(Introduction)(Dial.1)(Dial.2)(Dial.3)DIALOGUE 4(Dial.5)(Dial.6)(Dial.7)(Dial.8)(Dial.9)(Dial.10)

(Dial.11)(Dial.12)(Dial.13)(Dial.14)(Dial.15)(Dial.16)(Dial.17)(Dial.18)(Dial.19)(Dial.20)

ABOUT DEATH

DIRTY_C: I fear death! Sometimes I try to figure out what is on the other side. It gives scary thoughts. I know there is life after death and it annoys me to know it.

CLEAN_C: The worst kind of death is not the one you fear. There is a worse death than the physical one.

DIRTY_C: What other kind of death? The one I am thinking about is the only one I know. Is there another?

CLEAN_C: There are others! If you cared to have a real relationship with God I am sure you would know about this. Why do you work so hard against knowing God as He is? He is able to teach you these things personally. He can even teach those who are lost. All it takes is to get in touch with God, to get closer to the Lord Jesus in a real way. You should enquire about the reality of God and the reality of the way of God. Then, He shall teach you all you need to know. If you, then, won’t follow the way you are shown, I am sure the way will follow you and your conscience to instigate sense to both of you. The worst thing about believers is to remain in doubt about these things. They should enquire and ask wisdom from God who denies it to no one who asks with faith. Unfortunately, everyone rather wish to believe according to their mood and choose to believe what they call “good things”. And believing good things only is not real faith unless God has spoken them out. There is nothing good in being deluded. I believe God can teach saints as well as sinners. Why won’t you try to enquire from the Lord? Is it so difficult for you to find reality and truth in a real shape? If you search for what you need to know at this point, I am sure God will teach you. I don’t promise you will like what you are taught, but I am sure He will teach you anyway. In case you do not like what you hear, don’t be like those fools who decide it does not come from the Lord simply because they don’t like it. If you look for what you need to know now, I am sure God will show it to you one way or another. And since you are just one step away from death, I am sure God shall teach you about the great danger of dying in your sins. Just search for what is a priority in the eyes of eternity and God shall teach you, surely.

DIRTY_C: What is there to know that you consider a priority? Learning about death is a priority?

CLEAN_C: Salvation from sin is a priority. Cleaning your whole past and present from sin, making your conscience spotless and as white as snow are priorities no one may ever overlook or despise. Your spirit needs to be so reconciled with God, you need to be one with Him in such a way that there shouldn’t be any differences between you and the living Lord Jesus anymore.

DIRTY_C: What kind of reconciliation are you talking about? How so? How can one so united with the Lord that we don’t differ anymore?

CLEAN_C: Your spirit is dead as long as there is still any sin in you which is not confessed and abandoned forever. The spirit is dead when in sin and that kind of death is a direct confrontation to the Life of the Lord Jesus. Death and Life oppose each other in a most active way. Death wants man to be dead, and Christ wants man to be alive. When man is dead towards God, there is a continual enmity between the inner man and God because of that. Then death puts man against God to withstand Him continually. It means God and man are heart enemies and they don’t get along anymore, at all. In other words, they cannot be reconciled unless one of them changes. God won’t change. To be reconciled with God means you need to be so changed that your spirit and heart won’t only agree with God, but will even feel at home in His very presence, the one it used to be at enmity with. You should feel awkward anywhere else, I mean, outside God’s presence. As long as there is this enmity, there is an inner fight and there is no peace inside man because of the war that is going on. Yet, you need to become one with the Lord in a most natural and spontaneous way. The Psalmist said once, “Whom have I in Heaven? And besides You I desire none on earth”, Ps.73:25. He achieved that kind of reconciliation. At this point, you are in need to be the opposite of what you really are because “the flesh is enmity against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh”, Rom.8:7.

DIRTY_C: I can’t understand what you are talking about.

CLEAN_C: The Bible says that whoever sins puts himself in a state of death against God. That kind of death works against Life itself. It is active. It is always found in direct confrontation with God or with anything that tries to bring life into you. This is a kind of death that will lead to all other deaths eventually. “And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death”, Rev.20:14.

DIRTY_C: What do you mean?

CLEAN_C: You need to get a kind of spirit in you that shall always be in favour with God and which will love to find itself near the Lord all the time. You need to wish deeply to be ruled by a great King, because Jesus is indeed a great king. And you need to live near Him as if you have never experienced any other kind of life before. You need to come to that point. As far as I can see now, you want to be your own king, one who even demands from God what He should bless. It seems to me all you want is to experience no fear while living on and on in your sin. And it so works that kings easily dispute and fight over a throne, especially when both have claims upon it. Your heart is a throne. Jesus wants it and you want it. Therefore, there shall never be friendship between flesh and Spirit. And, eventually, God shall cease to strive against the flesh and shall hand stubborn people over to themselves. This is the worst curse that can ever happen to any of us, I mean, when God hands us over to ourselves. It is a very bad curse indeed. I believe there is no greater curse than that one. May God never do that to any of us!

