YEARS AGO THE GREAT BASEBALL STAR, PEPPER MARTIN WAS ASKED, ‘WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST AMBITION IN LIFE?’ HE SAID, ‘ TO GO TO HEAVEN.’”

 How wonderful and insightful was his goal for real life, eternal life. I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment, we’ll talk about DEATH, DYING AND THE FUTURE STATE….

…While Jesus Christ hung a cross where he suffered a crucifying death, it was the plan of the Romans for such punishment to linger as much as possible, to make the experience of death as bad as could be! While there suffering and dying, Jesus had near on each side, two murderous thieves, who were found guilty of the death penalty. One thief cursed and laughed at Jesus, knowing an innocent man hung there with him. His jeers and taunts were applauded by many in the crowd as well as some Roman soldiers, but strangely the other thief said no such things. He was silent, until, he asked Jesus the most momentous and important question any man could ask. He said,

Luke 23:41-43 (NIV)  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

What remarkable confession by this wretched man, and glorious answer given to him by Jesus. Well in a moment, we’ll talk about death, dying & Paradise. Is there really such a place to go when we die? But now let’s listen to this,

…As much as we all don’t want to talk about it, death is a fact of life! In spite of this, the fear of death pervades us all. In fact, those most close to dying among humanity tell us most adults are never able to face the moment and reality of their death. Moreover, the truth is the moment we are born we all begin to die. It is an experience none can escape. Now, the Bible warns us of this,

Heb 9:27 (NIV)  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Amazing enough, death’s first mention in the Bible is in the form of a warning from God.

Gen 2:16-17 (NIV)  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

Ezek 18:4 (NIV)  For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

Thus, we can conclude, the human race was originally designed not to experience death, but death came to us all as a result of sin. Now the words spoken by Jesus from the cross, were in response to the 2^nd thief, who is nameless, but cried out to the God/Man Jesus Christ and asked Him to remember him when through death He entered His eternal Kingdom. You see this penitent thief actually prayed a prayer to Jesus, which clearly reflected his belief that the soul lives on after death; that Christ had a kingdom to rule over when he died; and that He would soon enter that kingdom despite His own impending death. His simple request to be “remembered,” by the Lord, was his plea for mercy and grace. This thief knew he had no rights whatsoever to ask of Heaven, and eternal life in God’s kingdom. So adding it all up – this statement of the dying thief demonstrated His true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord God of all, Creator of the Universe, Lord of life and death, and the dispenser of all grace to those who deserve none! In response, Jesus spoke those startling words,

Luke 23:43 (NIV)  Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

In response to the thief’s request, Jesus promised him that at the moment of physical death, he would instantly be transferred to what the Lord called, PARADISE! Now, what did He mean and what and where is Paradise?

Well, in the Bible Paradise is mentioned only three times in the New Testament, and referred to only once in the Old Testament translation called the Septuagint, the first Greek translation of it. The word, “paradise, “ is derived from an ancient Persian word, meaning a lovely “garden or park.” In the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, it refers to the Garden of Eden as “Paradise.” In the New Testament usage, we discover it exclusively refers to the afterlife abode of the saints who loved God, and followed His plan of salvation for their sins. Jesus promised without a doubt that this evil, wicked thief dying for his own earthly wrongdoings, upon confession of His faith and His sins, was granted eternal life and a place with Jesus in His kingdom called “Paradise.” Now let’s review the other various places this word, “paradise,” is used for further understanding of it. We read in,

2 Cor 12:4 (NIV) [Paul]  was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

Rev 2:7 (NIV)  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Indeed, Paradise is referred to as the abode and domain of the righteous dead who live on after physical death. Now I must state here, that there are many, even religious people who are very confused about death, dying and a place called Paradise. Many religions such as Islam teach that paradise is some sexually stimulating harem for lust filled men who follow the pagan demon god called Allah. Others believe that paradise is just a holding place for saved sinners who have not yet paid for their sins. Roman Catholicism calls it PURGATORY! Still others, believe Paradise is but an illusion of the mind of hallucinating people desperately trying to soften the fact of their impending meaningless death. However, all of these are false, unbiblical ideas and teachings not found in the Bible, and not taught by Christ Himself.

Jesus didn’t promise the dying penitent thief he would go to any such imaginary place. He said, “TODAY, YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!” This of course fits with the rest of teaching concerning the afterlife. Paul the apostle said to other penitent believers in Jesus Christ,

2 Cor 5:8 (NIV)  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Jesus said, He was going to paradise when He died. Paul states by divine inspiration that where Jesus is at home, that is Heaven, and is “Paradise.” Again, Paul writes to the Philippian Church and said,

Phil 1:23-24 (NIV)  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

So, to depart means to experience physical death, and once experienced for penitent believers in Jesus Christ, we are promised that immediately, our souls and spirits go to be with Christ in a heavenly place called Paradise. Notice there would be no delay, no purgatory or limbo, no sin and sexually attractive dream of lust-filled men. No, Heaven is the abode and place of God and the holy saints who follow Him. It’s a place where such will spend eternity. Now at death then all men if they choose in this life can go into the living presence of God because of faith in Jesus Christ. How wonderful to know this good news. But notice the stark truth of the moment Jesus uttered this promise to one thief. From Jesus’ Christ’s side one person may go on instantly to Heaven and experience eternal life, and the other to Hell and experience everlasting death! It was a choice even up to the very moment of death for some. Friend, which side of the cross are you on? The one marked Paradise, or the one marked for Hell? You alone decide.

