Everlasting Life
Just last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing organ transplants as a means of prolonging life. The unguarded moment was caught on a hot mic. Putin suggested even eternal life could be achievable, "With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality." And they aren't the only ones chasing 'everlasting life'.
A tech CEO is spending millions every year chasing the goal of being biologically young again. Bryan Johnson regularly sees a team of 30 doctors in his quest to age backwards. He adheres to a very specific diet and supplements and exercises and sleep routine - along with red light and gene therapy and a plasma transfusion from his teenage son. Many of the ultra rich are pursuing the dream of extending their lives, potentially forever.
In 2013, there were fewer than a hundred 'longevity clinics' around the globe; now it's reported there are more than three thousand. Scientists are looking into DNA instability, chromosomal telomere lengthening, mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and various stem-cell treatments. Currently, all of this costs millions and may add a few more years. But the bold predictions are that they're quickly approaching adding hundreds - if not more - in the very near future.
There's something intriguing to many about the quest for eternal life. And I think it's because 'the question of what happens after we die' is important to every person who has ever lived.
The billionaires and scientists seeking to 'live forever' didn't come up with this idea on their own. God had the idea long before they ever did. So, for our purposes – if we want to determine what's fact and what's fiction regarding eternal life – It would be helpful to look at…
I. God's plan
God is the inventor of the concept of eternal life. If we look back to the very beginning, to the first book in the Bible, we find this familiar account in Genesis 1:26-31 (NIV)...
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (28) God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (29) Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. (30) And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
(31) God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning - the sixth day.
If you would read the entire account from the first two chapters you'd find that God created a perfect place for Him to spend time with His creation; with man. And from every indication, for mankind – the creation of 'life' itself implied eternal life. Initially - it appears there was no such thing as death. God created man in His own image and originally created mankind to live with Him forever.
God specifically placed mankind over everything else in His creation. God didn't create mankind just so he could watch them get sick or grow old and die. God created man for His pleasure - to enjoy an eternal relationship with the best of His creation. That was God's intention, but as we just talked about last week - the plan was…
A. Corrupted by sin
If we jump ahead to chapter 3 of Genesis, we find this in Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV)...
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. (18) It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. (19) By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
And then if we skip ahead to Genesis 3:22-23 (NIV)...
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (23) So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
Everything was perfect and God had intended for man to live forever with Him in the garden, but now – because of Adam's sin, now all of mankind would experience death. And, because of sin, God separated Adam and Eve from 'the tree of life' which would have given them eternal life. That certainly sounds like the secret that billionaires and 'longevity clinics' are seeking - but this wasn't some far off scientific prediction, this was God's specific design.
God had created Adam from the dust of the earth and Adam would now eventually die and his body would decompose into the dust from whence he came. God created life, and because of sin; because of disobedience…
B. Then came death
And we only have to jump forward to chapter four of Genesis to find the first recorded human death – the very first murder. Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
- Now, you might be tempted to think that because man messed up God's plan of 'living forever in perfection' that God then had to launch a plan 'B'. But that's not really the case. God gave Adam a choice and Adam chose to disobey, and there were consequences to that disobedience – physical death. But don't suppose that God was surprised by Adam's choice. God still had every intention of providing a way for His creation to once again have eternal life - despite Adam's disobedience and despite death.
God wasn't indifferent to suffering and death. God is a righteous God, a God who cares for His creation. Think of how much we hurt when a loved one dies. Do you think that we are somehow capable of loving one of God's created children more than He does..? I've shared this next passage at funerals, where it says this in Psalms 116:15 (NIV)...
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
The word there translated as 'precious' can also be translated as 'costly'. "'Costly' in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." And because of God's deep love for His creation...
II. God's plan continues
And if you've been in the Church for any length of time and read anything from the New Testament, you know the rest of God's plan in Jesus. Let's look at 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 (NIV)...
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (20) But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (21) For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. (22) For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
(23) But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (24) Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. (25) For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Unless Jesus returns, every one of us will experience death. But the Good News is – because of Jesus, we have one of my favorite phrases - Christians don't stay dead. I need to get that on a t-shirt... And that's not some faraway scientific pipe dream – that's a fact from the One who created us!