DIRTY_C: You are scaring me!

CLEAN_C: Because there is a huge dispute inside man for that throne, obviously there shall never be peace in the inner kingdom of man until Jesus is fully settled down and feels at home inside the heart. Until all inner wars and disputes cease, there shall be no peace inside man. “There is no peace to the wicked, says my God”, Is.57:21. Man without God is wicked, and it doesn't matter what he believes about himself. So, if you wish to be kind, understanding and apologetic towards your own way, you are also in direct confrontation against a life you know nothing about. It should only be expected that there should be an enmity in you against the Living Lord, since you are dead and strive towards death itself. Jesus will come only to be King of Life and to rule over Life. Where He is king He shall surely wish to rule according to His devices, desires, knowledge and wisdom. However, many people sing “Lord, come reign in my heart” while death reigns in them. They are hypocrites who love singing and whose hearts are far from God. They are words without meaning and use God’s name in vain. After their singing, they are the ones who decide what to do, when to do and to whom they shall marry and so forth. Can you consider that as being ruled by God? This is why I said that, by having a stained conscience, one is only one step away from a worse death.

DIRTY_C: How can I be only one step away from death? Here I am, speaking out my heart to you, saying I am afraid to think of death and you don’t care about my feelings. You carry on telling me I am one step away from death! What kind of love is that?

CLEAN_C: As I said, you may ask the Lord and you shall know whether this is all true or not. And there is no love where truth is not spoken. I don’t mind explaining it to you, but I believe you miss the privilege of hearing it from the mouth of God Himself. There are few types of deaths, but being dead towards God is what leads us towards further deaths. The other deaths I know of are mere consequences of the one sin brings into us.

DIRTY_C: How can one death lead to the others? You are confusing me greatly!

CLEAN_C: Why, do you think, did Jesus say that whoever believes in Him shall never die? So, there must be a kind of death which is brought about by not believing and trusting Jesus as a ruler. And that is the kind of death which leads to the others deaths out there.

DIRTY_C: So, you believe I have that kind of death ruling in me which shall lead me to die further?

CLEAN_C: Whoever has doubts about his own spiritual state, I mean, real doubts and not mere emotional states of heart, is surely separated from God. No one doubts for no reason and no one believes for no reason, especially if one is truly honest in his heart.

DIRTY_C: But, I have told you I have already accepted Jesus and there you come trying to convince me I am lost. Why don’t you believe me?

CLEAN_C: Why is it so important to you that I believe you? Would it make you feel better in your lost state? Would it help you feel better or more confident? Let me finish, please. I won’t answer you about emotional states of heart. We are talking about deeper issues here. I am trying to explain something that happens deep inside man. If we do not overcome that inner death towards the Lord, towards a great King, if we are not resurrected into a new life for real, we cannot dare to think we shall have that kind of life after death at all. If we can’t have it now, why would we have it after death? It just doesn’t make sense, does it? Do you experience real life in you now? Or do you just suppose that life is in you? One of the mortal weapons death struggles to maintain is the lie that always says you are alive. And if we do not overcome spiritual death, surely we won’t overcome any other. If one death leads to the other, surely one kind of victory will lead to the others as well. By overcoming sin now, we shall surely overcome death – any type of death. If we don’t overcome sin, however, the salary shall be death upon death. One thing leads to the other. How do you expect to overcome the salary of sin afterwards if you do not overcome sin itself now? The way many preachers talk seems as if we were called to overcome the salary of sin and not sin itself. It just doesn’t make sense! We need to overcome right away, as soon as possible! If we don’t, we might be in for a huge and unexpected surprise.

DIRTY_C: The only reason I would like to overcome now is because you're scaring me to death!

CLEAN_C: You need to overcome it by loving Jesus. You can’t do it because of the love towards self and because of the fear of death. You won’t overcome unless it is because you love Jesus, I mean, unless it is for God’s sake. Let me finish, please. Whoever desires to overcome sin, shall easily overcome death after he is granted the privilege to live forever through the kind of life which starts right here on earth. You need to desire to hate sin if you ever wish to overcome real death at all. You cannot desire to overcome death only, desiring to keep sin still in you. You should forget about death and fight sin with the deadly weapons of light. Then, you shall also overcome death for real and the fear of death shall abandon you. We overcome death now and not when we die. You cannot desire to be alive without desiring to leave sin and to overcome it forever. I have seen many drunkards say they are going to heaven because they believe in Jesus. They are deluded. They live in a fantasy world of their own. That kind of drunkards don’t wish to stop drinking, but only to go to heaven.

