“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). When we are young death seems very far off and we rarely think about it until it touches us in some way. Maybe a grandparent dies or an elderly aunt or uncle.

The reality of death comes into focus when we attend a funeral and see our loved one lying in a coffin. We share memories of that person, but then we move on.

My first brush with death was when my older brother died in a car accident at the age of 14. I learned at a young age that death can come to the young as well as the old. Some people think that when a person dies there is nothing else…they think that upon death you cease to exist. Wrong.

Others believe that everyone goes to heaven. Wrong again. Everyone dies, but death is not annihilation nor does everyone step into a “better place.” It is never too soon to consider what comes after the death of the body.

Our body is important to us during life and we take care of it. We feed it when it’s hungry, give it water when it’s thirsty, bathe it when it’s dirty, and soothe it when it hurts. No matter how we care for it there will come a day when that body dies. Then what?

“Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die” (1 Corinthians 15:36).

Paul used this word picture to help us understand what happens when we die. Farmers and gardeners plant seeds in the ground and the individual seed dies. From the death of that seed comes a plant…a tree, flower, or grain.

When a person dies their body is usually put into a grave, but that body is just a shell…a seed that had to die in order for the true person inside to be quickened. The word “quickened” comes from the Greek word zōopoieō which means to make alive. We step into eternal upon death, but where that eternity is spent depends upon the choice a person makes while living on this earth.

“And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house’” (Acts 16:31).

It is belief in Jesus Christ that will bring eternal life. These words were directed to a jailer in Philippi who had almost committed suicide. An earthquake had just shook the prison and he thought his prisoners had escaped. This meant death for him and suicide seemed the easiest way out. Paul and Silas were among those prisoners and they had been singing and praying all night. Everyone, including the jailer, knew they were Christians.

When he found that all of the prisoners were still in the prison and hadn’t escaped, he was thankful. Because of Paul and Silas’ faithfulness to God this jailer knew that it was by the grace of the one true God the prisoners were still there. He wanted to know what he must do to be saved and Paul simply told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul also said his household would be saved.

The servants of the house had also been aware of the earthquake and the fact that the prisoners were still there. They would follow the example of the jailer and they would also believe. This jailer had almost committed suicide and if he had he would have been eternally lost. Death comes to all of us, but if you have not believed on Jesus Christ then you have committed eternal suicide.

DEATH: What was it that this jailer was to believe? What are we to believe? The gospel. When Adam sinned he was no longer able to stand in the presence of God Almighty. Sin had broken the fellowship they had and sin is still what separates us from God. Only God could redeem His creation and make a way to restore the lost fellowship. He became a man in order to redeem mankind.

“Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands” (Hebrews 2:7).

Jesus was God incarnate…fully God and fully Man. He had to be fully human in order to save humanity from eternal death. He had to be fully God because if His blood was tainted by sin it would not have been sufficient to redeem us.

“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

According to God’s perfect plan Jesus would be the once for all sacrifice and purchase our redemption.

“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8).

His life offended the Jewish leaders and they determined to have Him killed. He claimed to be God and the Pharisees deemed that to be blasphemy because they were blind to the fact that He is God. After an illegal trial Jesus was crucified and His body died. The religious leaders thought they were done with Him.

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46).

If He had been a mere man He would have faded into oblivion and been forgotten by history but He wasn’t a mere man.

God had given the Law to the Jews. It set out the way they were to live, and gave a detailed list of sacrifices to cover various transgressions. According to the Law blood must be shed to cover sin.

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

The blood of animals could not take the sin away, just cover it. The sacrifices had to be repeated because they weren’t a permanent solution. The Law was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, and when He died on that cross He shed His own blood. His blood is the once for all sacrifice that takes sin away.

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).

Only God’s blood could be the once for all sacrifice to take our sin away.

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14).

Christ died once for all. His blood was sufficient for our redemption.

BURIAL: The scribes and Pharisees wanted to condemn Jesus. They weren’t looking for confirmation that He was Messiah, but were looking for ways to mock and condemn Him. After witnessing many of the miracles Jesus did, they still asked for a sign. Jesus told them:

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

This wasn’t the sign the Pharisees wanted, but it was what Jesus wanted them to understand. Yes, Jesus Christ willingly shed His blood and died on the cross…then He was buried. His body was planted like the seed that Paul used in his example. Joseph of Arimathaea had a new tomb and that is where our Lord’s body was buried.

