Fear of Death Part 2

In part 1 we spoke about the fear of death and our doubts about what will happen to us in the afterlife. As much as we fear about physical death, did you know there's such thing as a spiritual death? We can be alive, living our best life but be spiritually dead. This means not having life in Christ and being dead in our sins.

This may not make any sense to you unless you understand why Christ came on this earth. We are all spiritually dead because we are ancestors of Adam. He was the first man and sin entered humanity when he disobeyed God by eating of the tree of Knowledge. As his ancestors we have all inherited his sinful nature and have been separated from God. This is the “Spiritual” death God warned Adam about if he ate from the fruit. Jesus’ purpose was to redeem us and make us spiritually alive.

This is through a second birth. When someone puts their whole trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation, an event occurs in their lives that Jesus called being "born again". Sin separates but the union that was broken with God is now restored through Jesus.

To end, we can be spiritually alive by dying to our flesh and becoming renewed/born again by the grace of Jesus Christ. To be born again means believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for our sins, saving us from eternal death. Through this our life is renewed. We live according to Gods words thus making us a new creation. We turn from our sinful nature and folllow the steps of our saviour. We become more loving, paitent, forgiving, selfless, generous, gracious the list goes on. This can only be done through our King.

John 3:4-8

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit.7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Colossians 3:9-10

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ezekiel 11:19-20

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Romans 6:1-23

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ...

Ephesians 4:22-24

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Titus 3:5

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Comfortable vs Disciple

“I’m a believer of Christ. What’s the different between someone that’s comfortable and a disciple?”

Neither one will make you more saved or less saved. However one will create impact in his Kingdom which will be directly linked to you. One can support others in finding and remaining in their salvation.

Do you want to apart of the Kingdom or building his Kingdom?

“It’s Not Everyday Church”

We often hear this saying from churchgoers or their friends and families. It's typically said after they hear about yet another church event that isn't part of the usual Sunday service.

Being a Christian is often reduced to attending church for a couple of hours on a Sunday, and that's it. But we find that disciples are more involved. They attend Bible studies, fellowships, mid-week services, outreaches, and any other events the church might organize—hence the saying, "It's not everyday church." But why is that seen as a bad thing?

Making yourself available to be a part of the church outside of Sunday is a choice. It requires the desire to get up on a Saturday morning to hit the streets and spread the gospel. So, if someone has this desire, who are we to tell them otherwise? What makes it any different from someone who wants to wake up on a Saturday morning to go shopping? It's funny how the issue only arises when it's something associated with Jesus.

We make the choice to turn away from our old ways and give ourselves to Christ. We repent and dedicate our lives to His glory. So, are we saying that this can or should only be done within a few hours on a Sunday? To live for Christ may not mean "it's everyday church," since the building isn't open daily. However, "everyday church" can be achieved by incorporating Christ into your daily life. This means, at work, when colleagues ask, "What did you get up to over the weekend?" you're not ashamed to admit, "I went to Bible study" or "We went street preaching." "Everyday church" is praying and worshiping at home, not just binge-watching TV. "Everyday church" is loving your enemies and helping those in need without expecting anything in return.

As much as the phrase "it's not everyday church" makes sense because, yes, we should have time to rest and spend with family, at the same time, we are the church. We should fulfil our duties whether or not we are physically at church.

The Fellowship of the Believers

Acts 2:42-47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1 Timothy 3:14-15

14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Romans 12:4–5

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Ephesians 2:19–22

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:26

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.

Hebrews 10:24–25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

1 Corinthians 12:12–26

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spiritso as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.