Born to Die

At the end of March, I attended a Celebration of the life of a brother in the Lord whose spirit is now with his Saviour. Such events are happening with increasing regularity as I draw, day by day, more closely to my own departure from this mortal life. Of course, there are many of us who, as we look around us and see more and more Biblical prophecies being fulfilled, are convinced that the Rapture* of the saints of God - i.e. all of those who are truly disciples of Jesus - could occur within the lifetime of even people of my advanced age!

Mind you, there is a sense in which the first thing that we do when we are born is to start to die! That is the destiny of each and all, until the Rapture. What is important is what we do with the life we are given. The testimonies to the life of my friend were positive and encouraging. I pray that even some of what was said about him may be able to be said about me when my time comes!

However, there is one death that was the most important in the history of humankind. Many of us remember it daily, but especially did we do so last month. It was the death of Jesus, the Christ, on a cross at Calvary. He, more than any of us, was born to die. 

He, Himself, identified many reasons why He had been born. Consider the following sampling of verses and references. First and foremost, the Christ came to redeem those who would believe: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). But under that umbrella of redemption come many other aspects.

 Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." (John 4:34). God's will was paramount even in judgment (John 5:30) as well as resurrection. "For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40). It also governed His teaching (7:16-17). In everything, Christ sought to bring glory to His Father (7:18).

 

Many aspects of Christ's work are to be realized in this life, for He said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). His desire in it all was that we might have an eternal relationship with God. "That they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

 

But the primary goal was to bring to climax His redemptive strategy. He knew that none of the other aspects of His work had any effect without atonement for sin, which was only possible if a blood sacrifice was made for that sin. "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13). "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). This was the reason He came to earth - to pay the penalty for your sin and for mine. And only through Him are we able to come to the Father, receive His forgiveness, and be assured of eternity in His glorious presence. 

*This is one of the "Great Words of the Faith" that is dealt with in my book of the same name - as promoted at the end of March. Please remember that I receive no financial, or other material, benefit from the sale of my books, as all royalties are sent, directly, to Release International, in support of the persecuted Church.