Have you ever allowed your mind to travel ahead to the final moments of your life? Have you considered what it may be to stand at the very edge of eternity? To hear the gate of earthly life closing behind you? When that hour comes, do not let it overtake you like a thief in the night. Do not be unprepared when death finally taps you on the shoulder and says, “It is time.” Let’s take a look at what should we consider when death is drawing near.
There comes a time in life when the thought of death can no longer remain on the far horizon. The days, once counted as though without number, suddenly seem few. The road ahead grows visibly short. Death once seemed a distant country to which only others journeyed. Now it draws near and casts its shadow across your path. It rises upon the mind like a relentless tide. First it touches the feet, then it climbs higher, until the soul can no longer ignore the rising waters.
In to Eternity
More than a hundred billion souls have already passed through the gate of death before you. Yet when you approach that same threshold, it remains strange and fearful, shrouded in mystery and shadow. You are alone. No one can carry you through the final gate, and no one can accompany you beyond it. You are drawing near to life’s final and most solemn hour. All earthly things are about to give way to eternity. One final breath, one final heartbeat—and the gate through which all men must pass closes behind you. The course of earthly life is finished.
Standing Before God
Yet there is a question more solemn still than how a man shall die. What awaits on the other side of the gate? That gate does not leave you in nothingness and silence. No—when it closes, you will find yourself standing in the presence of the living God. He will call you to give an account of the life you have lived. His eyes have seen every deed, His ears have heard every word and His knowledge has searched every hidden thought. No crowd can hide you. No argument can bargain away your guilt, and no earthly voice can rise in your defense. There are no do-overs and no second chances to make things right. You stand alone. Accountable.
Your sin will weigh upon you like a millstone, too vast to move. God’s holiness will uncover it all, and the sight of it will be terrible. You may long, if it were possible, simply to cease to exist. Ah, if only you had heeded the warnings once placed before you. Perhaps faithful Christians warned you of judgment, eternity, and Christ. But the cares of life drowned out their voices. The noise of the world and a thousand daily distractions kept your soul comfortably occupied while eternity drew ever nearer.
Sometimes the Devil allows people to live a life free of trouble because he doesn’t want them turning to God. Their sin is like a jail cell, except it’s all nice and comfy and there doesn’t seem to be any reason to leave. The door’s wide open. Until one day, time runs out, and the cell door slams shut, and suddenly it’s too late.”
– God’s Not Dead movie (2014)
Judgement
And then comes judgment. The Bible teaches that those who die separated from God remain separated from Him. They must face the punishment their sin deserves. Scripture calls this terrible reality hell. It is not merely the loss of earthly life. It is everlasting separation from the goodness and presence of God.
The Answer to Mankind’s Sin Problem
But let’s return for a moment to the time before your last breath and your last heartbeat. The end described above need not be yours. The God who condemns is also the God who offers mercy. The Bible teaches that every one of us has sinned. We have thought, spoken, and acted in ways that fall short of God’s goodness and holiness. Sin separates us from Him. We cannot erase it by becoming religious, doing good deeds, giving money away, or promising to live better. The debt is already there.
Yet God, in His love, did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He sent Jesus Christ into the world. Jesus lived the sinless life we failed to live. He willingly died on the cross and bore the punishment our sins deserved. Then He rose from the dead. Through Jesus, God offers forgiveness. It is not a reward for good people. It is a gift to guilty people who trust Him.
So what must you do?
Turn to God while breath remains in your body. Speak to Him plainly. Admit that you have sinned and cannot make yourself right with Him. Ask Him to forgive you because of what Jesus has done. Place your trust in Jesus and ask God to save you. No magic words can save you, and no ceremony can purchase salvation. God is not listening for a perfect prayer; He is looking at the heart. You might simply cry out, “God, I know that I have sinned against You. I cannot save myself. Help me to trust that Jesus died for sinners and rose again. Please forgive me, save me, and make me Yours.” The power is not in the words themselves, but in the Savior to whom you speak.
Then the final gate takes on an entirely different character. For the person who trusts in Christ, death is no longer the dreadful entrance into condemnation. Jesus has already borne the judgment that person deserved. Beyond the gate is not hell and separation from God, but everlasting life in His presence. This is why Christians call the message of Jesus the gospel—a word that means “Good News.” The sinner who deserves judgment may receive mercy. God may forgive the guilty. Christ may bring the lost home. Therefore, don’t wait until death taps you on the shoulder. The door of mercy stands open today.
Related link: The Wonderful Jesus the Christ