Can’t we just enjoy life now and not worry about the afterlife?
by Paul ~ August 29th, 2009. Filed under: Paul.“I don’t believe we should live our life in fear of what happens after we die. We should just enjoy life now”
“Why would God want us to focus on what happens after we die? Shouldn’t we just live the best we can now?”
“When we die we just die. That’s it. There’s nothing after. Why would there need to be something afterward?”
I have heard these questions many times. These come from people who either do not believe in an afterlife or believe that it is inconsequential.
How about we take some practical advice from Jesus? Take a look at this:
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30)
Some very practical advice! Start with the end in mind, else you will not get far or you’ll end up with something worthless. And of course, today it is common to talk about “goals” – Kaelin’s brothers even spent a substantial time in middle school setting life goals. So what is the end, what is the goal? Well, if you think the end is nothingness and your body just rots away in the ground… well it doesn’t sound like much to live for and in turn your life will not have much meaning. Thankfully, the Bible gives us a picture of the end we should strive for:
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I sawthe holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Rev. 21:1-5)
This is a wonderful vision of absolute redemption of all of creation! Perfect peace, perfect love, perfect unity, perfect joy. The Apostle Paul provided an example of living with that end in mind: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14). He lived His life for Jesus’ glory knowing that his end would be eternally in the presence of God.
We have an option then (as shown in Phil. 3:17-21). We can focus alone on our life today – “earthly things” – and end up in destruction. Or we can focus on Heaven and live with that end in mind.