When does eternal life begin? Some think the instant the body and soul separate. Some think the dead rest in a catonic state until the Day of Resurrection when Christ returns to raise all those who died in the faith. But eternal life is life without end. The human spirit is made for eternal life. That's what makes it different than all other animals God has made. We alone are made in the eternal image of God. Our bodies wear out and die. But our soul lives forever. There is no question each of us and every person who has ever been born, will live eternally. The only question is where? My hope is for heaven - and it is a sure hope because of the love of God our Father and the cross of Christ His Son our Lord. Jesus told Nicodemus "You must be born again to see the Kingdom of heaven." And again He said, "You must be born again to enter the Kingdom of heaven." In the all-too-familiar story of Nicodemus, we hear of a very religious person, who had all the head knowledge about God anyone could ever hope to gain. Yet Jesus said that was not enough. I wonder how many of us, and how often these words of our Lord are true for us as well? It's not enough to complete discovery class or confirmation class. It's not enough to be a student of God's Word and be able to recite elegant prayers. Unless we have had a rebirth of the water and spirit, into the new life in Jesus Christ, we have no hope of eternal life in heaven. But as we are born again - we will see... we will enter the Kingdom of heaven. And we do not enter it sometime in the future after waiting in the grave. Neither do we enter it at the moment of death. We enter the Kingdom of heaven the moment we are born into a new life of trust and confidence in God. I hope you are already beginning to live with the Lord, right now. I pray the Kingdom of God is right now within you. If so, one day, it will be as natural as walking from this room into the next to pass from this life, leaving the body behind, to enter into the next room of the Kingdom of heaven.
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