As a Baptist minister of 39 years one of the ministerial roles is that of being available to families to officiate at loved one's funerals and I've engaged in such ministry from children, to teenagers, young adults, middle aged and the elderly.
Christian teaching on what happens after we die is something that each minister instructs in pulpit ministry, bible studies and through bereavement ministrations.
Each and every religious group around the world have their own belief systems in place for when death occurs, and it was nigh time I wrote an article for my daily column on this.
A central focus in the Scriptures is poignantly on this subject which is of paramount importance to each of us. The Old Testament is replete with words like – gone to their fathers – in other words a place of life.
Jesus corrected the Jewish leaders when he referred to the Jewish Fathers Abraham, Jacob and Isaac as living and not dead, and to make a point, to the thief on his own cross that he would be in paradise with Jesus.
What of us
It is obvious to all of us we are getting older each day, and the inevitable must happen and each and everyone of us will physically die and move on to the next life.
The circle of life is indisputable. It is at funeral services where the reality of death for most of are clarified. One day that will be me.
It forces us at least for a short few moments to think about the realities of life. When I see photographs in the newsprint of great great grand mothers holding a new born baby, my mind flicks to when that very elderly lady was herself a baby.
There is a life cycle – birth, development, education, replenishing the population, raising your own children, grand parenting, death. It's not hard to fathom.
Or, it might be likened to a holiday. You plan, book flights, holiday accommodation, prepare themselves mentally and physically for the trip – and this can be likened to our the journey of our present life here on earth and to the journey to the next life.
Decisions
Our lives are determined by decisions. When we're young its the decisions of our parents and others, but when we come of age, we must make those decisions and they can very easily determine your future.
The same applies to when we die. Each of us we must decide where we want to go - I personally have never met anyone who says he / she is not intending going to heaven – that is the default position. On a scale of good things done verses bad things done, there is broad belief the good outweighs the bad and therefore heaven is the obvious destination.
With that, having decided heaven is the destination, under this illustration, booking your ticket and flights and accommodation is the next step. What is more, you alone decide whether you are going to heaven and here is the crunch, the Scriptures says the only way is through Jesus Christ.
Singular
This is where many part ways, as Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one can comes to the Father except through Me" John chapter 14 verse 6.
According to this, heaven's door is opened by Jesus welcoming those who come to Him in this life. It has nothing to do with goodness verses badness. That weighing process is of no consequence. There you have it, living lawfully, without crime, eating healthily, exercising – according to the Scriptures has no power top open heaven's door.
To continue the analogy, when booking the tickets to heaven there is only one person handing out the tickets. His Name is Jesus and to get to heaven you have surrender your life to Him. There is no other way! No side door. No climbing over the fence. No sneaking in under mum's skirt or dad's overcoat.
Millions of human beings have died already and if any had to come back from the dead to talk, they would tell us the truth of the Scriptures.
Jesus' story
Jesus Himself spoke of this in his story where two men lived upon the earth found in Luke chapter 16. One lived sumptuously as a rich man and the other struggled and was a beggar and the dogs used to lick his sores and he had a difficult life.
The two died and Jesus said the angels carried the beggar to Paradise. But the rich man when he died found himself in hell and being tormented in a flame so badly that he cried out to God saying please send Lazarus (the beggar) to place his finger in some water and place it on tongue for he is being tormented in the heat of this place.
The scholars are at one with this story. It was not a fabricated story, it has come down to us as was originally documented. This is a story Jesus told about choices. In the context of his teaching in Luke, two people, one lived for God without the things of this world whereas the other for himself without thought of those around them.
The Scriptures are replete with such warnings. No one spoke more of the tragedy of hell than Jesus. He calls every man and woman, boy and girl, to come to Him – "I want to love you and give you eternal life with Me."
Crossing the river
That's the scene. The philosophy is like crossing the river. Crossing from this life to the next. It is never too late. No one is exempt from this offer of Jesus. This is the Christian message. The offer is made. After death, there is no second chance. Now is the hour of Salvation.
The only time that you and I have is right now the present, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never happen.
Christian instruction is to urge and implore hearers for their own sake and your loved ones who you will leave behind - turn to Jesus now whilst there is time and grace at hand.
Into Glory
Christians often refer to death as entering Glory – a philosophical statement referring to being in the presence of the Lord.
Heaven will have many delights to each of us, not least catching up with those who have gone before and as C S Lewis surmised, as heaven is timeless and our minds finite, we may find ourselves with all believers past, present and future (as strange and as confusing as that might seem).
There were three very good friends of which my mum was one. They played hockey together in the later part of the 1930's, joined the Land Army together, found husband farmers, teased everyone, had loads of fun and when their families came along, they got together for beach holidays ....
All three have entered Glory. My mum in 1995. The last of these three, last Boxing Day at 93. In my message to the family I wrote: I can see them in my mind's eye, the three of them, teasing all and sundry, laughing all the way, the Lord laughing with them, and coming up to Elijah and saying: "You thought you were the only one, eh!"
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html