Now furthermore, remember this, as this criminal in his dying moments turned to Christ and pleaded for mercy and grace, he knew no good works could save him. He knew no proud plea to a life of religious asceticism could or would save him either. He had no appeal, but the grace and mercy of God, and on that road, all humanity must come to be saved and experience life eternal in the presence of God in His paradise called heaven.

Now today we hear many stories about some dying, particularly those whose life had no real place of penitence for sins, or a plea for mercy alone to be saved by a righteous sinless God. They claim to have died, and following their death they came back to report that there is an afterlife, but one of great joy for everyone, regardless of being a Christian or not. How can we answer such testimonies as this? The answer is simple, DON’T BELIEVE A WORD OF IT!

For sure, those who died a “clinical death,” that is their heart stopped, and their bodies lay in the first stages of death, but through medical resuscitation, they were brought back to life, I’m sure what they report, they believe they saw and heard.

An experienced hospital chaplain who dealt with death among such patients reported that from sixty to sixty-five of them who returned from apparent clinical death; Of these, about one-fourth expect life after death because they claim that through an out-of-body experience, they saw and met a being of light who encouraged them in a number of things such as:

1.      God will accept everyone, good and bad in the afterlife.

2.      God is not at all a judgmental God, as Christians teach.

3.      There should then be no subsequent fear of dying, without Christ. It matters not!

4.      The being of light is not identified, but couldn’t be Satan for this being promotes love and forgiveness.

5.      Those who return, are told to proclaim to the world that they should seek one religion based on these truths.

This friends, is a summary of various death experiences of those claiming to come back. Yet remember this friends, none of these people have come back from the grave, only clinical death where their organ and bodies have not suffered irreversible organ and tissue death. That is the real meaning of death, please remember. These were experiences of “dying” people, not “dead” people!

How does a Christian answer these testimonies? Very honestly and forthrightly. You see the Bible warns us,

2 Cor 11:14 (NIV)  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

This not to imply all the experiences of clinical death are Satanically induced, but to remind us that there is another possible identification of this “being of light,” as the ultimate deceiver of the world! Scripture warns,

2 John 1:7 (NIV)  Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

To assume this being of light is Jesus is dangerous and unbiblical. Those who find hope beyond the grave in such deathlike experiences need to be warned. When death comes, the Bible says judgment also comes. The main judgment is whether you took Christ as your Lord and Savior in this life or not. Jesus warned all the living,

John 3:18-19 (NIV)  Whoever believes in him [Jesus Christ] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe, stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world,[Jesus Christ] but men loved darkness [sin, evil, self and the devil] instead of light because their deeds were evil.

I firmly believe that we are in the “Last Days,” of the coming of the Lord. At such a time as this, Satan, the arch evil angel who heads up all disobedience to God, may be deceiving many people about the reality of judgment ahead in a place called Hell; A place where all those who know not Christ, upon actual death, that is the leaving of the body in the grave, will be ushered instantly into the torment and suffering of Hades, the place of the unsaved, unrighteous dead. Jesus warned by way of a dramatic illustration when He said,

Mat 5:30 (NIV)  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Now that’s the “bad news” for a whole world lost in sin. That includes all of us, religious or not. You see, there is no way to heaven, or eternal life, or to “PARADISE”, except through the cross of Jesus Christ as the penitent thief came. Peter the apostle declared,

Acts 4:12 (NIV)  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Are you saved my friend? I didn’t ask if you were religious and faithful to it. I didn’t ask if you’ve lived a good life and tried your best. I didn’t ask if you’ve had an out-of-body experience that justifies death as a peaceful transition for everybody. I asked, have you confessed your sinfulness, your worthiness of death and Hell, and have you pleaded with God through Jesus Christ personally to save you simply on the basis of His love, grace, and  mercy? The latter is the ONLY way to God, and for all who confess Christ as their Lord God and Savior, when death, true death and the grave comes for us all – we shall hear the words of Jesus speaking down through the ages to us all – TODAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE! The promise of Jesus is found clearly in,

John 5:24 (NIV)  “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

John 3:16-17 (NIV)  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Friend, by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we are assured by God the Father He has forgiven all humanity of their sins and granted eternal life to all who take Jesus Christ as their Shepherd, their sin-bearer and King. Death, physical death will still come to all, but it will be but a shadow, for Christ has broken the chains of death and frees all who receive Him in this life.

Today I beg of you, trust in nothing but the blood death of Jesus Christ on the cross as the only and final payment for the sins of the world, particularly your sin. Like the dying thief, cry out, in a penitent faith in Christ alone for your salvation and forgiveness -- “LORD REMEMBER ME IN YOUR KINGDOM,” and you too can experience the present and eternal joy of full and final forgiveness now and forever more. Amen…

…Paradise, we discover,  is the place of God’s abode also called Heaven. It is a real place where God lives outside of the universe. It is a place where all the righteous dead will go to live on for all eternity following death. It is a place where no sins dwells, no effects of sin are ever found, and where the saints in glory, experience forever, joy, blessing and provision of the fullness of life itself. Best of all my friend, it is a place all sinful humanity can go to upon death, “if” in this life, they come by way of the cross. Have you? If not, right now wherever you are, bow your head and heart and cry out to God to save you. Confess you are a sinner, unable to save yourself, and that only by God’s love, mercy and grace offered through Jesus Christ, you believe He died for you. God will not miss, nor pass by any such prayer of faith, and you can be assured God answers you. Jesus said,

John 6:47 (NIV)  I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

It’s that simple yet profound, and paradise is just around the corner for all whom by way of the cross, come to faith in Christ. Make that decision now before it’s too late.

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