evening and thank you also for the invitation. Pat and I will always be with you, as we always are, and have been after many years, and we do praise the Lord for this particular testimony. I would like to begin a message with a text And the text will come from the reading that I've read to us tonight. It's in verse 53 of 1 Corinthians 15. I always think that 1 Corinthians 15 is such a wonderful chapter in the Bible, one of the great victorious chapters in the Word of God. I was once a cemetery chaplain when I first came into the ministry, and they used to take fumes every day. And certainly there's no question about it. I used to read this with great glee because it has such a victory as it ends the chapter. But verse 53 says, for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. I think that that verse really summarises what I want to try and say tonight. You've been dealing with the manifesto as a society and you've been dealing with eschatology as well as your doctrinal basis. It's interesting when you think about eschatology Eschatology is the doctrine of the last things, that's the technical definition of the word eschatology. But what do you mean by the last things? And how do we really understand the last things? Normally speaking it really refers to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the events that unfold before he comes and the events that unfold after he comes and what will take place in this old world of ours. But eschatology always must deal with immortality. And it's immortality that I want to try and speak to you about this evening. And in particular, immortality that deals with us. Now, inevitably, of course, you must speak about heaven and hell as well, because that's part of immortality that you will recognise and you will know. And we'll see how far we get as we go through. So my subject tonight is in that particular verse, this multiple must put on immortality. Immortality. It's interesting to me that the dictionary defines immortality as living forever. But that's a good definition isn't it? I know it's quite simple but nevertheless it is. But my question to you tonight is simply this. Do you really believe that we are going to live forever on forever? Or, to put the contrast, do you believe that this life is everything? There's nothing before it and there's nothing beyond it. Well of course the Southern Great Testimony manifesto as we've heard tonight has a clear statement concerning immortality. And really that statement deals simply with immortality. And what it says in the Cynical Manifesto is that this life is not the end. In fact this life is only the beginning. The body is only the shell. When a man, woman dies, then the soul lives on. But how do we arrive at our conclusions? What proof have we got that there is a life after this life? How do we know this? Now when you look back into history it seems to me that every society and every nation perhaps has had some sort of expectation of life beyond the grave. We think of the Jews. They based their expectations on the holy books, which we regard as the Old Testament, and on the Torah. The Torah, of course, is the teaching of the rabbis down in the years. And so they believed in an eternity. The Greeks also believed in an eternity and they based it on the sun god bringing life, because the sun of course brings life into this planet of ours. When you think about some of the great societies you have to think also about the Egyptians. The Egyptians reveled in a life after this life. That's why the pyramids, of course, were built. And they were built in such a manner and in such a way, at such a particular angle, that there would be the sun coming into them and bringing life, because of eternal life. They call their coffins chests of the living. They call their tombs the eternal homes. So you may see that every nation has had some idea about eternity, even though some of it obviously is ludicrous. And then every religion has a doctrine about immortality. Most of course is based upon fleshly ideas from earthly contexts. such as Islam portraying heaven as reclining on a couch being served with fruit by semi-clad damsels ready to do their every wish. And then of course there are other religions as well. It's not our job to go into them this evening, but every one of them has some sort of idea of immortality. And many of them of course believe in reincarnation, that if you lived well you would go to a higher structure of living. If you did not live well, you would go to another strata in the next life, and so on. And of course lots of people still believe that. So that really is just my introduction to you tonight. Why do we believe what we believe? It just happens in the Manifesto, all of our churches believe in a life after death. doesn't matter what church you come from, and we preach it and we speak it, we warn men and women, but most people make the false supposition that they will live forever in the same sort of way as they are living now, which is rather again strange. So let's consider together first of all the evidence. Let me say that when you think about evidence concerning any great doctrine or statement that we've come across so far to see that there's internal evidence and there's external evidence. They're subjective and they're subjective. And you have to look at all of them to understand what we really mean. So, how do we come to our conclusion? Now, bear with me when I go through these, you may immediately say, but that's not right, that's not right. Well, just bear with me and