“And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed” (Matthew 27:59-60).

Jonah spent three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, and Christ would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. God had become a man, and the man’s body had died. It would have been a tragedy if the story ended there, but that isn’t the end. The greatest victory of all eternity was about to happen.

RESURRECTION: On the morning of the third day after the crucifixion a few women went to the tomb expecting to find it sealed. Imagine their shock to find the stone rolled aside and an angel sitting on it. They were afraid, but the angel said:

“…Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:5-6).

The grave could not hold Him. The tomb was empty! Christ conquered death! Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Joy and confusion must have gripped the minds of these women.

“And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word” (Matthew 28:8).

Yes, Christ conquered death and because of His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection eternal life is available to everyone. It is available, but it has to be accepted by faith. The jailer had asked Paul what he must do to be saved, and the answer is the same today as it was then. Believe. “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. Go with great joy and spread the gospel to everyone. Tell them what He accomplished on the cross. Tell them all to believe on Jesus Christ, and be saved.

God bless you all,
Nathele Graham

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).

That is very clear. God created man and He took woman out of the man. They were made for each other and God uses the model of marriage as a picture of Christ and His Bride; the marriage bed is to remain pure.

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

Once again, that is quite clear. Any sexual relations outside of a one man/one woman marriage is an abomination and God will judge. Why, then, is the United States Supreme Court even considering approval of homosexual marriage? Why have so many states legalized this abomination?

America is being judged. The United States of America was founded upon Christian ideals, yet today our legislature and courts laugh in the face of God. Shame on every one of these men and women who enact laws that mock God. God has not changed. The same truth that was there “in the beginning” is true today; God will not be mocked…He will judge.

Rome was a pagan city. Most people there worshipped gods they called Jupiter, Pluto, Mars, Bacchus, etc. The people prayed to these demon gods and served them. Jesus is the only High Priest and we aren’t to pray or serve any false god or so called saint. Because of these pagan beliefs, every form of immorality was accepted in Rome, including prostitution, homosexuality and pedophilia.

Although the Roman culture accepted these practices, they are absolutely forbidden by the one true God. Paul wrote an in depth letter to the Christians in Rome, who were a mixture of Jewish and Gentile converts. He spoke plainly about disobeying God.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

“Ungodliness and unrighteousness” is anything that is contrary to God’s Word.

Non-Christians don’t know any better than to embrace whatever the world deems as acceptable, but Christians are without excuse.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21-22).

The Holy Bible is God’s written Word to us. In the original language every letter, word, and sentence is “theopneustos.” That is—God breathed. It isn’t some story written by a human imagination—it is God’s truth. If there is a question as to what a verse means, go to a good concordance and look up the Hebrew and Greek words. A deeper meaning comes as we study God’s Holy Word in the original languages.

His truth has not changed. If you have accepted Christ then the Holy Spirit will help you to discern the truth. When you study the Bible (as Christians we must do that daily) pray for understanding and don’t twist Scripture to what you want it to say. Don’t bend God’s Word to suit your chosen lifestyle, but allow God’s Word to change you. Don’t become a fool by elevating Man as an authority above God.

When any part of God’s Word is compromised in order to try to conform the wisdom of God to the foolishness of men, trouble soon follows. For many years scientists have promoted evolutionary lies rather than God’s truth. If there is not a Creator, then there are no rules for morality. Rather than standing firm on God’s truth, Christians just go along and think that God must be mistaken …that He made a typo or something.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

There is no excuse for compromising God’s truth. Instead of conforming to His Image, people bring God down to a vulgar corruption of who He truly is.

“And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Romans 1:23).

The world doesn’t know Him, but Christians are without excuse.

God loves His creation, but He has laws and He has clearly told us what those laws are. When people go against those laws, God doesn’t just wink at the sin and look away. Denying God brings consequences and the sin of homosexuality is one result of mankind openly mocking God. It was true of the Roman culture, and America is going down that same path to destruction.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:24-25).

