Why do we suffer and die?

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul...Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? Job 3:11,20

Read the history of man's fall from grace and the consequences: Gen 3:1-24

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Jer 26:13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Mar 16:16 - He that believeth - That is, believeth the gospel. “He who credits it to be true, and acts as if it were true.” This is the whole of faith. Man is a sinner. He should act on the belief of this truth and repent. There is a God. Man should believe it, and fear and love him, and seek his favor. The Lord Jesus died to save him. To have faith in him is to believe that this is true, and to act accordingly; that is, to trust him, to rely on him, to love him, to feel that we have no merit, and to cast our all upon him. There is a heaven and a hell. To believe this is to credit the account and act as if it were true - to seek the one and avoid the other. We are to die. To believe this is to act as if this were so; to be in readiness for it, and to expect it daily and hourly. In one word, faith is feeling and acting as if there were a God, a Saviour, a heaven, a hell; as if we were sinners and must die; as if we deserved eternal death and were in danger of it; and, in view of all, casting our eternal interests on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. To do this is to be a Christian: not to do it is to be an infidel. (Barnes, eSword)

Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:19-22 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

CONCLUSION:

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Rom 5:15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Rom 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.

Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.

A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.
by John Donne

AS virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
"Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."

So let us melt, and make no noise, 5
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ;
Men reckon what it did, and meant ; 10
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love
—Whose soul is sense—cannot admit
Of absence, 'cause it doth remove 15
The thing which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Inter-assurèd of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss. 20

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to aery thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so 25
As stiff twin compasses are two ;
Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if th' other do.

And though it in the centre sit,
Yet, when the other far doth roam, 30
It leans, and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th' other foot, obliquely run ;
Thy firmness makes my circle just, 35
And makes me end where I begun.

Source:Donne, John. Poems of John Donne. vol I. E. K. Chambers, ed.London, Lawrence & Bullen, 1896. 51-52.
http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/mourning.php Retrieved: 07/11/2008

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http://savedbyhisblood.wordpress.com/

Link to some insights well worth reading!

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DIT GAAN OOR GOD SE EER

Hierdie gedeelte is In Oktober 2008 deur 'n vriend geskryf:

DIT GAAN OOR GOD SE EER Ek en jy kan nooit die Here forseer om sekere dinge vir ons te doen nie. Dan word God die dienskneg en ons word God. Baie het so 'n ingesteldheid en waar mense so 'n humanistiese "evangelie" beet het, gaan hulle een of ander tyd diep teleurgestel en ontnugter word. Wat gaan die dag gebeur wanneer hulle moet uitvind God sê "nee" op 'n sekere punt? Gaan hulle dan õõk vir die Here kwaad word en hul rug op die Here draai, soos wat ander gedoen het? In Dan. 3:17, 18 het ons die mooi voorbeeld van mense wat op God vertrou het maar nog steeds die uitkoms in Sy hande gelaat het. Dis die bekende verhaal van die drie vriende van Daniël wat die realiteit van hulle keuse, om nie te buig voor die afgodsbeeld van koning Nebukadneser, in die gesig staar. Dis of buig of vuuroond toe.

Maar luister nou hoe klink hulle antwoord aan die woedende, dreigende en magtige koning: Dan. 3:17 - "As onse God wat ons dien, in staat is om ons te verlos, dan sal Hy ons uit die brandende vuuroond en uit u hand, o koning, verlos;" Dan. 3:18 - "maar so nie, laat dit u dan bekend wees, o koning, dat ons u gode nie sal dien nie en die goue beeld wat u opgerig het, nie sal aanbid nie." Nie vir 'n oomblik twyfel hulle in God se krag om hulle uit die vuuroond te verlos nie. Hierdie drie gelowige Jode ken die verhale van hulle God se krag: · Hulle God wat hulle voorouers uit Egipte verlos het deur groot wonders en tekens; · Hulle God wat die waters van die Rooi See gekloof het; · Hulle God se voorsiening vir 40 jaar vir 'n volk van 6 miljoen d.m.v. manna, water en selfs vleis (Ps. 78:27) en dit in 'n woestyn! Maar of Hy dit vir hulle gaan doen; daaroor het hulle nie seggenskap nie. Dit laat hulle in hulle God se hande. Maar die faset waaroor hulle wel sekerheid en klarigheid het is: "dat ons u gode nie sal dien nie en die goue beeld wat u opgerig het, nie sal aanbid nie." Om vír God te besluit, is nie geloof nie, maar is arrogansie! As gelowige verlaat ek myself op God, vertrou ek op God tot die einde toe! Maar ek aanvaar ook dat Sy besluit en Sy uitkoms sal die regte een wees vir my lewe, want dit gaan oor Sý eer en Sý verheerliking!

