A group of 6 friends was discussing what goes through the mind of a person a few minutes before their death. Two of them felt the highlights of the life of the person will flash through his mind before he bows out in death. One felt such a person will go to purgatory where such can repent of his sins and believe God to go to Heaven. The others believe nothing will happen as the person will just fade out and be one with the universe. According to the first two, if the memories are good then such will end in heaven as they will die happy, but if bad, they will end in hell so they die sad and terrified. Some felt this was wrong as man is dust and he will return to dust - a state of 'nothingness'.
They all agreed and felt they should enjoy life as much as possible, on their terms and not on someone else's. They reminded themselves of the following Scripture so they can be strengthened in their sinful lives: "Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die" (Ecclesiastes 3:20-22, NLT). A very dangerous boast! As children of God, we may find fault with their reasoning, but the way many live within the Body gives credence to these positions! However, the Bible negates their summations as we are told: "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV).
There is no place called purgatory to go reminisce about the life lived and hope for redemption, be turned into atoms or self-judgment based on the memories of a life well-lived but an immediate judgment for the life lived on earth. As children of God, when we choose to live a life that is unmindful of this truth, we are in danger of the wrath of God: "For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]" (Hebrews 10:26-27, AMP).
You may run all the races to get to the zenith of your ambitions, but understand that there is a day, the Owner of the breath you take will come to ask for it. What will your response be when He asks you how you lived all the minutes, seconds, hours, days, weeks, months, and years you were given? You may argue like the young men above that all was given to you to enjoy and the Bible agrees with you! Not to worry, the same Ecclesiastes that the young men quoted from equally warned: "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment" (Ecclesiastes 11:9 NKJV).
Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, declared: "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14, NKJV). We are told that our boast should be on the Cross (sacrifice) of our LORD Jesus Christ. Our 'good riotous living', 'goodness', 'righteousness', and 'kindness' will not get us to God. Because, altogether, these qualities are riddled with sin and are declared as 'filthy rags' before God. What takes us into His Presence, to stand and live with Him for all eternity is our faith and belief in His once for all sacrifice on the Cross.
Armed with this knowledge, we must strive daily to live lives that are worthy of Him. Many believe because we have given our lives to Him, we are absolved of all responsibility in following truthfully. If this was true, we will not be urged constantly in Scriptures to walk worthy of Him, check ourselves continually to see if we are in the faith, or be pleaded with to walk as He walked.
Beloved, the last few minutes of our lives are too close to think one will have the opportunity to repent of a life without Jesus Christ. As long as you draw breath, you have the responsibility and the right to choose where you desire to spend eternity. There is no waiting room or paradise to think it over; you choose from here and now, and you live a life depicting the choice made! Paul was not desirous of his many achievements on earth, he understood that the only thing that will cross with him to eternity is his faith in the Cross of Christ - the finished work!
Beloved, you are a child of God, no one disputes that, but the life you are living now, does it give you the confidence that when you draw your final breath you will be at the feet of the LORD Jesus Christ? If there is a hint of fear or doubt in your heart, there is a problem. Repent now and ask the LORD to fill you up again so that you will have confidence in your heart that you are living for Him; and when all is said and done, you are confident that you have lived for Him and will dwell with Him for all eternity: "May my only boast be found in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In him I have been crucified to this natural realm; and the natural realm is dead to me and no longer dominates my life" (Galatians 6:14, TPT). May God strengthen and increase your faith in Him, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! God bless you! Maranatha!
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