Category: The Last Things

Death, the “private judgment”

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). This teaches that prior to death, man’s destiny is not decided, he being not yet sentenced; but after death, his destiny is settled. When he dies, the “private judgment,” that is, the immediate personal consciousness either of penitence or impenitence, occurs. Every human spirit, in that supreme moment when it “returns to God who gave it,” knows by direct self-consciousness whether it is a child or an enemy of God, in temper and disposition; whether it is humble and contrite, or proud, hard, and impenitent; whether it welcomes or rejects the Divine mercy in Christ. The article of death is an event in human existence which strips off all disguises, and slows the person what he really is, in moral character. He “knows as he is known,” and in this flashing light passes a sentence upon himself that is accurate. This “private judgment” at death, is reaffirmed in the “general judgment” of the last day.

-W.G.T. Shedd

The ultimate and everlasting exile

“The consummation of spiritual death in matter of loss, is a total and final forsaking, whereby a man is separated wholly from the face, presence, and favour of God. Mat 7.23, Depart from me. And 25.41, Go you cursed. 2 Thess. 1.9, Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, being driven from the Face of the Lord, and the glory of his Power.”

From William Ames’ (1576-1633) “The Consummation of Death,” in Marrow of Theology, 1.16.

From a dying man to dying children

IMG_0285The following quote will strike our death-insulated, secular, consumerist age as morbid if not cruel. But as death is inescapable, we would do well to learn from a wiser generation – and all the more because their eyes were better trained to behold the great beyond. They realized that death was but the gateway into realms of everlasting happiness for the blessed and of misery for the damned. We could use a good ice-water dousing; and frankly, so could our over-stimulated children.

“Children, ’tis your Dawning time. It may be your Dying time…Go unto the Burying-places; There you will see many a Grave shorter than yourselves…Yea, you may be at play one hour; dead, dead the next.”

Cotton Mather (1663 – 1728)

A true feast for sore eyes

Q. 38.43. What is the difference between believers seeing God here, and their seeing him there? Here they have only a sight, as it were, of his back parts: but there they shall see his face, Rev 22:4; it is but a passing view they can have of him here, but there they shall eternally, without interruption, feed the eyes of their souls upon him, Ps 17:15: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

-James Fisher, Fisher’s Catechism (1753)

 

 

Conversion vs. consummation

“The espousals are carried on secretly; it may be the person is sitting at your side, and you do not see, nor know when Christ is making up the match; or, perhaps, on his knees at home, there is a secret transaction: but the consummation will be before millions of angels, millions of saints, and millions of spectators.”

-Ralph Erskine (1685-1752)

Una hipotética celestial

st_georges_church_graveyard_carrington_greater_manchester“Todo hombre que tiene su esperanza en Cristo, se purifica a sí mismo”. 1 Juan 3: 3. Un sermón de J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Suponga por un momento que a usted se le permitiera entrar al cielo sin santidad.  ¿Qué haría?  ¿Cuál sería el  disfrute que usted podría sentir allí?  ¿A cuál de todos los santos usted se uniría y al lado de quién se sentaría?  Sus placeres no son sus placeres, sus gustos no sus gustos, sus caracteres no son su carácter.  ¿Cómo podría usted ser feliz si no ha sido santo en la tierra?

Tal vez ahora usted ama la compañía de los livianos y los descuidados, los mundanos y los codiciosos, el revoltoso y buscador de placeres, el sin dios y el profano.   No habrá ninguno de ellos en el cielo.

Tal vez ahora usted piense que los santos de Dios son muy estrictos y detallistas y serios.  Prefiere evitarlos.  Usted no tiene complacencia en su compañía.   En el cielo no habrá otro tipo de compañía. Continue reading “Una hipotética celestial”

A heavenly hypothetical

st_georges_church_graveyard_carrington_greater_manchester“Every man who has his hope in Christ, purifies himself.” 1 John 3:3. A sermon by J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Suppose for a moment, that you were allowed to enter heaven without holiness. What would you do? What possible enjoyment could you feel there? To which of all the saints would you join yourself—and by whose side would you sit? Their pleasures are not your pleasures, their tastes are not your tastes, their character not your character. How could you possibly be happy in heaven—if you had not been holy on earth?

Now you love the company of the frivolous and careless, the worldly-minded and the covetous, the reveler and the pleasure-seeker, the ungodly and the profane. There will be none such in heaven! Now you think that the people of God are too strict and particular and serious. You rather avoid them. You have no delight in their society. But remember, there will be no other company in heaven. Continue reading “A heavenly hypothetical”

Cannibalism & resurrection faith

 

John_Gibson_PatonAn excerpt from the classic missionary autobiography, John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebridies.

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In the year 1857 came the call for which he had so long been waiting. In December, the “licence” to preach was conferred upon him, and early in the following spring, home and friends, and the scene of his late beloved labours, were left behind. For what? Hard, thankless toil amongst a horde of savage barbarians on an island in the South Pacific. Of course, the undertaking had first to encounter the most strenuous opposition from devoted friends, who saw every reason why any effort to reduce cannibals to a state of civilization should be powerless :—

‘ Why forsake the work in which ‘God is so richly blessing you here?’ say some. ‘ Why not attend to the heathen perishing at your very door? ’ say others; to whom the retort might very reasonably be made, ‘ That may well be left for you to do.’ Amongst many who sought to deter me was one dear old Christian gentlemen, whose crowning argument always was, ‘The cannibals! you will be eaten by cannibals!’ At last I replied, ‘Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now; and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms ; and in the great day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.’