http://bahai-education.org/ocean/Ocean_English.exe


This is a collection of all the world's major religious scriptures including a search engine. It is a very precious gem to use for just such questions.

Death is relative. If we were only spiritual beings, we would be able to see all, and hopefully do all (like angels). The relative part concerns our choosing life or simply accepting death.

A small clarification is needed. God wants us all to choose life, but most won't, since they can't earn it, all they can do is accept it. This has been the way from the get go. Dirt can only be dirt, air can only be air, water can change form, but it is still only water in the end. We are given a choice, His way, or our way. God does save us from death, but not in the way most of us would want. We want endless time on earth, or on some other planet, in a plan that flows around our wants and perceived needs. What God wants, is for us to follow the plan as He laid it out. He has showed us this in several places in the bible, first in the Garden, several more times, Noah, Abram, Jacob, Joseph, and then Moses. He keeps inviting us to HEAR HIM!!! Hear My voice. Again and again, over and over. It's the still small voice for Elijah, the soft knock, knock on our hearts by Jesus. What does He ask? Let Him in!!! Make ourselves vulnerable to another way, His way.

As for the sin problem, we are all subject to temptation, and many of us have fallen, or we will all fall into this black hole of sinning. So God made a way to get us out. But just like a life preserver thrown from a cruise ship to the overboard person, it is up to us to grab it. We all just don't see ourselves treading water, with only physical death as the only outcome. His life preserver is His Son, Jesus, and His blood. Big step here, so on to another paragraph.

God wanted all the people to have what Moses, and the other prophets had up to that time, at their arriving at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:4-6 is this invitation, Just come to Him, and hear His voice, put Him in charge, and do as He says. Sounds simple, but they all ran away, all except Moses. Just 4 chapters later, God again lets them know what He wants, again to give them life in Ex. 23:20 to end of chapter. Follow the Angel of the Lord, who has the Word of God in Him (Jesus), and let God be your nation's defender, doctor, midwife and life extender, all just by listening and following His voice. Simple? Not hardly.

Another book and here is the plan for the High Priest. Leviticus 16 has the plan for him and his household. This time it entails sacrifice, Because they wouldn't simply accept the gift. The bull has been replaced by Jesus, and with His blood, we get identity so that God will recognize us as His own son (see the story of Cain and Abel, and how Abel's blood speaks up to God for him). Then of course the plan is for us to spend lots of time with God as our teacher and guide to make us successful, and keep us out of harm's way. Check out the promise given us in Revelation 3:21- by accepting Jesus sacrifice and blood as returning us to human Spirit beings, we are given 2nd seat on the Throne of God in Heaven! Just a promise? He said it, can you trust Him? Who else has come in the history of the world that foretold of good and bad things well in advance, and carried them all out just as promised? He didn't just tell us once, but three and four times before the bad stuff happened. He even gave them ways out of the problems, if they just had done them. God did this to His chosen people, so why wouldn't He do it to (for) all of us?

Now onto religion. What I have said here is relationship with God and Jesus, not religion. Religion is man's way of being right in God's eyes. Not many religions can agree with any others about how to do this. They are like sports teams, where yours is always the best, and all others get boo'd. Man gets in the way here, between you and God. This is something to consider when you start to worship in a communal (congregational) setting. The relationship you have with god is something that you need to keep at the top of your priority list, ever second to religion. Mankind is always trying to take first place in all things, this is one of them. Relationship with God IMPORTANT in my view, man's religious tenets (rules) I can take them or leave them. My view, if it doesn't get God and me closer than we are now, I leave it.

A lot of info, I hope it helps some.

Ray

Hello Thunder, I am a Christian, so I must respond to your question as such. First, I believe the Lord desires all to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). And I believe he wants us to be happy and healthy while we are here on earth (3 John 2, John 10:10, Psalms 35:27), and not only do I believe He wants us happy and healthy while were here on earth, I believe He has provided the MEANS for us to be happy and healthy while were here on earth, through His son Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 3:8, Galatians 3:13). But yes, we all must die at some point (Hebrews 9:27). Its what happens after death that's important. Every man has sinned at some point (Romans 3:23), which makes us all guitly of the penalty of sin, which is death (romans 6:23). FORTUNATELY however, God provided a way of escaping that penalty, through His Son Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8). If we believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and we confess Jesus with our mouth, we will be saved from the penalty of sin (Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13). It's pretty simple really. Religion would like to make it much more complicated than that, but it's really not. By the way, have you ever wondered what makes Christianity different than all other religions? First of all, ALL religions, including christianity, pretty much believe mankind is screwed up and needs some kind of divine intervention in order to survive. Where Christianity is different is this: All other religions say that mankind must do something (works of righteousness, penance, or whatever) and present it to God for Him to accept. Then God, after reviewing your good works, will then make a decision on whether or not you are worthy. CHRISTIANITY HOWEVER is totally opposite. Christianity says GOD has done something for us (Sending Christ to die for us), THEN HE PRESENTS IT TO US TO SEE IF WE WILL ACCEPT IT! That's a huuuuge difference. It's the difference between works and grace. And I believe in grace, and I believe God is a loving God (John 3:16, Psalms 17:8, James 1:17). Anyway, hope that helps. God bless and have a good day.

KD