Worship and serve God. Take every thought captive and submit your life and way of living to Him. Serve the Creator, not the creature.

God has spelled out His expectations to His creation, and if mankind willingly chooses to sin then he willingly has to accept the consequences of sin and cannot blame God.
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet” (Romans 1:26-27).

Yes, homosexuality is a sin and a punishment for not recognizing God. Today millions of dollars are spent to deal with the illness that results from homosexuality, that is AIDS. Rather than stopping the sin, science tries to take away the consequences. Sin is sin whether a deadly disease comes from it or not. The thing to do is stop participating in the sin.

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28).

God won’t stand in your way if you’re determined to defy Him. Remember, though, it is your choice. Don’t blame God when you are miserable and/or contract AIDS. Homosexuality is an abomination, and He clearly says so. It is a choice a person makes and if you choose to defy God, He won’t stop you.

Does it make God happy to see His creation choose to defy Him? No. Is He happy to watch even one person choose to serve Satan? No. Sin is a choice but God is not a dictator …each person chooses to obey His laws or suffer the consequences that result from their own choice.

“Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness: full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despitful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful” (Romans 1:29-31).

Does any of this sound familiar? Just turn on the nightly news for a definition of these sins. Maybe you can look into your own family and see these attitudes …or maybe even look in a mirror. If God is not sovereign in your life then you bow before Satan. He is the father of all lies and will do whatever he can do to lead you to defy God, to join in all unrighteous behavior. You cannot serve God Almighty and also serve your own lusts.

Maybe you’re reading this and patting yourself on the back because you aren’t a part of any of these sins but are open minded enough to accept it in others. Well, don’t be so smug. If you don’t participate in these sins but don’t stand against them, you are just as guilty as if you had committed these sins yourself.

“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” (Romans 1:32).

The thought behind this verse began in verse 26 which starts by saying, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections.”

It isn’t judging when we hold God’s Word as law. Brethren, the United States government is just about to completely sell its soul to Satan. First the lie of evolution is taught as truth, then murder called abortion was legalized (it is the same as the pagan worship in which babies were sacrificed to demon gods), and now homosexuality is about to be legalized.

When that happens, Christianity will become illegal. Pastors will be forced to “marry” two men or two women, even though that is an abomination to God Almighty. Where is the outrage?

As Christians we need to serve our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, without compromise. We are to obey the laws of the land, but if those laws are opposed to God’s Law, then we choose to serve Jesus. The apostles had this same problem. They openly taught in the name of Jesus and were arrested.

They were set free from that prison by the angel of the Lord who told them to go right back to teaching in the temple…and so they did. When the authorities found out, they had the apostles brought before them and admonished them not to teach in the name of Jesus.

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

That is our directive today…to obey God rather than men. Persecution followed Christians everywhere in those early years and many were imprisoned and killed. Today Christians are once again being imprisoned and killed. As the Supreme Court of the United States tries to decide whether sin in the form of homosexual marriage is to be legalized, we must remember God sees all sexual sin as an abomination. We must obey God instead of men.

Heavenly Father, we all sin and need Your forgiveness. Christ purchased salvation for us, and we are thankful for that gift. Our sin is forgiven and our debt paid. You love all people and Christ’s sacrifice is for all, but it must be accepted and your word obeyed. Give us strength to stand against the enemy and be a loving example to all people. May we obey and honor You in all we do. For many years, America as a nation has rejected You.

May the leaders of this nation stop serving the creature and start serving the Creator and may the hearts of individuals turn to You. This nation is ripe for judgment, but there is a faithful remnant in this land. Open our mouths with boldness and love. Give us courage to stand firm on Your word. Father, come against homosexual marriage, which is an abomination in Your sight. Forgive the silence of Christians, and give us courage to obey You, not man. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Brothers and sisters, when something is an abomination to God, it should also be an abomination to us. We aren’t to hate sinners, but are to lovingly show them a better way …God’s way. Though he lived long before Christ, Joshua speaks to us today.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

The gods “on the other side of the flood” and the “gods of the Amorites” were the same demonic gods the Romans served and the same ones that much of the world serves today. Let us stand united together today and serve the LORD …Jesus the Christ.

God bless you all,
Nathele Graham