Havenwood Baptist Church

This is among the most challenging situations in life for those who have lost a spouse, parent, or close friend. I would add that the challenge is for those left behind. The Scriptures do not seem to indicate the “second chance” after death that some would advocate. One can know their hope of eternity from the Bible before their passing away, and I believe that is very clear. It may sound presumptive, but God does want us to know we have eternal life here on this earth. I John 5:13 tells us that what is written (the Bible) is written so that we may know that we have eternal life.

The sad answer to this question is no, some are not truly believers. Jesus illustrated this in Matthew, chapter 7, verses 21-23. He says, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;” so we dare not say anything different. He gives 4 different marks between the false and the true in this passage. In these particular verses, we can see the differences between a true and false believer. We can liken this to what is known today as “identity theft”.

With my father passing away in the past few months, it has given me reason to think of my own mother’s life even more. That search has led to consideration of the loving, godly mother. In 1950, the great Scottish American preacher Peter Marshall stood before the United States Senate and he explained it this way: