Thy Dead Shall Live!
George Burnside
What Happens at Death?
What God's Word Says About This Tragic Lot of Man.
I have visited many churches and their graveyards in many lands. Their stories were similar and interesting.
For instance, the name of one church was “The Church of, the Holy Souls.” A graveyard nearby was named “The Gate of Heaven Cemetery” and close by was “The Halfway to Heaven Funeral Parlor.” They reminded me of when C. H. Spurgeon, the famous Baptist preacher of London died, January 31, 1892, a notice outside the tabernacle in which he had preached for years stated:
“Our beloved Pastor entered heaven 11:15 PM Sunday Night.”
A write up stated “He went across the shining bridge to Glory.” Also in the public notice column of an Australian newspaper appeared these similar words of thanks expressed to dead saints.
“St. Jude. Please make impossible possible. Still praying. - J.M.D.”
“Saint Jude thank you for granting my request. - W.N.”
“Thanks St. Jude. Our Lady Sacred Heart. Still praying. - T.W.”
“Thank you Saint Jude, Saint Anthony, Our Lady of Perpetual Succor, for answering my prayers. - V.N.”
In the church of Bom Jesus, in Goa, India, the shrunken clay-colored body of Francis Xavier is to be seen. It is in a crystal glass case that is hermetically sealed. Over it are the words “Pray for us” in ten or more languages.
Thus churches, cemeteries, church notices, public notices in newspapers and exhibited relics, combine to tell the same story. That story is that the dead are not really dead at all. They can answer prayer and work miracles. Many times I have seen people, kneeling and praying to the relics of the dead and at gravesides.
What does this mean?
It means that the Bible is true when it stated that this world's inhabitants are deceived. Note the clear statement of Holy Writ.
REVELATION 12:9 The great dragon-that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceives the whole world.”
Satan's main deception is his first deception. That first deception was doubt and denial of God's Word.
“Yes, has God said?” Genesis 3:1.
This was quickly followed by-a denial of the plain Word of God. The devil said “You shall not surely die.” Genesis 3:4.
In other words, he assured them they were going to live forever. You won't really die. This was the first sermon ever preached on the immortal soul. It was based on a lie. That lie has covered all history, spanned all time, and it belts the globe. It has become the foundation of all false religion. When you spirit that keeps on living. These words spoken to the inexperienced mother of our race, were well chosen by the father of lies, and author of all error. John 8:44.
How vast that lie. The Confucianist trusts in existence after death. The Tavist and the Buddhist have their regions of reward and punishment to which the departed are immediately sent. To them the very atmosphere is inhabited by the spirits of the dead. Thus ancestor worship is uppermost in their religions. The Hare Krishna, Hindu, Moslem, Sikhs, Mormons, Spiritualists, Catholics and too many protestant religions are all based on this Satanic lie.
How vital is God's truth on this subject, as on all truth. Thousands are dying on the battle field right now deceived by this lie of the master liar. In the December 23, 1987 issue of “Time” magazine, is the report that “six thousand Ugandans had died in the hapless cause of Lakwena.” Lakwena is the name of the spirit that governs a priestess. She was the daughter of an Anglican clergyman. She claims she was converted to Roman Catholicism and now wears a plastic rosary and crucifix round her neck. The spirit that guides her has told her that an oil from a local tree can ward off enemy bullets. The spirit, however, lied as 6000 have died of bullet wounds.
What a flood-gate of error was opened by that first lie, “You shall not surely die.” It is the foundation of every false doctrine the world has ever known. It is surprising how this false teaching of “that old serpent” has been adopted and preserved in the thought and theory of all false religions, whether heathen or professed Christian.
To me it is inconceivable that any could claim to be in the true church if that church teaches the devil's old lie. That lie belts the globe and spans all history. This doctrine of the never-dying soul that is conscious after death has permeated religion. No other religious theory is so universal. Yet the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is entirely unknown in the Bible. In fact it is contrasted by Scripture.
1 TIMOTHY 6:15-16 “The King of kings and Lord of lords:
Death is not the gate to heaven. Death is an enemy.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:26 “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
But we can rejoice and thank God, that Jesus Christ has the keys of death and the grave. Jesus says -
REVELATION 1:8 “I am He that lives, and was dead; and behold, 1 am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
There is nothing to fear about the life to come as long as you have a friend in Jesus. Jesus has the keys of the grave and while you are sleeping in the dust, Jesus waits for the dawn of His great day when he can lift you home to the Glory land.
COLOSSIANS 3:3-4 “You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory.”
Fifty-five times in the Bible, death is referred to as a “sleep.” From it we awake to life eternal. How important are the great truths, the doctrines of Holy Writ. How sure! How certain! “We know.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 “We are always confident.” 2 Corinthians 5:6 “We are confident.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
In these days of-uncertainty, and confusion, how wonderfully God's truth shines forth. “The more sure word of prophecy is our certain hope. The great doctrines of Scripture are our, firm foundation rock. Some ignorantly exclaim “Don’t give us doctrine.” The doctrines of truth are vital.
2 JOHN 1:9,10 “Who so ever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God Speed.”