we'll get to the point, I'm sure, in a little while. First of all, we think of sentiment. When you think about sentiment, we're not talking about sentimentality, because that's something entirely different. Sentiment is the mental feeling. It's the sum of what a person really feels. And it's that feeling which actually influences us most. Now, all of us have sentiment. For instance, let me give you an illustration. We have sentiment of pity, at least unless a person is mentally deranged. That's why on television, and perhaps in other ads as well, we have pictures of people in tragic situations in other nations, and they're appearing for fun. whether that's a good idea or not a good idea, but it's appealing to one sentiment that's in a person, that's pity. And so people will give two pounds a month, and the next month they're asked if they'll give another two pounds, and another two pounds after that until you play quite a bit into these sort of things. But it's appealing to the sentiment of pity. Patriotism is another thing as well. You are brought up in a land and you believe that your land is best, you believe also in the flag and you stand behind it and you will certainly even fight for it. That again is a sentiment that is in us. And there is a sentiment in every person, it seems to me, that this life cannot be the end. There must be something more. But let me go on because the second thing that we would consider together is instinct. Instinct is stronger than sentiment. Again, to quote the dictionary it says an innate impulse, an unconscious skill. It's an instinct that we have within us. We do things because of who we are or what we are. In Job chapter 32 verse 8 it says, but there is a spirit in man. That's where it speaks about God putting eternity in the heart of man. And actually it's instinct. It tempts him that this one thing is right, that there must be an immortality, that we were made for something far better than this life, far fuller than this life, more satisfying, more permanent. And you don't understand what we're really trying to say when I'm saying these things. And then, the third thing that I bring to your attention and your notice, and the rest of them, and that is nature itself. I'm not too keen on the word nature, perhaps we ought to use the word creation. It's quite mysterious, isn't it, that when decay sets in, and then the sleep of winter, all nature round about seems dead. Our garden is flourishing at the moment. I have a study which is in our garden, and it's flourishing, it's lovely, it's beautiful. But in winter everything seems to be dead. And then spring comes, then the buds come, then the flowers come, and the trees burst into life. And then fruit comes as well. And what we really witness is a resurrection, because that's exactly what it is, isn't it? And what nature or creation actually tells us is there is life after death, because we have a picture in front of us. And then the fourth thing that I would like to mention is conscience. Somehow conscience tells me that all secrets one day will be made known. There's lots of verses in scripture about that, isn't there? But let's turn to one so you can follow it. Let's turn to Ecclesiastes in chapter 12. It's actually the chapter which deals with death and what happens to death and it's very graphic in its description. Ecclesiastes 12 and the last verse, which is verse 14. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. And what that verse really says is wrongs will be righted. Responsibility brings accountability. And where there's a sowing there will always be a reaping. And that's exactly what the New Testament tells us, isn't it? Whatsoever man soweth that shall he also reap. I came across a little poem some time ago, and it may be suitable here, just a verse on it, and this is what it says. It's a tragic one actually. Three men went out one summer night. No care had they, or aim, and dined and drank. Ere we go home we'll have, they said, a game. Three girls began that summer night a life of endless shame and went through drink, disease and death, as swift as a racing flame. Lawless and homeless, foul they died. Rich loved and praised the men, but when they all should stand and meet God and justice speaks, what then? It's quite vile, isn't it? That's true, isn't it? Surely we believe in that. There must be a day of reckoning. A conscience is God's voice within our hearts, in the heart of a man. Yes, conscience can become seared by sin, conscience can become blinded by sin, it can become covered by sin, but nevertheless conscience tells us this is not all, this is not the end. There's another point as well. I definitely favour in these points, but I think that in a meeting like this it's quite good to be able to think about them and stretch our minds slightly as well. The fifth point is continuity. You see, it seems to me that life never stops. We're born, we grow, we mature, we become old, we die. But somehow that's never complete. This life has been a training ground. This life has been a school. History is never finished when a man dies. There's a continuity. It never stops. It goes on and goes on and goes on and goes on. And the logic of that tells me there must be a life beyond the grave. The sixth point is concerning logic. I suppose in many aspects this would be said to be the strongest human argument that there is. That the God who made our bodies with all our intricate parts and faculties did not make us in vain. He made us to live in this life, but he gave us a soul to live on in the