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Old 06-29-2018, 11:08 AM
 
4,538 posts, read 4,797,837 times
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In one of David Jeremiah’s sermons he mentioned when a group of the leading philosophers were discussing the meaning of life, and none could provide an answer, then one of them said ‘if anyone ever finds out, could he please let me know what it is?’

I was reading a column by E J Montini in the AZ Republic following the suicide of Anthony Bourdain, he mentioned a woman who shot her 6 year old daughter, then herself. She said that she wanted people to know that she was a good person, but she just couldn’t take life anymore.

We are all currently in the ‘life on earth phase’, which is temporal, and dependent on the continued functionality of the physical ‘tent’ we are dwelling in, a term used by the apostle Paul.

I don’t like the term ‘death’, I prefer ‘transition’, because when someone says ‘I don't want to live anymore, I just want to die’, well, he/she can’t. After we leave this ‘tent’, we transition to the next phase of eternal life, we don’t really die.

When the ‘tent’ expires, those who have put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ have His promise that we will live eternally with Him. Those who have not will likewise live eternally, the question is, where?

The fact is, all of us currently alive on this planet, are living in the earthly phase, and you can end that ‘phase’, but you can’t end your ‘Life’.

So what is the purpose of this phase of life on earth? The meaning is this - it is a determinant phase. Choices made in this phase determines what happens in the next phase, namely where and with whom you are spending the rest of your eternal life.

Question - if that fact is fully grasped by someone contemplating suicide, would that person follow thru on it? I don’t think so, because the emphasis would be placed on finding the purpose of this ‘phase’, in terms of how it will affect the life that will follow it, and ending that ‘phase’ will not just blot everything out. You can’t escape ‘life’, you will continue it.
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Old 06-29-2018, 11:29 AM
 
Location: USA
17,156 posts, read 11,332,511 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KRAMERCAT View Post
...So what is the purpose of this phase of life on earth? ....
It's not a test. The purpose, I believe, is to create and expand. We can enjoy the process, or not.
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Old 06-29-2018, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
6,830 posts, read 3,194,725 times
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My belief is that death is death, no afterlife, no reincarnation. When you're dead, you stop breathing, your heart stops, your organs fail, gravity takes over, blood pools at a lower level in your body. That is death!


Make the most of what you have NOW!


Enjoy life to the fullest.


Give and receive love and appreciate what you have now!
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Old 06-29-2018, 11:56 AM
 
Location: USA
17,156 posts, read 11,332,511 times
Reputation: 2375
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willamette City View Post
My belief is that death is death, no afterlife, no reincarnation. When you're dead, you stop breathing, your heart stops, your organs fail, gravity takes over, blood pools at a lower level in your body. That is death!


Make the most of what you have NOW!


Enjoy life to the fullest.


Give and receive love and appreciate what you have now!
Even for those of us who believe that life continues, that's good advice.
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Old 06-29-2018, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Middle America
10,972 posts, read 7,034,075 times
Reputation: 16845
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willamette City View Post
..the most of what you have NOW!

Enjoy life to the fullest.

Give and receive love and appreciate what you have now!
That's a great approach to life, and the healthiest of all. And crazy as it sounds, that even matches what Jesus tried to convey. I know that will surprise many, since that's not what we usually hear from others. He wanted us to live life fully here (as well as an alleged continuation of a "life" beyond).

Regardless of our differing beliefs concerning post-death, we can agree to make the most of our time while here on Earth.

Last edited by Thoreau424; 06-29-2018 at 12:10 PM..
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Old 06-29-2018, 01:18 PM
 
1,419 posts, read 1,041,667 times
Reputation: 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by KRAMERCAT View Post
In one of David Jeremiah’s sermons he mentioned when a group of the leading philosophers were discussing the meaning of life, and none could provide an answer, then one of them said ‘if anyone ever finds out, could he please let me know what it is?’

I was reading a column by E J Montini in the AZ Republic following the suicide of Anthony Bourdain, he mentioned a woman who shot her 6 year old daughter, then herself. She said that she wanted people to know that she was a good person, but she just couldn’t take life anymore.

We are all currently in the ‘life on earth phase’, which is temporal, and dependent on the continued functionality of the physical ‘tent’ we are dwelling in, a term used by the apostle Paul.

I don’t like the term ‘death’, I prefer ‘transition’, because when someone says ‘I don't want to live anymore, I just want to die’, well, he/she can’t. After we leave this ‘tent’, we transition to the next phase of eternal life, we don’t really die.

When the ‘tent’ expires, those who have put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ have His promise that we will live eternally with Him. Those who have not will likewise live eternally, the question is, where?

The fact is, all of us currently alive on this planet, are living in the earthly phase, and you can end that ‘phase’, but you can’t end your ‘Life’.

So what is the purpose of this phase of life on earth? The meaning is this - it is a determinant phase. Choices made in this phase determines what happens in the next phase, namely where and with whom you are spending the rest of your eternal life.

