What is the ideal life? For me it would mean personally to be acceptable to God; to father a family (or to be a part of another family) acceptable to God; to work fully at what God would have me do well; to meet my obligations including assistance to others who have not received the benefits I have enjoyed; to exert some influence on others for good, even if it were only to model the values of Scripture silently in loving attitude and righteous conduct; and, to accept the decline of old age with devotion and mental health to the awards of whatever follows the transition from nature’s environment. In that long sentence the story is projected, is in process so closing in on transition to accented life. For me, in Christ, as with the poet: Let there be no moaning of the bar, when I put out to sea. Life moves outwards, at first, and then, if all is in order, moves spiritually upwards, until it arrives at the safe haven. Immortality is meant for mankind.
The above is worded rather simply. It doesn’t seem to be so much, but it embraces decades of life, energy and application to open the door to the hope of continuing life. We generally refer to the award as immortality. It is award, not reward as we now use the word, reward. We may be surprised to discover that in this there is much that influences the context of a person’s immortality. The small, but many, bits of evidence (seen through dark glass) of that larger life speak to us. They are beyond proofs but they have force not only because we feel them, but Scripture affirms them – and they work. We are informed from medical science that a mother, if an addict of some drugs, will give birth to an infant drug addict. The new-born infant may suffer through withdrawal. Even nicotine from a mother may affect the natural life of the child for ill, never for good. If the mother is following careful health habits, the future of her baby is, by the evidence, more promising than for an affected child. What am I doing that does not contribute to the expansion of life at its best in whatever follows this gestation period during which decisions are mine? What contributes well, to future transition? We live a fetal life on earth leading to a future life abundant.
Without God, human perceptions of success and a full life are wrapped up in physical wealth, health, power, knowledge, privilege, celebrity – in their variant manifestations. It is not denied that each factor, if desired by a person and gained, has some transient or temporary satisfaction related to it. That temporary satisfaction is only an episode in a nature context and perishes with wishes for more, when in the final registration nothing is left. It was only a sample of what satisfaction might be if bundled with the basic values of life in a context of righteousness. Righteousness is first measured in persons in their relationship to God, on his terms, and proof of that commitment in relationships with fellow persons in the context of the same terms as those offered to God. Since God needs nothing from any other source than himself, he takes a person’s performance with others of the human race as to his honor or offense and acts accordingly.
Words form easily for some persons. Actions and attitudes, disciplined conduct and the accoutrements of life are far more difficult to engage. They seem more difficult to identify for many persons. There are skeptics who have been programmed to misunderstand the life and efforts of those who live for the God of goodness (holiness). God is quite altruistic, so the rain falls on the good and the bad. This does not violate truth wherein the correct totals must ultimately determine the just awards of God. Mankind can’t escape the evaluation, and is under the true and concluding justice of God. Justice is not emotional, but factual. The concepts are clearly outlined in the guide book. Our duty is to know them, believe them and live them. That duty is not easy, having difficulty not in the expectations but in ourselves. We have a natural bent to reactive independence. It can be carried out in quiet but destructive ways. I have counseled far more goody-goody rebels than raging ones. The rebel lashes out, often missing the way of problem solving, understanding, learning, and wisdom to meet the causes of rebellion, peaceful or warlike. Family, circumstances, ill health, poverty, self may trigger rebellion. The story lengthens. Quiet rebels may have a more difficult time in making adjustments. Illusion can fool us. Rebels, shy or ferocious, ought to master the precept of the Apostle Paul in all things – the culture of peace. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020