life to come. Man has a spirit that never dies. In the first book of the Bible it says God breathed into man, he became a living soul. That word living means he shall never die. Or you say he does, yes of course his body does die. But that living soul can never die. It doesn't matter if it's a Christian or non-Christian, their soul will never die. That is why there's an eternal hell, an eternal heaven. That soul can never die. And that's what the Bible, of course, teaches us. There's a dead body that lies before us. And we say, he's gone! But it remains. That body, so loved, has now become an it, because it is only a shell, it's only a tent, it's only a house, and that's all that remains. The occupant has been translated to another world. A common sense tells us that. You say, why doesn't everyone believe this thing? Because the God of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not. And that's the tragedy. But we still need help. What I've been trying to do in a feeble way is giving you some philosophy this evening. And I've really just been giving you, perhaps, the views outside of what you and I take as our fundamental truth. So you see, the seventh way in which we look at this is by revelation. And what I mean by revelation is what God has told us. All the other ways are uncertain and to a great extent man's opinion. Here is truth. Here is truth. Hebrews 9 and verse 27 is a very well known verse to all of you here. I want to quote it to you and if you turn into it you can turn it in your Bible. Now, I want you to notice something that perhaps very few people look at. It's a well-known verse because it says, doesn't it, and it is appointed, under land, once to die. What does it say next? But after that. Do you know you can almost put a full stop after that? Because that's exactly what the verse says. We add after that the judgment, and of course there is the judgment, there's no question about it. But the actual fullness of the verse is, it is appointed unto man. Appointed! And that word appointed is one of the strong words of the Bible. We're all appointed to die. Once to die. But after that, you see, there is an after that. Sometimes we speak about the hereafter. Listen, there is a hereafter. There's no question about that. Remember David had a young child. That was the product of his illicit relationship with Bathsheba. Tragic story, of course, as you all know. The Lord forgave David, didn't he? He always does. And David comes now because he's been told by the prophet the child will die. And within seven days the child dies. And afterwards David, now after fasting all that time before God, lying on the floor before God, humbling himself, could do nothing about it because God appointed him to die. I shall go to him, he cannot come to me. So David had a concept here that he would go to that child. Of course in Psalm 23 we have a clear statement that I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And you could go through the Psalms and David had one of the clearest ideas about eternity. Solomon speaks about the dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. That's pretty clear, isn't it? A similar verse is in the book of Daniel about the dust coming together, which we'll think of in a little while. Remember this, that Saul of Tarsus heard a voice from heaven Stephen saw the heavens open and Jesus at the right hand of God. John saw a great multitude that no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues. And they've come out of great tribulation. They've washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Now, maybe you'll say, those people can't go on. You see, there is an eternity. Remember Jesus spoke to the thief upon the cross, today thou shalt be with me in paradise. Follow the life of Jesus. What happened to him? He went to paradise and the thief was going to go with him. What happened to Jesus? What happened to him in a certain manner, in a certain way? Paul to the Philippians says for me to live, Christ and to die again. Why? Because there is a life beyond the grave. To the Caryphidians, as we have seen in our reading, this brought a chapter on immortality. One of the greatest proofs, perhaps, in the New Testament, in the Gospels, is concerning Moses and Elijah. Remember how Moses and Elijah are talking to Jesus, and they're talking about his decease, or, as the word is, exodus. And they're talking about the Lord, that that exodus should take place in Jerusalem. But this is Elijah. Yes, of course. What does it mean? It means simply and solely that they were alive. Very much alive, because they could speak and of course they could understand. That's the law. Jesus Christ spoke to them and did that. Are we home music? That's right. Why don't I now go on in my cap, because that's really just by way of introduction. I must confess that if I dealt with a whole subject I'd be here for breakfast in the morning, but we won't do that. I want to now speak about death itself. And to try and speak about death, we begin first of all by saying that there are three deaths in scripture and we look at them. First of all there is what we regard as spiritual death. Turn to the book in Genesis and turn with me to Genesis chapter 2 and verse 17. Genesis 2 and verse 17. The Lord is speaking about the trees in the garden and he is warning the couple who are there and in verse 17 he says but of the truth of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die It's interesting, you see, when you look at these words and try to understand them, especially if you