Straight Talk About Hard Things:
What About Mom and Dad?
By Louis Rushmore
One April day in 1994 a woman was jogging in Placer County,
California. Suddenly, unexpectedly and without provocation, a mountain
lion pounced on her from the peripheral of the trail. As they tumbled down
the stony hillside together, the lion mauled her to death. What a tragic
encounter with wildlife! What a hurtful empty void that tragedy must have
left in the lives of her loved ones!
In view of the catastrophic consequences of being on that
trail at that moment, who could imagine that such a victim would want her
husband or one of her children to be the next person to follow in her footsteps
that day? Surely, no one would exclaim that to choose another trail to
safety would be a dishonor to the memory of the beloved but departed victim
of that attack. Doubtless, she would not fault her family for choosing
a trail to safety. A wife and mother would earnestly hope that her family
would not fall prey to the mountain lion also.
The Bible records this thought provoking conversation
between departed spirits.
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed
in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was
a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that
the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the
rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being
in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And
he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for
I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou
in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:
but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from
hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from
thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify
unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith
unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he
said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they
will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31).
Straight talk about hard things means that we must think
about loved ones who have died. If your mother or father, brother or sister,
or husband or wife did not make adequate preparation for eternity, do you
really think that they want their loved ones to make the same mistake?
If you were to learn from the Bible how to prepare yourself to meet God,
but your loved ones did not do that, would it really be a dishonor to their
memory to obey the truth?
God the Father has a role in the salvation of mankind.
Through his mercy he withholds from Christians the punishment that all
souls deserve (Titus 3:5). Through God's grace he extends to Christians
redemption that no soul deserves (Ephesians 2:8). To make mercy and grace
possible God sent Jesus Christ into the world (John 3:16) by whom he draws
souls to himself (John 14:6). This is the only way that sinful mankind
could boldly re-establish fellowship with a sinless, holy God (Hebrews
4:16).
Jesus Christ has a role in the salvation of mankind. Jesus
willingly came to earth and did the will of the Father (John 6:38). He
became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all souls (Hebrews 9:26).
The blood of Jesus takes away sins (Ephesians 1:7).
The Holy Spirit has a role in the salvation of mankind.
The Holy Spirit delivered divine messages from the Father to mankind (2
Peter 1:20-21). The Holy Spirit is a divine participant in baptism (1 Corinthians
12:13).
Mankind also has a role in his salvation (Philippians
2:12). We must hear God's Word whereby a Bible faith develops (Romans 10:17).
God requires us to profess before men that Jesus is the Christ (Romans
10:9-10). Souls on Pentecost were told by the apostle Peter to repent and
be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
Initially the saving blood of Jesus is applied to a soul
when baptized into the death of Christ (Romans 6:3-5). Erring Christians
can receive the cleansing blood of Jesus through penitence and prayer (Acts
8:22, 24; 1 John 1:7). Follow the footsteps of Jesus on the trail to heaven.
That is what your mother and father or other loved ones who have died want
you to do. |