Genesis 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
This passage of scripture shows us the introduction of the false doctrine of natural immortality as first introduced by the father of lies to the mother of our race. The soul-destroying concept contained therein teaches that a person can disobey God and live, which then leads those who espouse it to a life of lawlessness and disobedience, for if one cannot die, what's the use in trying to overcome sinful tendencies, by suppressing and uprooting those propensities to evil with which we are all born? And why go against our own grain in the fight against sin and self? Such were the sentiments implicated when the false doctrine of life after death was introduced to the human family, and since that time it has been only productive of evil in the hearts of the millions who subscribe to its deadly teaching.
It is in this life that we are to make good on the offers of salvation granted to us through the providence and grace of God, for the decision to serve and obey Him cannot be made at any subsequent time after death. After the passing of Whitney Houston, who died of a drug overdose, she was lauded as being in heaven, dancing with the stars such as the late Michael Jackson, with Steve Jobs supposedly keeping a tab on them with his ipad. What is pretty scary about this false concept is that all human beings, whether good or bad are purportedly given entrance to heaven at some point in time or another, and because of this, many intelligent people are actually discouraged from entering the pearly gates, for who in their right mind will like to go to a place where notorious criminals such as Al Capone, Hitler, and Nero, are given an equal seat at the welcome table, with men such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
When Christ was on earth, He set the record straight by stating unequivocally that when a person dies, they are not only very dead, but also that they can only live again though the sound of His voice. Furthermore, He went on to reiterate the same sacred truth written in Revelation chapter 20, that there are two resurrections, one for the just, and the other for the wicked. But if as stated by satan, we do not surely die, then the need for any resurrection is unwarranted, and therefore we can now live as we like and do as we please, for the end result is the same for the good and bad alike! But Jesus signally refuted these false concepts by his instructions to the people on the subject. Let's read:
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
In our day, the false doctrine of life after death has become the gold standard, and very many people are building their hopes in the shifting sand by believing that they are accountable only to themselves, and therefore will end up in heaven by default, since according to that first lie in the garden of Eden, no one dies. What we believe is always translated into actions, and if we hold views that are not substantiated by the word of God, then we will be susceptible to all kinds of delusions and deceptions which will confirm us in a wrong course of action, but will ultimately lead to eternal separation from God.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms the sacred truth that sin leads to death, but if we are willing and obedient through the grace and power of God, we will also share in the gift of His immortality, which is bestowed not on the wicked and disobedient, but on the righteous and holy. Let's read:
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!