can get help concerning the actual Hebrew, and the word here is an interesting word, and it speaks about dying, but it's not the death of the body, it's the death, which is spiritual death. I don't understand that, but I just want to try to point it out to you. In the New Testament, and we'll look at it because it might help us just to look at the scripture itself, we'll go to Ephesians and chapter 2, and most of us can quote this of course, but we'll look at it ourselves so that we can perhaps understand it ourselves as well. 2 and shared, verse 1. And you, happy quick, who were dead in trespasses and sins, In the original Greek here, the words in italics of course are not in the original, and you who are dead in trespasses and sins. That's exactly what the verse says and that's what it really means and that's what it is. So here we have the first couple in the Golem of Eden and the Lord warns them if they eat of that tree they will die. Why has that death been? It means spiritual death, it must be. Because they didn't die physically immediately, did they? But we do know that they did die eventually because of the sin. And we know that each one of us dies because of sin, not our sin, but the corporal sin, the general sin. and the consequence of sin, which we will look at in just a little while. When you come into the New Testament, you hear in this remarkable epistle to the Ephesians, it says, and you who were dead in trespasses and sin. So that we understand and we know that a man who is outside of Christ, a person who has never received Christ as Saviour, is dead in trespasses and sins. That is why my lad is blind, blinded by the God of this world. That's why he dares to hear the Word of God. That's why he's dumb to speak the Word of God. He's dead. He's dead. We speak to men and women in the world and it sounds and seems like we're speaking in a foreign language. We talk about God, we talk about the things of God. Why is it? Because they're dead in trespasses and sins. And we understand that spiritually they're dead. And they need a quickening which can only come from heaven itself. And that is why salvation is of the Lord. Because unless He quickens a person they will never ever be quickened. But then, of course, we have physical death as well as the second death. Turn back to the book of Genesis, and most of what I'm saying tonight I understand and I realise that the majority of you will know it, but I'm reminding you of these remarkable things. Turn to chapter 5. Every chapter in the book of Genesis is quite remarkable, isn't it? I want to just show you one or two things here, and show you that 8 times there's a certain phrase that occurs here, and we'll look at this in a little more detail in just a moment. But I want you to look here at verse 5, and all the days of Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. And all the days of Seth were 912 years and he died. You go right up to verse 11. And all the days of Enos were 905 years and he died. Verse 14, you'll look at the last part of the verse, and he died. Verse 17, and the last part of the verse, and he died. You go right through the chapter, and you'll see it repeated again, and again, and again, until you come to verse 28, and going on to verse 30, and verse 31, Lamech 777 years, and he died. So that everyone, even the last one who had such a remarkable age of 777, and you think that was perfection, but no, not before God. Every man dies. And so we come into the New Testament, and again I remind you of that verse that we've already looked at, and it is appointed unto man what's to die. Think of the various things that people have done to live forever. The elixir which they have tried to produce so that a man may stretch his life and live longer, or the medicine that has been tried, and yet man still dies. And there's no cure for death, is there? So that each one of us must understand this, that we will die. So here is spiritual death. Spiritual death means that a man is separated from God, a man has no fellowship with God, a man is blinded with the things of God, and death is near God. And now also physical death, finally he's going to die. But then there's a third death, isn't there? We now turn to the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation, and this, of course, is something we can't get right into here, but nevertheless, just let's have a look at it. It's in Revelation 20, and verse 14. in relation to 20 and verse 14, and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. Notice where it says that death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is a second death. You know the first death is bad enough, but to think of a second death, the agonies of that, cast into the lake of fire, the agonies of that. The books have been read, every mouth has been stopped, all at the great white throne have been found guilty and this is the fearful sentence. Someone has suggested this and I just quote it to you. The second death is a continuance of spiritual death in another and timeless existence. And if you think about that, you'll see something of the input of it and the awful thing about it as well. We're talking about very serious things, aren't we, this evening? And it should make us the more desperate to witness, especially to our loved ones and those who are near to us. We're talking about eternity. So now, I want to go back and I want to speak to you about physical death. Physical death. What is physical death? Well, let's try to understand it. First of all we must say that physical death