Immortality part 3
The abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of God--the gift of God that is a life of being loved and loving one another with that same love--always has been and always will be. It is not something that happens when you die. Physically dying is just transitioning into something different than we have now. But here's what I'm trying to say: It has always been. It will always be. It was given to us on the cross when Jesus gave Himself to us. When He gave His life for us, and gave His life to us. The gift is available to us. But look at 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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." So first things first, IF physical death happens, it will be a change. Nothing more. I'm not trying to be callus, I understand how hard it can be when loved ones physically pass on. I'm simply saying that's not the end of the story. And my point is... immortality always has been and always will be. Its available to us. All we have to do is put it on. Stop dragging around the corpse of the dead old man and start walking in newness of life. A new shirt is a pretty nice gift... but if you never put it on and wear it, what good does it do you? You HAVE it, certainly, but you aren't necessarily enjoying it. We spend so much time worrying about death, and what will happen afterwards, that we seem to forget about LIVING. Jesus came that we might have LIFE and that more abundantly. He came that we might pass out of death--remember, before the cross we were dead in our trespasses and sins. The second death, when death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire, was the death OF death. That's when, and how, death was swallowed up in victory. He came that we might pass out of death and into life. HIS life. The incorruptible, immortal life of God. A life of living and loving. Of being loved so much that it fills you to overflowing and comes out of you naturally. Loving people because the love you have is too good to keep to yourself. And watch this: Loving people makes a difference to people. I've never seen people get so surprised by something I do as when I love them. Its like the thing we want the most (love) is the thing we expect the least. It stuns us. We oftentimes even look for an ulterior motive. Because it seems too good to be true. But guys... love doesn't HAVE a motive. Love IS the motive. We don't love because of something else is compelling us to act. We act in love (charity) because love is compelling us to act! And when we love someone, and make a difference in their lives, that's our legacy. That's one way in which we truly live forever. Because love is like a snowball--it feeds on itself and grows and grows and grows. So no matter how long our physical life is, when we put on immortality--by loving each other--we live forever! Because love lasts forever. It (HE) never gives up. Or fails. When life Himself--LOVE Himself--died... the grave couldn't hold Him down. Life was too powerful. LOVE is too powerful!