And there's something everyone needs to understand before they die - Jesus makes all the difference! There's a difference between 'good' and 'righteous'. There will be many 'good people', who don't know Jesus, who will end up separated from God... People can choose to be 'good, decent people'. But you can only become 'righteous' - right with God - through the blood of Jesus, by accepting His sacrifice on the cross for us! Jesus is THE only way to eternal life!
We can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that those who die in Christ do not stay dead. We will one day be reunited with those in Christ who have gone before us – we have that hope, but – here's…
A. The hard part
We have to remain here and live with the loss and wait for that reunion. And we're called to be faithful until the time that God calls us home as well. But that doesn't mean that we have to pretend that we haven't experienced loss. Many here are still struggling with the loss of loved ones. Because we live in a sin corrupted world - we will all experience loss.
Even Jesus wept when his friend Lazarus died. And Jesus cried just moments before He knew He was bringing Lazarus back to life. The loss still hurt! And Jesus shared this with His disciples before He was taken to the cross, from John 16:33 (NIV)...
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
The challenge is to faithfully wait and endure. The challenge is to struggle with all of the trouble and frustration of this world and trust that Jesus has overcome this world!
Just imagine - even IF a person could spend a billion dollars in scientific treatments and disciplined their eating, exercise and sleeping habits and could somehow extend their lifespan by only 50 years. Think of how much loss they'd see around them in their family and friends who couldn't afford the treatments. They may outlive their spouse or even their children and have to deal with the pain that that brings. Even if it were possible - eternal life here on this earth is not all it's cracked up to be.
But that's not God's plan for the believer! We know that this life is not all there is! We don't have to eternally dwell on all of the frustrating, hard things of this life – we can look forward and focus on…
B. Our hope
If this life is all there is – we certainly would be wasting our time here, wouldn't we? If this life is all there is – what's the point of perseverance, of endurance? If this life is all there is – what's the point of dealing with all of the hard stuff in this life; what's the point of going on after we experience devastating loss? - This life is not all there is!
Philippians 3:17-21 (NIV)
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. (18) For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. (19) Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
(20) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, (21) who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
That is our hope! We weren't created just so we could age and die and then rot in the ground! God's plan for those who endure is so much better!
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 (NIV)
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - (52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
That's our hope! Most men live with a fear of death; with a fear of the unknown. That's not our fate! We can look forward with hope to the end! God's plan, His intention was to live together with His creation forever! That plan is still very much in place. Everything we have experienced in this world is preparation for the next.
In my opinion, many in this world live with goals that are too short sighted. We organize and prioritize our lives to accomplish things that will only matter 'a hill of beans' in this life. We live our lives as though this is all we get. Many live as though our only goal is to prosper in this world, but they forget about eternity. This life is temporary, the next is real life!
Bryan Johnson, the tech CEO I talked about at the beginning - people say he's wasting so much time, money and effort trying to extend his life, that he has no time to really enjoy his life. His response is, "It has the virtues of establishing standards and protocols. It benefits everyone in a systemic way." Which is great - very altruistic - but if you put all of your efforts into living longer here - on this earth - without preparing for the next life - all of its wasted, in light of real eternity!
'Living forever' is not just a pipe dream or an optimistic science fiction hope - eternal life is God's intention and promise for those who are faithful to Him!
So What?
Each week I ask you to 'bring a friend'. That's not just so Deep River can grow in numbers. It's because each of us probably knows someone who doesn't know Jesus and His message of hope. The Good News is the forgiveness that we can receive through Jesus. The sin that started all the way back with Adam and causes death – that disobedience can be washed away through the blood of Jesus Christ.
The Good News is that there is such a thing as eternal life! And it comes only through Jesus Christ. We are to be faithful until that time comes and to share that truth with as many people as we possibly can so that they, too, can have eternal life with their creator in a new Heaven and a new earth.
For those seeking to extend this life at all costs and by any means necessary – for them, death equals losing. But remember – Christians don't stay dead! We've already discovered the secret of eternal life - and it didn't cost us a fortune, the price was already paid...