is a cessation of life in the body. It's the separation of the body and the soul. There comes a moment when the last breath has been breathed and the heart has beat for the last time and there's a separation between the body and the soul. And that which was in that body and lived in that body has now departed. Now there are various descriptions in the Word of God and I want to try and go through some of these descriptions with you, which I think will help us. In the Gospel, remember in the story of Lazarus, when the Lord said, This day, in fact, Dumas is going to Bathory. The disciples wondered why. He then told them that he was sleeping. And they understood that Lazarus was just taking a nap. He was sleeping. Then if we come to another story, and this is the story now of Stephen, if you look at Acts chapter 7, we'll have a look at that. Chapter 7 verse 60, which is the last verse of the chapter. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. I suppose it is true to say that one of the nicest and most wonderful descriptions in the Word of God is just that, and you fall asleep. A brother or sister dies, they fall asleep. Somehow it's lovely, isn't it? And there's a comfort there, but it's even better than that. We'll turn to another scripture, and there are many scriptures about this by the way. We're turning now to 1 Thessalonians. Remember 1 Thessalonians of course is all about the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and it's 2 Thessalonians and every chapter is mentioned. But turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 13 and we'll read that verse and this verse as well. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep, that ye shall know, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them with which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Now we've been looking at this particular idea concerning sleep, and I don't want to say something about it at the moment, but it's a lovely expression, isn't it? But here's a better expression, a sleep in Jesus. The actual Greek here, and this is what I wanted to bring out, the actual Greek here speaks about Jesus putting him to sleep. Just like a father or a mother would go to their child and their child is going to bed and they'll stay with them and in a sense they'll put them to sleep. That's exactly what it says and that's exactly what it means. Sleep in Jesus. Jesus has put him to sleep. And we could say about anyone who departs from this earth that Jesus has put him to sleep. The early Christians didn't use the word cemetery, but they used the word sleeping places. And there are still some that are called sleeping places. We often speak about when they rest from their neighbours. And when we speak about that, of course, what we mean in there is that they've gone to sleep. But when you talk about sleep, surely if they're asleep they don't know anything. No, that's not necessarily so. Is it true to say that while a person is asleep, God can still communicate with them? Yes, he can. How many places could you remember where God spoke to a person when he was asleep? Jacob, when he plucked that stone and had a pillow and lay down and he saw a vision, he dreamt a dream. God was speaking to him. Changed his whole life. God was speaking to him. You'll remember the story that I'm talking about. What about Joseph and the dreams he had? He was a sinner. And God spoke to him about remarkable things that could happen. What about Nebuchadnezzar? He had a dream. Here's a man who had no idea of God. God speaks to him. He was a God, wasn't he? I guess we will cover that from different descriptions. You see, what would it be rather than saying, God still can communicate? And you may say, this man has gone to sleep. Listen, he's never out of the presence of God. If he's a Christian, if he loves the Lord. We call it sleep. We speak of it in this description so that we can understand it. But it doesn't mean to say that he sleeps and nothing, so that the saints in the New Testament went to sleep and nothing else has happened to them. They've just been asleep all throughout. No, no, no. No, it doesn't mean that at all, you see. And then this other term that is used, and I love this as well, and this term is the term Exodus. Turn to Luke's Gospel this time, and Luke's Gospel in chapter 9. Luke's Gospel chapter 9 and verse 31 of them, I do believe. And behold, there talked with him, Jesus that is, two men, which were Moses and Elias, and appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease, or exodus, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. When we talk about Exodus, it seems to me that we must understand and be clear in our minds what the Exodus was. The children of Israel came out of Egypt into the wilderness to go to the promised land. And although we don't use that description about death itself, because the promised lands do have battles and fights, yet the picture is the same. And they spoke about his exodus. His exodus, going into the promised land. And when we die, not only do we fall asleep in Jesus, Jesus puts us to sleep, but there's an exodus. We're going to the promised land, in one sense. Turn I think to another scripture as well. This time it's in 2 Peter. And I make no apology to get you to use your Bible, because that's what you bought your Bible in the last war. 2 Peter 1 and verse 15. Here this word is used again, this time it's used by Peter. Moreover, chapter 1, 2 Peter and verse 15. Moreover, I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance after my