing the heart of God and not just following the laws. Some of the people he was speaking to were experts at following the details of the Law and were teachers of the Law, but still did not follow God. Jesus says few will find the narrow gate that leads to life with Christ. We follow the letter of the law and keep up with our checklist of dos and don’ts, yet we do not follow God. We do not have a relationship with God.
Following God is much more than a list of dos and don’ts. Following God is about learning everything we can about God’s word and living the life we are called to live. “Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Following God is a life that reflects Christ, not just on Sunday morning, but the other six and a half days, as well. Following God is living a life that seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and you will find the narrow gate and you will spend eternity in a better place.
