I recently received a phone call from a friend informing me that his dog had died. He said that it attempted to go on the road by jumping over the fence and got entangled with its leash. It is common practice to chain aggressive dogs and confine them to a specific space. Their confinement is usually necessary for their own protection as well as the safety of others.
My mind wandered a little from the dog to life in general, thinking how parents set certain boundaries and make rules for their children, often giving them more leeway as they get older. But it is the children’s responsibility to choose whether or not they stay within these boundaries.
In the context of geography, a boundary is that dividing line which marks the end of one property or jurisdiction and the beginning of another. Note, however, that the concept of boundaries is not limited to geography; life too should be lived within boundaries. Some actions are beneficial, and some work against us. It is a matter of choosing, and we face choices every minute of our lives. The moment we wake up, we choose whether or not we stay in bed, pray, cleanse ourselves. We choose what to wear and eat. Yes! And of course, once we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we get to determine our righteous or unrighteous actions and responses.
Choices are not limited to what is wrong or right, because what is right is not always righteous. Society usually dictates what is right, but God, through His Word, dictates what is righteous. For example, you might have the right as a prefect to report a student who misbehaves, but in the moment, God speaks into your spirit to be merciful to them and overlook their offense. As a child of God, you are expected to choose righteousness by obeying God, the only thing that really pleases Him.
From the beginning of humanity, our Creator requires obedience to satisfy His righteousness. Any deviation from righteousness is sin, which leads to death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23).
There are different states of death:
- Spiritual death – separation of man from God because of sin (Genesis 2:16-17). It is possible to be physically alive and spiritually dead. (Matthew 8:22 and 1 Timothy 5:6)
- Physical death – separation of the soul from body and spirit. (Job 34:14 and 2 Peter 1:14).
3. Second death – Man separated from God in the lake of fire forever (Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8; 20:14). The sea, grave, death, and hell will give up all the bodies in them to be judged by God.
In contrast, eternal life is the undeserved gift of God afforded by His generosity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Even when the mortal bodies die, those who accept the free gift of God and are spiritually alive, will not experience the second death. Jesus emphasized this in John 11:25-26. Romans 8:39 confirms that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord;” not even death.
Plus, there is the hope of sons of God receiving new, glorious, incorruptible bodies at the return of Christ!
Satan is in constant competition with God for man’s submission. He is trying very hard to pervert God’s creation. But God has made a new creation: the church, the Kingdom of God; you may call it a system, in the midst of the world’s systems that will outlast Satan’s schemes. Indeed, with all the brainwashing, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and they are saved (Proverbs 18:10).
So, remember children of God, our response is our responsibility. Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” It is therefore best to remain in God Who will keep us in the boundaries of the faith of Jesus Christ.
In the words of D. A. Carson, “ ‘If you remain’ in me is equivalent to doing all that Jesus commands. Such words must so lodge in the disciple’s mind and heart that conformity to Christ, obedience to Christ, is the most natural thing in the world.”
Will you, like the unfortunate dog, choose the path of death? Or will you choose to come to God today?
A trained educator and member of Passion and Purity, Purpose Hamilton has overcome much through Christ and wants to be a Godly influence to youths.