After Death Comes Judgment

A recent CNN article documents the experiences of people who died and returned to life, near death experiences (NDEs). In the article you can read about the work of Dr. Steven Laureys who heads the Coma Science Group at the university hospital in the city of Liege. He and his colleagues published a scientific study on near death experiences in late March, 2013.

Laureys believes, "There is no evidence there can be conscious experience without brain activity. . . The public is historically afraid to be buried alive," Laureys said. "People are afraid to sign up as organ donors." They are scared they may have to watch them being extracted from their bodies.
There are more than enough spiritual models for NDEs, he said—and superstitious ones. "There are a lot of crazy explanations out there."
It's high time for more hard science, Laureys said. A high percentage of his coma patients report having had NDEs, and he believes many of us go through these "afterlife" experiences when we die.
Laureys doesn't want to speculate on the existence of heaven or hell, but he does say that only a small minority of near-death experiences are horrifying. Most of them are pleasant and uplifting. From his accounts, it sounds like more people go to "heaven" than to "hell."

I have written previously about the plausibility and fact of near-death experiences. It is not true that "There is no evidence there can be conscious experience without grain activity." In my post I quoted Dr. Sam Parnia's book Erasing Death: The Science That Is Rewriting the Boundaries Between Life and Death, Dr. Sam Parnia of the Nour Foundation tells about his study of such near death experiences (NDE). He concludes,

Today, the tantalizing question for science is, If the human consciousness or soul does indeed continue to exist well past the traditional marker that defines death, does it really ever die as an entity? Our new studies will continue to explore this and other significant ethical questions. For now, though, we can be certain that we humans no longer need to fear death.

So human science continues to pursue the question of what happens after death. As we read the letter to the Hebrews we have God's answer, an answer that we do well to heed.

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

What is this judgment that comes after death? Jesus spoke often about it in his teachings. For instance,

Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. - Mat 10:15 ESV 

But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. - Mat 11:22 ESV 

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, ... The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. - Mat 12:36, 41 ESV 

Beyond that we typically think about such scenes as are painted in the book of Revelation

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - Rev 20:11-15 ESV

Does the Hebrews passage teach us that earthly time ceases upon death and that we are rushed immediately to the Day of Judgment, as some believe? One site lists 87 Bible verses about Judgment Day and then invites you to decide if this or that verse is or is not helpful. I found that to simply add to the confusion. It seems wiser to apply the interpretive principle of Law and Gospel to this question and to all Bible verses about Judgment.

The Law passages teach

1. Everyone of us will be judged by God for the life we have lived
2. In terms of human history no one knows When that day or hour is, not even the angels of heaven. 
3. The day will come unexpectedly, like a thief at night. 
4. Those who have rejected the life and death of Jesus as the all-atoning sacrifice for their sins will stand naked and accused before the eternal Judge. There will be no escape. 
5. They will be condemned to eternal suffering, sorrow and darkness—hell or hades the Bible calls it. This is variously described as fire, internal anguish, loneliness, fear and darkness. None of us wants to face such a fate, but it will be given to us if that's what we choose.  

The Gospel passages teach

1. Jesus came to rescue all men of all ages from this judgment since God does not desire the eternal death of anyone. 
2. He offered His sinless life in complete obedience to His Father as the all-availing sacrifice for all men's sins. 
3. Those who accept Him and His sacrifice are secure and safe from condemnation. Judgment for them has already happened. When Christ died, they died. When He rose from the dead they rose with Him. 
4. On Judgment Day they He will appear to receive them into the glory of a new heaven and a new earth. On that day they will receive new and eternal bodies. 
5. Believers have every reason to look forward to that day with joy and to pray every day, "Come Lord Jesus!" 

We could speculate as some do about when that Day will come. Across the centuries many have. It seems wiser to set all such speculations aside and to devote yourself to doing what the Lord Jesus has called you to do today. Learn to pray as the LORD teaches through the prophet David: 

• My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! - Psa 31:15 ESV

•  I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. - Psa 34:1 ESV

Chief of Sinners Though I Be

Brother Tim,

One more thought before I end this week's correspondence . . .