Question - if that fact is fully grasped by someone contemplating suicide, would that person follow thru on it? I don’t think so, because the emphasis would be placed on finding the purpose of this ‘phase’, in terms of how it will affect the life that will follow it, and ending that ‘phase’ will not just blot everything out. You can’t escape ‘life’, you will continue it.
I think we must answer the question where those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be, with ´in hell´, people really need to be warned about the consequences of living outside of Jesus Christ, it has eternally lasting consequences!

But as to suicide, I had a friend that actually did not know the Lord (though she had heard the Gospel) and she sadly made multiple suicide attempts, and when I asked her if she ever considered that the life afterwards might be worse than the suffering she is experiencing right now, she said she just didn't really think about it - I think all that was on her mind and on the minds of many people contemplating suicide, is escape from this life. So it's good to make people aware that the "escape" might actually be a transition for the worse, if we do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. The suffering here on earth is nothing like the eternal suffering of the damned in hell, and there is hope, comfort and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. I had another friend that also attempted suicide multiple times, and she told me that after she got to know the Lord Jesus Christ, she did receive the strength for this life.. with Him she could live this life, and I think this is the very truth for many that see no hope or reason to live.. to live for the Lord Jesus Christ is the best life - though not always easy - and it will end up in eternal happiness and glory

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
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Old 06-29-2018, 01:26 PM
 
1,419 posts, read 1,041,667 times
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Also I´d like to add that satan is the one that drives people to take their own lives, he is a murderer from the beginning the Bible says, and he likes nothing more than people take their own life to plunge themselves into eternal misery. I think he also occupies and infects the minds with lies and deceit in such a way that people see no other way out, and indeed often do not even consider the possibility of a life afterwards that might be worse suffering than what is experienced here. So actually to battle this darkness that satan is clouding people´s minds with, we need to give them the truth of eternal consequences aswell as the truth of the Gospel and hope in Jesus Christ the Holy Lamb of God.
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:14 PM
 
Location: Arizona
28,956 posts, read 16,244,731 times
Reputation: 2295
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chanokh View Post
I think we must answer the question where those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be, with ´in hell´, people really need to be warned about the consequences of living outside of Jesus Christ, it has eternally lasting consequences!

But as to suicide, I had a friend that actually did not know the Lord (though she had heard the Gospel) and she sadly made multiple suicide attempts, and when I asked her if she ever considered that the life afterwards might be worse than the suffering she is experiencing right now, she said she just didn't really think about it - I think all that was on her mind and on the minds of many people contemplating suicide, is escape from this life. So it's good to make people aware that the "escape" might actually be a transition for the worse, if we do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. The suffering here on earth is nothing like the eternal suffering of the damned in hell, and there is hope, comfort and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. I had another friend that also attempted suicide multiple times, and she told me that after she got to know the Lord Jesus Christ, she did receive the strength for this life.. with Him she could live this life, and I think this is the very truth for many that see no hope or reason to live.. to live for the Lord Jesus Christ is the best life - though not always easy - and it will end up in eternal happiness and glory

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chanokh View Post
Also I´d like to add that satan is the one that drives people to take their own lives, he is a murderer from the beginning the Bible says, and he likes nothing more than people take their own life to plunge themselves into eternal misery. I think he also occupies and infects the minds with lies and deceit in such a way that people see no other way out, and indeed often do not even consider the possibility of a life afterwards that might be worse suffering than what is experienced here. So actually to battle this darkness that satan is clouding people´s minds with, we need to give them the truth of eternal consequences as well as the truth of the Gospel and hope in Jesus Christ the Holy Lamb of God.
This was the beginnings of a good thread, until you began talking nonsense.

Last edited by Jerwade; 06-29-2018 at 02:25 PM..
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:34 PM
 
Location: Arizona
28,956 posts, read 16,244,731 times
Reputation: 2295
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willamette City View Post
My belief is that death is death, no afterlife, no reincarnation. When you're dead, you stop breathing, your heart stops, your organs fail, gravity takes over, blood pools at a lower level in your body. That is death!


Make the most of what you have NOW!


Enjoy life to the fullest.


Give and receive love and appreciate what you have now!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleroo View Post
Even for those of us who believe that life continues, that's good advice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thoreau424 View Post
That's a great approach to life, and the healthiest of all. And crazy as it sounds, that even matches what Jesus tried to convey. I know that will surprise many, since that's not what we usually hear from others. He wanted us to live life fully here (as well as an alleged continuation of a "life" beyond).

Regardless of our differing beliefs concerning post-death, we can agree to make the most of our time while here on Earth.
Whether this life ends as a sleep without any dreams, or if it ends with a transition or transformation into something different, as energy merely transforms and nothing truly ever dies. We should indeed embrace this life with love for one-another and that of ourselves, reaching out to those who appear to be suffering without condemnation or imposing fear predicated on the unknown and unforeseeable. Life is the best thing we can hope for, now or in the end of this life. And, it has absolutely nothing to do with a non-existent place of eternal damnation.

Last edited by Jerwade; 06-29-2018 at 02:54 PM.. Reason: spelling error
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:43 PM
 
1,419 posts, read 1,041,667 times
Reputation: 219
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerwade View Post
This was the beginnings of a good thread, until you began talking nonsense.
Truth is hard to digest isn´t it..
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