NOGTANS ........ Job 17:9 - "Nogtans hou die regverdige vas aan sy weg, en die wat rein van hande is, neem toe in krag." Slegte tye sál kom en storms sál teen my en jou lewe opsteek - ja, selfs teen die vroomste en opregste. Die storms van die lewe is ons ongelukkig nie gespaar nie. Selfs die huis op die rots gebou, moet die storms verduur (Mat. 7:25). Hand. 14:22 sê: "Ons moet deur baie verdrukking in die koninkryk van God ingaan."Jes. 41:2 praat van die water en die riviere (meervoud) en die vuur wat ons in hierdie lewe selfs as kind van God moet trotseer. Maar hierdie dinge moet ons nie van koers af gooi nie.Ek hou van die woord, "nogtans" in Job 17:9. M.a.w. ongeag al die stryd, ongeag die deurmekaar dinge in ons land, die onregverdige optrede van tiranne en maghebbers; hou ons steeds vas aan die weg van die Here. Dien ons steeds die Here. Sal niks maar niks, ons van die Here wegdryf nie. Dit gaan per slot van sake om God se eer, ………… en om aan Hom vas te hou sluit Sy eer in. Tant Sannie de Ferrières se bekende boekie se titel, Al Bruis Die Jordaan, is ontleen aan die woorde in Job 40:18. Dit verwys na die seekoei wat net rustig sy gang gaan, ongeag die rivier wat besig is om te swel en op te styg; asof hy nie eens bewus is van die rivier wat in vloed is nie. · Laat kom wat wil ............... Laat die mense doen en sê wat hulle wil ... · Laat die wêreld so deurmekaar wees as wat dit kan ... "Hierdie evangelie sal ek vas aan hou!!!" K

yk wat sê die laaste gedeelte van Job 17:9 - "die wat rein van hande is, neem toe in krag." Kaleb het na die reuse verwys en gesê (Num.14:9): "Hulle is ons spys." Spys, is kos en kos maak jou sterk en laat jou groei. Dus, aan die einde van die dag, dien die stryd ons en help dit ons om geestelik te groei en sterker te word. Ja, ons neem net toe in krag, ongeag die stryd wat wag!

DIT GAAN ALLES OM GOD SE EER!

Onthou die broederliefde.

Heb 13:1 Die broederliefde moet bly.
Heb 13:2 Vergeet die gasvryheid nie, want daardeur het sommige, sonder om dit te weet, engele as gaste geherberg.
Heb 13:3 Dink aan die gevangenes asof julle medegevangenes is, en aan die wat mishandel word, as mense wat self ook ‘n liggaam het.
Heb 13:4 Laat die huwelik in alle opsigte eerbaar wees en die bed onbesmet; want God sal hoereerders en egbrekers oordeel.
Heb 13:5 Julle gedrag moet vry van geldgierigheid wees. Wees tevrede met wat julle het, want Hy het gesê: Ek sal jou nooit begewe en jou nooit verlaat nie.
Heb 13:6 Daarom kan ons met alle vrymoedigheid sê: Die Here is vir my ‘n Helper, en ek sal nie vrees nie; wat sal ‘n mens aan my doen?
Heb 13:7 Gedenk julle voorgangers wat die woord van God aan julle verkondig het; aanskou die uiteinde van hulle lewenswandel en volg hulle geloof na.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christus is gister en vandag dieselfde en tot in ewigheid.
Heb 13:9 Moenie rondgeslinger word deur allerhande en vreemde leringe nie; want dit is goed dat die hart versterk word deur genade, nie deur voedsel nie, waarvan die wat daarin gewandel het, geen voordeel gehad het nie.
Heb 13:10 Ons het ‘n altaar waarvan die wat die tabernakel bedien, geen reg het om te eet nie;
Heb 13:11 want die diere waarvan die bloed vir die sonde deur die hoëpriester in die heiligdom ingedra word—hulle liggame word buitekant die laer verbrand.
Heb 13:12 Daarom het Jesus ook, om die volk deur sy eie bloed te heilig, buitekant die poort gely.
Heb 13:13 Laat ons dan uitgaan na Hom toe buitekant die laer en sy smaad dra.
Heb 13:14 Want ons het hier geen blywende stad nie, maar ons soek die toekomstige.
Heb 13:15 Laat ons dan gedurig deur Hom aan God ‘n lofoffer bring, dit is die vrug van die lippe wat sy Naam bely.
Heb 13:16 Vergeet die weldadigheid en mededeelsaamheid nie, want God het ‘n welbehae aan sulke offers.
Heb 13:17 Wees gehoorsaam aan julle voorgangers en onderdanig, want hulle waak vir julle siele as diegene wat rekenskap moet gee, sodat hulle dit met blydskap kan doen en nie al sugtende nie; want dit is vir julle nie nuttig nie.
Heb 13:18 Bid vir ons, want ons is oortuig dat ons ‘n goeie gewete het, omdat ons in alles goed wil wandel.
Heb 13:19 Des te meer vermaan ek julle om dit te doen, sodat ek gouer aan julle teruggegee kan word.
Heb 13:20 Mag die God van die vrede, wat die groot Herder van die skape, naamlik onse Here Jesus Christus, deur die bloed van die ewige testament uit die dode teruggebring het,
Heb 13:21 julle volmaak in elke goeie werk, om sy wil te doen, deur in julle te werk wat welbehaaglik is voor Hom deur Jesus Christus aan wie die heerlikheid toekom tot in alle ewigheid! Amen.
Heb 13:22 En ek vermaan julle, broeders, verdra die woord van vermaning, want ek het ook maar kort aan julle geskrywe.
Heb 13:23 Julle moet weet dat die broeder Timótheüs vrygelaat is, saam met wie ek julle sal sien as hy spoedig kom.
Heb 13:24 Groet al julle voorgangers en al die heiliges. Die wat van Italië is, groet julle.
Heb 13:25 Die genade sy met julle almal! Amen.