DIRTY_C: I am no drunkard! But, I agree I don’t thirst after God as I should.

CLEAN_C: The truth is that in this world people talk about what they drink and the kind of drink they have. In the kingdom of God here on earth, we talk a lot about the kind of thirst we have. Drunkards glory in what they drink and the sons of God glory about what they thirst after. Oh Lord, let there be this kind of thirst for real!

DIRTY_C: Are we changing the subject again? What does thirst have to do with death?

CLEAN_C: Thirst after God, when it is real, stands for life as a fountain would stand for a river. That thirst is the fountain of the rivers of life Jesus promised we would have flowing from inside us. The lack of thirst stands towards death as a flame stands towards a fire. Concerning those who shall live forever (those who started to be alive here on earth), we are talking about many strong rivers and not merely about a small water flow. And those who drink from the water of life talk about their thirst more than they talk about their drinking. Those who drink false water or dirty water, (we hear often Jesus talking about the pure fountains of Life), are seldom able to distinguish between death and real life. They believe death is life. This is why I believe that the inner death in man is much worse than any other kind because it is deceiving and it deprives man from thirsting after God. Death also causes us to feel ashamed of our God in front of others and ashamed of ourselves when we are alone. That kind of death has other’s opinions in a higher regard than God’s, and our benefits above God’s in us.

DIRTY_C: What deprives us of that thirst which causes us to find God in a real way?

CLEAN_C: In the world, thirst is satisfied with whatever kills man inside. Death always desires to die further, just as a drunkard’s drink demand’s another drink from him. Death brings death. In this world, there is no desire to find God in a real way, unless they believe God shall satisfy man’s desires. Can you imagine greedy man believing a most powerful God will always be there for him? Sin kills the thirst after a holy God and opens the way for a false god. Idols in the minds of people allow men to live in sin and to breed sinful claims upon the power of God. That is another consequence we may expect from sin. People in the world live as if they do not need a holy God at all. This is why the Lord says, “You thought that I was like you”, Ps.50:21.

DIRTY_C: Now, tell me about death itself. What do you have to say about it? Why is it so mysterious and why does it seem so frightening to all of us? Why do people mystify it so much? What is real after death and what is not?

CLEAN_C: Fear drives people to do and believe many strange things. People usually find some distracting ways to make them busy-bodies so as to think about death and many other things they fear. They’ll rather be busy than face facts which might not even be so bad facing after all. The Bible states that it is better for us to go to a funeral so now and then so that we may become wise. The world says it is better to go and party. The Bible says it is better for us to go to where people die than to go into a house where people enjoy themselves. Many even make jokes about death. Perhaps, it helps them to overlook the fact that it is coming for sure. However, had people an abundant life from God, I am sure they would never fear to face death. They would know it can't touch them. People fear death mostly because they lust after lies, along with many other things which can never satisfy. Had we a genuine relationship with God, we would never fear to die. In fact, it would be a joy to die instead. It could be something we looked forward to.

DIRTY_C: I cannot agree with you at all! Death is scary to anyone. I believe you are talking like that because you are too self-assured and have never faced death in the eye.

CLEAN_C: It is not true. I think of death and life every single day of my whole life.

DIRTY_C: In your opinion, we should be thinking all the time that we shall die. It means you would want me scared all the time!

CLEAN_C: The Bible says that the physical death of holy ones is sweet in the eyes of God. But, I can agree that people who live with a stained conscience hate to think of death along with every fear it brings up in them. Going to Paradise should not scare anyone. It should bring in us the same joyful expectations a voyage to some beautiful place does. But, the idea of going to hell doesn’t attract us at all. Or, if death is merely facing the unknown, as some say, it could also cause people to tremble, especially when they cannot avoid going down to the grave.

DIRTY_C: It is not easy for me to believe I am going to heaven. Maybe there is no heaven to look forward to. If I just knew there really was a heaven, surely death would not scare me this way anymore.