exodus. And so Peter said, after my exodus, he really has hope for the future, doesn't he? And that's what we're talking about here. He's going to the promised land, there's no question about that. Now let me give you some others as well, because the words are quite interesting here. There's something else, and we turn now to 2 Timothy, and in 2 Timothy and chapter 4, 2 Timothy chapter 4, and you'll know that this is quite a well-known description of course, and verse 6, for I am now ready to be offered the time of my departure is at hand. You remember what we've been thinking about, sleep is mentioned, exodus is mentioned, Here departure is mentioned. What does that conjure in our minds? He's going on a journey, isn't he? He's going on a journey. Very many times in the Old Testament it speaks about gather to his people or gather to his fathers. Abraham gathered to his people. Listen, he was buried in the Promised Land. He wasn't buried by his fathers and his people, but he was gathered to his people. There's another little phrase as well, which understands the descriptions of death that we have. And it comes from the story of Enoch. Let's just look at it so that we get it from the work of Robert Meacher's quote. Chapter 5 of Genesis. And you'll know the story of course of Enoch and what is said there. Chapter 5 and verse 24. Enoch walked with God and was not, for God took him. God took him. That's a phrase that we often use, of course, and it's found in a similar fashion in Psalm 90, that wonderful psalm there which speaks about death as well. I think when we look at all these, somehow there seems to me to be such a remarkable description in scripture concerning death. The scriptures are very, very plain and clear, isn't it, about death and about the eternity that faces us, so that we can understand this. Now, let me say, and we look at the descriptions here, that we have been speaking tonight about the cessation of existence. I've said to you that the soul is a never-dying soul. But it is a cessation of the mode of existence. Our mode of existence changes when we die. We look at Luke 16 and some will tell me that that really was just a skit against the Pharisees. No it wasn't. It's inspired by the Word of God. In fact we believe it was an actual incident. There was a man, the Word of God says. And so people try to say that that really has nothing to do with us. Yes it does. But there's a change here. There's a cessation of the mode of existence. Here's the rich man here on earth. He's not a rich man in eternity, is he? Here's a poor man whose name means help, Lazarus. And now there's a change. of his existence in eternity. He's in Abraham's bosom, which all the Jews would really understand about this. And of course we misunderstand this, and I know that people try to make out lots of different things about what happens at death, but the Bible is a simple book, and in simplicity it tells us quite clearly what takes place. There are many scriptures in the Old Testament particularly which speak about the graves and Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in the Greek in the New Testament and there are lots and lots of scriptures which speak to them about that. In the scripture that we read tonight from 1 Corinthians in chapter 15 it speaks about the body being planted and that body being sowed but then being reaped in the resurrection. And we'll think about the body in just a moment. But the other thing that I want to mention here is that death is really the last enemy. If you look up 1 Corinthians once again for us and we'll just have a look at one verse where you can see me. It's verse 26 here. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Let's go on to verse 54 so you see all of it. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of the sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. What words are those? They're tremendous words, aren't they? What you have to say here, and that is important that we understand, is since Adam, death has been the enemy of the human race. Understand that. That we are a prey to death. And of course we understand exactly what that means ourselves, I'm sure. Because we're created under the law of death, we're bound to die. And this is so for each one of us. So what can we say about these things? We ourselves say quite clearly that we believe, of course, that death comes because sin entered into the world. Paulides actually believed that man did not come into the world with original sin, rather he had a free will. Man was created mortal and was certainly a prey to death, but could overcome death and would overcome death if he could. The Fundamentalist says quite clearly, God managed man to live forever. He did. We say here that man was created in the image of God. Secondly, the physical death in scripture is a result of sin, and I could give you so many scriptures for that. And that death is not is not natural, but rather it's a foreign thing and it's hostile to human life, but really it's an expression of divine anger because of the sin that's entered into the world and we ourselves misunderstand what this really means. In fact, let's look up a couple of scriptures here. We turn to the Book of Romans this time. And we'll try and touch on almost every chapter in a moment, but nevertheless, look at this. Romans 1, verse 32. Romans 1, verse 32. Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them, that do them. Quite a clear statement then concerning sin and what it means. So then, let's have a thought just here at the moment concerning the death of believers. Since punishment has come, that punishment because of sin, but believers now are forgiven, aren't they? They're justified. So why must they die? Why must we die? The penal element has been removed when we're talking about sin and punishment. Christ has taken away our curse. Why does God lead them through the awful experience of death? Why not transfer them immediately to heaven, just like the experience of Enoch and Elijah? So what can we answer to that? Well, we answer in this way. First of all, we're sharing in the experience of Christ, that through death he entered into glory. Secondly, death for us is beneficial. That's what Paul was pointing out. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And when tonight we think about death, it humbles us that we should be speaking here today and gone tomorrow. It sanctifies us because we recognise that we're going to face God, we're going to be in his presence. That through death we enter into glory, it humbles us before God. For how remarkable that is, beneficial. It gives us an entrance into glory. And that's which I always find is quite remarkable. It's found in 2 Peter. So, turn to 2 Peter once again, if you will, please. 2 Peter, and chapter 1 again, and he recites verse 11. 2 Peter 1, verse 11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This line, I'm not sure if I can explain that verse to you fully, but it speaks about something quite tremendous, quite remarkable, quite wonderful. Let me read it again. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Can you imagine that? We pass through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with us. And we are ministered unto abundantly into the everlasting kingdom. I remember reading a story of how a missionary came back from the farm to the days when they used ships, boats. And he came back, going back into America. 40 years he spent on the mission field. Hardly a furlough at all, because he couldn't get back from Africa where he was. He'd worked night and day for the salvation of souls, and him and his wife were now coming back. They'd gone out with great enthusiasm and great hope, And now they returned as grey-haired old people. And they came into the port in New York. And my, they looked, and the dining was dying. And the dignitaries were all lined up. And they were all there, and they thought, this is remarkable. 40 years in the mission field, and now all of this. They were stopped to go down to the dam plan, to get out. because someone else was going first. Something they didn't know at all, but on that same boat was the President of the United States of America. And he comes down, and the band plays, and the dignitaries meet him, and there's great cheering, great clapping, and then it dies away, and they all go. Now it's the turn of only one boat to get off. and they do so in absolute utter silence. Nobody is there. Nobody is going to greet them. Could you imagine? That wouldn't happen in heaven, would it? It really wouldn't, especially in the verse that we've just read together. Today we live in a corrupt body. We are sentenced to death and punishment. It must But there's a release, isn't there? Because as soon as we die we release this body of ours. Hugo said, this is not a blind alley but a thoroughfare. It closes with twilight and opens with the dawn. Ralph Mace was the father of Jim Mace, champion boxer. His very son, as he walked along, his world champion, walking along the street, a funeral car passed. And his father said to the son, there goes, there he goes again, son, only beaten once. He said, who? Who only beaten once? There it is, death. Death has only been beaten once. That's by Jesus. But my friends, you and I will share, of course, in the great triumph that overcomes death ourselves. I've only just begun what I'm saying tonight and I know I haven't touched on heaven. Let me just, if I can, just touch on it before we close. Let me, first of all, speak of hell because it's an important subject and you and I ought to understand something about it. Of course the popular notion in the world today is that there is no hell and they make fun about it. They even use it as an attraction, don't they? How sad. The world speaks about, for the hell of it, The world speaks about we have hell of a time. There's an advert for a drink which speaks about brood in hell. And that's an attraction. Even church leaders sometimes speak with fun concerning this. How awful that is. How terrible that is. Dr. Dale said he'd only known one man who had the perfect right to talk about hell. That man was D. L. Moody because he'd never heard him speak on the subject without tears rolling down his cheek. I'm conscious that maybe I shouldn't speak about it because I haven't done that. What do we mean by this? We mean a place separated from heaven and God and Christ. the Holy Spirit and believers, separated from them forever and ever and ever and ever. We mean a place of punishment for sins committed here on earth. We mean a place of no return or second chance or hope, no hope. If you'll know Christ's words about it, Do you realise that Christ spoke more about hell than he did about heaven? Let's think quickly about some of the views. Some people believe in universalism, that there's an ultimate salvation for everybody. Death, all perfectly restored to God, following a period of purification. No one speaks of those who are saved and those who are lost. Others will speak about annihilation. The word annihilation comes from the Latin which means