*****************************************************************************

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
Heb 13:2 Do not forget hospitality, for by this some unknowingly took in angels as guests.
Heb 13:3 Be mindful of the prisoners, as having been bound with them; of those ill-treated, as also being in the body yourselves.
Heb 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but God will judge fornicators and adulterers.
Heb 13:5 Set your way of life without money-loving, being satisfied with present things; for He has said, "Not at all will I leave you, not at all will I forsake you," never! Deut. 31:6
Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?" LXX-Psa. 117:6; MT-Psa. 118:6
Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you, considering the issue of their conduct, imitate their faith:
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.
Heb 13:9 Do not be carried away by various and strange doctrine; for it is good that the heart be confirmed by grace, not by food, in which those walking in them were not profited.
Heb 13:10 We have an altar of which those serving the tabernacle have no authority to eat.
Heb 13:11 For of the animals whose "blood is brought" by the high priest "into the Holy of Holies" concerning sins, of these the bodies "are burned outside the camp." Lev. 16:2, 27
Heb 13:12 Indeed, because of this, in order that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, Jesus suffered outside the gate.
Heb 13:13 So let us go forth to Him outside the camp bearing His reproach.
Heb 13:14 For we do not have here a continuing city, but we seek the city coming.
Heb 13:15 Then through Him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God always, that is, the fruit of the lips, confessing to His name.
Heb 13:16 But do not be forgetful of doing good and sharing, for God is well pleased with such sacrifices.
Heb 13:17 Yield to those taking the lead of you, and submit, for they watch for your souls, giving an account, that they may do this with joy, and not with grieving; for this would be unprofitable to you.
Heb 13:18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, in all things wishing to behave well.
Heb 13:19 But I much more urge you to do this that I may sooner be restored to you.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of Peace, He leading up out of the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of the everlasting covenant, our Lord Jesus,
Heb 13:21 perfect you in every good work, in order to do His will, doing in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Heb 13:22 And, brothers, I exhort you, endure the word of exhortation, for I indeed wrote to you by a few words.
Heb 13:23 You know the brother, Timothy, having been freed, with whom if I come sooner, I will see you.
Heb 13:24 Greet all those leading you, also all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
Heb 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

November 4th, 2008: God, Our Comforter

The world knows not The Comforter:
Ecc 4:1-3 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Children of Christ Jesus, take Comfort:
Joh 14:15-21 If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Jesus promised:
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Our Comfort:
Joh 14:26-28 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Psa 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Our Comforter:

Isa 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted...[says the LORD!]

Isa 40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Psa 119:57-58 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Our Future Hope:
1Th 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Invitation to you...
Phi 2:1-2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
DC

O grave, where is thy victory?

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 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.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.


Be ye steadfast - ἑδραῖοι hedraioi, from ἕδρα hedra. Seated, sedentary (Robinson); perhaps with an allusion to a statue (Bloomfield); or perhaps to wrestling, and to standing one’s ground (Wolf). Whatever may be the allusion, the sense is clear. Be firm, strong, confident in the faith, in view of the truth that you will be raised up. Be not shaken or agitated with the strifes, the temptations, and the cares of life. Be fixed in the faith, and let not the power of sin, or the sophistry of pretended philosophy, or the arts of the enemy of the soul seduce you from the faith of the gospel.
Unmovable - Firm, fixed, stable, unmoved. This is probably a stronger expression than the former, though meaning substantially the same thing - that we are to be firm and unshaken in our Christian hopes, and in our faith in the gospel.