In 1967 I enrolled in Chicago Theological Seminary's first Doctor of Religion class (now Doctor of Ministry), along with 15 other clergy of various denominations. It was a brand new and quite innovative program. I was the only Lutheran. The program I chose led to a doctorate in pastoral counseling. It began with a very intensive summer of training in hospital chaplaincy. Half of each day was spent visiting patients in The University of Chicago Hospital. I was assigned to the "dirty-gyn" ward (gynecology patients with cancer). The other half of the day we chaplains-in-training attended lectures and participated in a group where we made a verbatim, word for word report on the visits we made on patients in our assigned ward. Each one of us had his turn in the hot spot. During that time all the others in the group had opportunity to focus on the one whose report was being reviewed. What a frightening experience!

The questions came at you something like this.

You said what?! Why did you say that? She made you feel quite uncomfortable, didn't she? What were you feeling when you said that? Were you feeling anger? Did you realize what you were really saying? 

The approach was to get us to be in touch with our feelings and, in turn, to what was going on down deep inside. I have a very distinct memory of not knowing what they meant when they asked, "How did that feel?" I really didn't know how I felt. It was a brand new and most unsettling experience for me to take a look at what feelings, fears, doubts, anxieties, desires and all sorts of other feelings lurked below. I know now what my teachers were aiming for, but at the time I would walk away feeling attacked, despised, helpless, alone and incapable. On the weekends my wife was my sounding board. She told me that she had to work hard to "put me back together again" in preparation for another week of that training.

In one sense that summer was a law-Gospel experience that helped me to understand what the Apostle was getting at when he wrote these words in his first letter to his young apprentice.

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. - 1Tim 1:12-17 ESV

During those weeks I too came to realize what Paul was getting at when he was forced to take a deep and hard look at himself. His conclusion: I am chief or sinners! During the summer several of the women on the "dirty-gyn" ward left this life. They had to stand before their Maker. Did I have a message of mercy for them? For that matter, did I have a message of mercy and forgiveness for myself? Did I really believe in "the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus"? Did I truly know of the strength that comes only from Him?

Tim, I am convinced that we who are called to the pastoral ministry have nothing to share if we do not first know about that grace as it applies to us personally. I urge you to open your heart to the good and proper work of God's law. Learn from it what we all must. We are all by nature sinful and unclean. But learn also then to flee to Christ and the Gospel He has entrusted to us. In the years following that summer I have come to appreciate again and again the words of William McComb's hymn. I commend them to you as well.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.

O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the heaven above,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!

Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

O my Savior, help afford
By Your Spirit and Your Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

Law And Gospel For These End Times

As indicated earlier, I have a full preaching schedule from now until Christmas, something unusual for this "retired" preacher. BTW, I've emphasized again and again to friends and colleagues that the word and the concept "retired" is no where found in Holy Scriptures. Be that as it may, I'm beginning work now on next Sunday's sermon and I invite you to follow with me as I make those preparations.

I've already announced the theme for this 25th Sunday after Pentecost, the second Sunday before the church's year of worship ends. The new church year begins on November 28, immediately following our American Thanksgiving celebration. My sermon will be based upon the Gospel, Luke 21:5-28. My title is taken from that Gospel, verse 18, "Not A Hair Of Your Head Will Perish."

Preliminary observations:

Jesus is speaking to his disciples as they stood on the hillside looking down on the beautiful Temple, built under the patronage of King Herod. There is a model of that temple in a museum in Jerusalem. It was indeed a rather marvelous building complex, occupying some thirty-five acres in Jerusalem during Jesus' day. To learn more, study the links I am providing. 

It must have been a real shocker to hear Jesus say, "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Can't we all see them looking at him with amazement and confusion? Surely not. How could this be? Why? OK, we believe you, Lord, but, but . . . “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

The remainder of this Gospel lesson is Jesus' answer. In the midst of that answer is His assurance to the disciples about their destiny, "You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives"(vv,17-19).  A very, very peculiar saying. And that's why I chose it as my theme, especially as I ask myself—and will want to ask my hearers—what that means for our lives today. 

