What Just Happened? What Happens Now? What Happens Next?: Answers to Questions People Ask When the End of Life Happens

By Prepared By: Christian Media LLC

At every funeral, two elements always surface. First, people throw platitude after platitude, trying to make both themselves and the survivors of the deceased feel better about having lost a loved one. We say things like, "He/she is in a better place" or "He/she has gone to be with the Lord." There are too many such words expressed at internments to even mention in a work this size. The second most common thing that most all funerals have in common is people ask questions, seeking explanations about what has happened before, during, and after the death of their friend, family members, and others. Is there life after death? What is heaven/hell really like? What are they doing wherever it is that is where they are?

Bookshelves and electronic media are replete with secular ideas and/or personal hypostasis about what happens after my beloved has left this life for another. This is where this work will differ. The subject at hand will be poured into God's Holy Word, and we will let the Bible interpret the Bible. The old phrase is applicable here, "If the first sense makes good sense, everything else is nonsense." We say: If the Bible makes sense, why look further to sources that at best can only report on what they are told happens by someone who has been declared clinically deceased and resurrected. Real or imagined. Why try to force man's philosophical guesses into the discussion populated with what God has given us.

For more than a millennium people have concerned themselves with gathering information that would pertain to any sort of afterlife. As far back as the earliest Egyptian rulers believed that there was some sort of existence that would follow this earthly lifetime, people today are still asking questions and seeking more and more information on the subject. The writers of Christian Media, LLC have herein made an effort to expose what the Bible has to tell us about life after living on earth. Without personal doctrinal, opinion, or phycological contamination, the elements of existence after this world is put forth in expositional context.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge. (Hosea 4:6 KJV)

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685179908

Book preview

Chapter 1

Does Life Just Happen?

Phrases like Timing is everything and What caused this to happen apply to the title What Just Happened? Idioms like Life happens and What just happened? are often used in the context that so many things in life are destiny, karma, or just luck. Frequently when we cannot pinpoint the reason something happens, we dismiss it as a coincidence. Maybe some references to the phrase What just happened advances the thought that implies fate is in charge of life. Fate nor coincidence are parts of the believer in Christ’s conviction. God is Sovereign. Nothing happens without first passing through the hand of the faithful, loving God who promised in the book of Romans, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28 KJV). Note that all things, including good things and bad things, work together for the ultimate good of those who love God.

The phrase Life happens depends on the context in which it is being used. It can mean something with negative connotations has happened, or conversely, it can reference a real good thing. From a human perspective, life does happen, both good and bad. Semantics are critical because word choices trigger different thoughts for individuals depending on their background, how things are said, and other factors. Context, however, is the deciding factor. Consider the following example. You are gathered together in a quiet room of a hospital, and the attending physician comes in and says, Jamie has responded to the medication. Now think about different wording: Jamie has had a reaction to the medication. Feel the difference? The former has positive connotations, and the latter is suggestive of a negative overtone.

Just happened as a caused event

Many things are caused and do not just happen. They may be consequential of past decisions. Events like these are influenced by a deliberate decision or action taken sometime in our lives. These choices are specific, well planned, and steadfast for all of eternity’s future. Caused events could have been determined anytime in the person’s life and are not necessarily the results of a recent decision.

Time is one factor that usually determines whether the choice made reaches a favorable conclusion or not. For example, the choice of a particular investment could prove very lucrative or financially devastating. Still, the date and time of making financial investments are not the only determinate factor. Timing is everything is not necessarily accurate or the sole factor influencing the outcome in all experiences in life. Other factors like the overall economy, individual personalities, and even community health, and many other things, can affect the outcome of many of our decisions.

Purposeful and deliberate choices need to be made with considerable forethought. Sometimes the absolute results are known and conclusive, sometimes not. It is good advice to think about all options carefully. When results are known and expected, decisions are easy to make, for instance, the exercise of your free will to choose Jesus. No accidental slipup, no peer pressure, no stereotypes, and no ambiguity. No one can commit to following Christ for anyone else. Prayer and witnessing may cause people to think about the subject. Still, the decision concerning commitment to Christ, only you can make that call for your life. A salvation experience begins when, based on life experiences, you make a conscious and deliberate decision about the Son of God. It does not just happen. It is something Christians chose to do.

The results of choices are not always known and conclusive but still impact us later in life. All life choices have consequences, but we do not always think forward to the possible ramifications of selected paths. The decision to delay making a decision can yield good or bad experiences. Procrastination is not the best idea when faced with a life-changing decision to be made. The best plan for sound decision-making is to gather all available information and decide based on accurate