Always abounding in the work of the Lord - Always engaged in doing the will of God; in promoting his glory, and advancing his kingdom. The phrase means not only to be engaged in this, but to be engaged diligently, laboriously; excelling in this. The "work of the Lord" here means that which the Lord requires; all the appropriate duties of Christians. Paul exhorts them to practice every Christian virtue, and to do all that they could do to further the gospel among people.

Forasmuch as ye know - Greek "Knowing." You know it by the arguments which have been urged for the truth of the gospel; by your deep conviction that that gospel is true.

Your labour is not in vain - It will be rewarded. It is not as if you were to die and never live again. There will be a resurrection, and you will be suitably recompensed then What you do for the honor of God will not only be attended with an approving conscience, and with happiness here, but will be met with the glorious and eternal rewards of heaven.

In the Lord - This probably means, "Your labor or work in the Lord, that is, in the cause of the Lord, will not be in vain." And the sentiment of the whole verse is, that the hope of the resurrection and of future glory should stimulate us to great and self-denying efforts in honor of Him who has revealed that doctrine, and who purposes graciously to reward us there. Other people are influenced and excited to great efforts by the hope of honor, pleasure, or wealth. Christians should be excited to toil and self-denial by the prospect of immortal glory; and by the assurance that their hopes are not in vain, and will not deceive them.

Thus, closes this chapter of inimitable beauty, and of unequalled power of argumentation. Such is the prospect which is before the Christian. He shall indeed die like other people. But his death is a sleep - a calm, gentle, undisturbed sleep, in the expectation of being again awaked to a brighter Day, 1Co_15:6. He has the assurance that his Saviour rose, and that his people shall therefore also rise, 1Co_15:12-20. He encounters peril, and privation, and persecution he may be ridiculed and despised; he may be subjected to danger, or doomed to fight with wild beasts, or to contend with people who resemble wild beasts; he may be doomed to the pains and terrors of a martyrdom at the stake, but he has the assurance that all these are of short continuance, and that before him there is a world of eternal glory; 1Co_15:29-32. He may be poor, unhonored, and apparently without an earthly friend or protector; but his Saviour and Redeemer reigns; 1Co_15:25. He may be opposed by wicked people, and his name slandered, and body tortured, and his peace marred, but his enemies shall all be subdued; 1Co_15:26-27. He will himself die, and sleep in his grave, but he shall live again; 1Co_15:22-23. He has painful proof that his body is corruptible, but it will be incorruptible; that it is now vile, but it will be glorious; that it is weak, frail, feeble, but it will yet be strong, and no more subject to disease or decay; 1Co_15:42-43. And he will be brought under the power of death. but death shall be robbed of its honors, and despoiled of its triumph. Its sting from the saint is taken away. and it is changed to a blessing. It is now not the dreaded monster, the king of terrors it is a friend that comes to remove him from a world of toil to a world of rest; from a life of sin to a life of glory. The grave is not to him the gloomy abode, the permanent resting-place of his body; it is a place of rest for a little time; grateful like the bed of down to a wearied frame, where he may lie down and repose after the fatigues of the day, and gently wait for the morning.

He has nothing to fear in death; nothing to fear in the dying pang, the gloom, the chill, the sweat, the paleness, the fixedness of death; nothing to fear in the chilliness, the darkness, the silence, the corruption of the grave. All this is in the way to immortality, and is closely and indissolubly connected with immortality; 1Co_15:55-57. And in view of all this, we should be patient, faithful, laborious, self-denying; we should engage with zeal in the work of the Lord; we should calmly wait till our change come; 1Co_15:58. No other system of religion has any such hopes as this; no other system does anything to dispel the gloom, or drive away the horrors of the grave. How foolish is the man who rejects the gospel - the only system which brings life and immortality to light! How foolish to reject the doctrine of the resurrection, and to lie down in the grave without peace, without hope, without any belief that there will be a world of glory; living without God, and dying like the brute.

And yet infidelity seeks and claims its chief triumphs in the attempt to convince poor dying man that he has no solid ground of hope; that the universe is "without a Father and without a God;" that the grave terminates the career of man forever; and that in the grave he sinks away to eternal annihilation. Strange that man should seek such degradation! Strange that all people, conscious that they must die, do not at once greet Christianity as their best friend, and hail the doctrine of the future state, and of the resurrection, as that which is adapted to meet the deeply-felt evils of this world; to fill the desponding mind with peace; and to sustain the soul in the temptations and trials of life, and in the gloom and agony of death! (Barnes Commentary e-Sword)