Ponder Jesus' statement with me. I believe it is Gospel, not Law. Notes from The Lutheran Study Bible tell me this is an hyperbole, an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis (Acts 2:47; 3:9), but strongly emphasizing that Jesus' followers will experience persecution, as indeed they have down to the present day.

The same notes call my sermon title (v.18) a proverbial statement. That leaves me a bit confused. I'll have to re-study the Biblical tradition of proverbs, how they were used and how they were interpreted. This teaching is quoted in Matthew 10:22 as we read about Jesus sending the disciples out as sheep in the midst of wolves. He also taught that all of the hairs of his disciples' heads were numbered and not a single one forgotten by the Father, just as the Father also keeps intimate track of the sparrows. Fascinating and certainly comforting to know that our Father in heaven has such personal interest and concern for each of His children.

I'll leave this with you for today. We have lots of work to do before this sermon is ready, but already we have a warning from God's Law about false trust in human achievements and a very intimate word of comfort and strength from the Gospel about the heavenly Father's love for His children.

The ROH Project

Yesterday was our nation's birthday. In his speech to the nation our president talked about what we have inherited because of the sacrifice and commitment of millions who have gone before us to make this land the envy of people around the world. The USA is to our modern world what Rome was to the world of NT times.

That leads me to another thought: the title and theme of both this Blog and the monthly Ezine posted on our website by the same name speak about heritage. We have inherited so many spiritual blessings because of the labor of those who have gone before us. However, just as eternal vigilance is the price of our national liberty, so vigilance is also the price of our freedom in Christ. This is why several of us began the Reclaiming Our Heritage project, now approaching its second birthday. We believe that the task of Reclaiming Our Heritage in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a never-ending journey. The world we live in is ever at work, under the leadership of the prince of this world, to erode and destroy this wondrous heritage of grace.

This was further driven home by the growing attention being given to 2012 and apocryphal events connected to it in large parts of the Christian community. Consider, for instance, the millions of books sold in the Left Behind series. July 4, 2009, according to some, was to mark the beginning of a 3 1/2 year countdown to Dec., 2012 when the world is to come to an end or the Antichrist is to be elected, etc., etc. We Lutherans have ever had to challenge this approach to Holy Scriptures in the name of the Gospel. In turn, we are being challenged for closing our eyes to the momentous events in current history (1947, the founding of Israel, UFOs in Roswell, NM, planet X, etc.) that all point to the imminent Second Coming, Rapture, Armaggedon, the Millenium, etc., etc.

In Mark 12 we read that Jesus was also challenged on every side for his teaching, e.g. about paying taxes to the Roman government and about the resurrection from the dead. One of the scribe/theologians underlined Jesus' answers by complimenting him for telling the truth. Jesus, in turn, told the scribe that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Jesus' answers shut all the rest of them down for the moment. Then he deepened his answers with a challenging question for them to answer.

I invite you to read that chapter, because it is high time that we Lutherans loudly proclaim clearer and wise answers to the growing confusion about the end times. Such theology ultimately leads believers into the sin of pride for being in-the-know. In days gone by, this was called the heresy of gnosticism. Many others are thereby captured by the giant called Despair and locked in the Doubting castle.

There are other similar theological questions that beg to be answered. Answers from God's Word must be provided to Christians tempted by lust, pride, despair and doubt and many other modern sins.

This is why I pray that the Reclaiming Our Heritage project grow and expand. In turn I challenge other Lutheran pastors and teachers to join me on this Blog, to lift up the peculiar Lutheran emphasis upon grace, faith and the Word of God. Lutherans also emphasize the correct division of Law and Gospel. More and more it seems that we are among the few who do. Witness the vast confusion of Law and Gospel in the multitudinous teachings about the End Times.

If you relate to what I am writing and would like to contribute to this Blog as well as to the ROH Ezine, please let me know. I can easily change the photos, add more links and bios, share the password and open these pages to those of you who agree with the Lutheran perspective. I'd love to hear from you. I also thank those Lutherans who are laboring diligently in other areas of this vast and complex cyberworld.