CLEAN_C: What you have just said is what I am trying to get through to you: if we know, we won’t fear. You are agreeing with me now, at least on this point. You have just said you don’t know about it at all. Do you know what this means? If Jesus' life indeed abounded in you, would you still have these fears in you? This is what you do not wish to understand the way you ought. Faith is a certainty of whatever we can’t see. Because we can’t see, it doesn’t mean it does not exist or that we cannot experience it for real. You don’t see the air, and yet you breathe it and know it exists. You cannot see your thoughts or mine, and yet, you know they exist. And a certainty is not forced down upon people. There has to be more substantial things to make us sure than force, don’t you think? Faith can’t just be accepting things because we must. Genuine faith must be more than that, surely. If not, it would offend God instead of pleasing Him. However, if we are dead towards God, even when we 'believe' in Him, we shall never be sure about important things such as life after death. In fact, the lack of spontaneous and natural confidence in us shows we might be heading towards some other place in the opposite direction.  

DIRTY_C: What do you mean by going to some other place? You are scaring me! I can’t understand what kind of love is this you’re showing towards poor me. You mean I am going to hell? How can you say that to me?

CLEAN_C: What I believe or say about you won’t get you to heaven or hell. You are the only one who can decide about that. It is not my words that will drive you to hell at all. I am just interpreting what you’re saying to me. I am translating the way you feel about things and putting it into words for you. You should stop lying to yourself about this, seeing such an important thing is at stake here. If you believe you are not sick, would you go to the doctor still? We are just talking about the symptoms you are revealing while expressing yourself. Can you see why death will be a great surprise for most Christians around the world? And that shouldn’t be so.

DIRTY_C: What other death is there besides dying physically and dying to God?

CLEAN_C: The other death we could talk about is the one where people never die and which shall be spent in hellfire.

DIRTY_C: Hell is a kind of death as well?

CLEAN_C: The Bible talks about it as the second death, yes. And we read that death will be thrown into death. It means people who are dead towards God will be thrown into hell after their physical death has taken place. And it must be a dreadful experience. Just think of it! People shall always be dying as where in heaven they would always be living. Eternal death is an eye for an eye of what people declined to receive.

DIRTY_C: What do you mean? People are always dying and never die?

CLEAN_C: Yes, that is what I mean. Eternal death means people will always be dying and never die. Jesus talked about it as a place “where their worm never dies”. That is the exact counterpart of the eternal life people have refused from the hand of the Cross. In hell, people and angels shall always be dying as in heaven they would always be living. It is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth of what people have rejected. The measure of happiness people declined reverts to them in an equal measure of suffering and unhappiness. The emptiness in hell shall also be in equal measure to the fullness people experience in heaven. It must be terrible there! I believe the fire will be a minor issue if compared to the inner anguish and emptiness people will experience there, eternally. And it won’t really matter if people believed there was a heaven or not. What people believed won’t change a thing after they die.

DIRTY_C: This is why I hate talking to you. You always make me afraid of something. I can’t explain it. You should encourage me and not put me down this way. You scare me to death. I came here looking for some kind of comfort, a friendly talk about something which troubles me and it seems I going back worse than I got here. I feel miserable and lost now. What kind of love is this? You cause my heart to breed bad feelings about you. It feels I always lose hope and faith every time I talk to you.

CLEAN_C: But, if the faith you have is false and if the hopes you entertain in your heart are useless, isn’t it a good thing that you lose them altogether? I believe a wrong kind of assurance is worse than a doubt. Besides, there are good doubts. Doubting any lie is faith. Believing any lie is unbelief. By losing false hopes, we stand a chance to have the proper ones. Isn’t it so? You are terrified about death because you may have held on to false hopes for too long. You should choose between being dead towards God and being dead to the world and all its false hopes. Every kind of death we may ever experience is an exact replica of its corresponding life. The fear we experience far from God is the exact opposite of the assurance we would experience near Him. That is how it works. No one can avoid it working that way at all. If we are dead to God, we shall be alive to sin; and dead to sin means being alive to God. “For faithful is the Word, for if we died, we shall also live with Him”, 2Tim.2:11. One thing leads to the other. It always works out that way. But, life needs to be real and not merely believed. You can’t just believe you have it – you must really experience it. Religion is not life. God told us not to make any likeness of what is in heaven or in earth. We should have the real thing. We shouldn’t deceive ourselves with likenesses any longer.

DIRTY_C: I think I understood. I am sorry that I have these bad thoughts about you. You talk in such a convincing way about things that scare me. In fact, I don’t like what you say and the way you put it to me. But, deep in my heart I would like to be as you are. Will see you sometime soon.  

(Introdution)(Dial.1)(Dial.2)(Dial.3)DIALOGUE 4(Dial.5)(Dial.6)(Dial.7)(Dial.8)(Dial.9)(Dial.10)

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