nothing. That when people pass out of the scene of this life, they're just annihilated if they don't believe in Christ. It's only those who believe in Christ are saved. My friend, that's not what the Bible says. That's not what the Bible says. Others will speak about soul sleep, and others will speak of course about purgatory. The man is not good enough in this life, but somehow he'll get through purgatory with the help of those who are left behind. Saint Spurgeon called it pickpocket purgatory. That's not what the Bible says. The Bible is quite clear, isn't it? And quite clear in what it says, that there is a hell. And there is a place called hell. And those who are outside of Christ will go to hell unless they are born again, unless they are saved and brought to the knowledge of Christ. That's enough to say that I haven't time to do that. Let me just give you some descriptions concerning hell. There are at least four descriptions, it seems to me. First of all, it speaks about fire, and it speaks about a laser fire. I've not met anyone who can understand, or even appreciate, or paint the picture of what a laser fire must be like. That's what that chapter in Jehovah's Revelation says, the last, about it. or there may of course be pictures of Gehenna, perhaps we could even think about a volcano, but a lake of fire. The body and the soul are in there. Remember we wait for the redemption of the body so that in the resurrection all these molecules and so on come together once again in a remarkable fashion, in a remarkable way, so that yes it's a new body that we have and yet it's almost like the same body but without sin. And then it's described as the pits. The pits, remember that. But it's a bottomless pit. You can understand the pits, can't you? But you imagine going down a pit, falling down a pit, and there's no bottom to it, so it's forever. And forever ever is the abyss. And then it's darkness, isn't it? And darkness is the outer darkness. who study space, you'll have to study black holes in space where Kaleidoscope's star will collapse in and of itself and drop all into it. Maybe that's a picture of what it really means. And what it really means is simply that there's no escape. And then it was thought about in Calvary about the second death as well, the first is traumatic, and about the second as well. All that we must understand this, and we must realise this. But what about heaven? Of course I suppose that what comes to us very clearly in the Word of God is concerning John, chapter 14, in my father's house, if there were not so, I would have told you. Remember the great scripture which the Lord Jesus Christ gave himself. Maybe I should turn to it and read just one or two verses from it, so that we can understand it ourselves. You'll remember that this is one of the great scriptures. Let not your heart be troubled, You believe in God, believe also in me, in my Father's house and many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, There he may be also, and whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas said, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, nor how can we know the way. Jesus said unto him, I know the way, the truth of the way. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This is a much used passage which brings lots of comfort to so many people. Of course lots of people say everything will be alright in the end. No it won't. No the Bible doesn't teach that does it? But we know this, that believers can say that the Lord Jesus said, I will come again and receive you unto myself. I have a book at home by Hugh Brown, it's called The Happy Dead, The Happy Dead. And certainly the dead aren't happy who are trusting in Christ and have washed in the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in the book of Revelation, blessings are the dead which die in the Lord, their works do follow him. Blessed, that word blessed which is in the plural. Oh the happinesses, oh the happinesses of those that die in the Lord. Why? Because we have the guaranteed promise of the Lord which is here. Here's a guaranteed peace that's in here. There's no peace in the world. This world is in full of strife. But you and I, of course, know ourselves that peace of God which passes all understanding. Why? Because we believe in God. And we believe in God simply because of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we're guaranteed, aren't we, this glorified place. What is it called? My Father's place. What a wonderful description it really means and what it really is here. I hope that you and I might know it. In the book of Ecclesiastes it speaks about my long home. In the book of Hebrews it speaks about a city which refers to inhabitants. It speaks about a country, the vastness of it, with all the people. It speaks about a kingdom, an everlasting kingdom. It speaks about permanence. And here the most graphic of all is in my father's mansion. And I shall prepare a place for you. And that's what the Lord has done. How can we know that? Through the blood of Calvary. Through the sacrifices that have been made. Through the offering that has been given for us so that we might have atonement and know Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We say clearly there is an afterlife. Yes, there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned. Oh, that each one of us will be absolutely sure that we know the Lord in our hearts and lives. And knowing Him, we can be sure that we will be with Him forever and forever and forever. May God bless each one. Thanks.