By Jim Mettenbrink
Obituaries have often been prefaced with, she “changed her address to be with her Lord on Monday”, “passed into her heavenly home Wednesday”, “left this world for her heavenly home”, etc. When the family member is asked how he knows that, the answer is merely wishful thinking. In discussion with one person, the answer was because Jesus loves her. My response was Jesus loves everyone, so is Adolf Hitler saved? Response – a long string of vile language. People do not want to accept the possibility that a loved one will not be in heaven. Folks appeal to emotional desire but not to the Bible to show how they know the departed is resting in bliss. However, a recent obit said he “walked into eternity.” Whether intended, that is correct. When we die, we enter eternity.
We considered Hades, the place of the unseen departed spirits. Our eternal part is our spirit (Acts 7:59) and upon death it will reside there until the final judgement (Revelation 20:14). The faithful will go to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). But what about those who decided not to follow Jesus or mistakenly thought (wishful thinking/one’s desires) they followed Him but did not. What?
Jesus gives us a glimpse of that sad judgment. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Some think they will be in the kingdom of heaven but will not! For certain that person will not be in the presence of Jesus. If anything, that passage should prompt everyone of us to diligently study the New Testament to know the certainty that one is “doing the will of the Father.” – “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13). To where will that person depart? And what will it be like for eternity?