A Better Place

By Beth | September 14, 2018

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

There is a “better place” but not everyone gets to go there.

When a person dies his/her body is buried or cremated and his/her soul is separated from the body. Our bodies will be restored on the last day when body and soul are resurrected (Romans 6:5).

“Eternity” is a concept of time, not place. We will all live eternally, but not all in the same place.

When God establishes the new heaven and the new earth, which will be the dwelling place of His people for all of eternity, He has specified in His Word who will be there. Their names are written in the book of life (Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 20:15).

In a passing comment in his sermon on Sunday, our Pastor mentioned how often he has heard someone say of a person who has been sick and has died, that he is “in a better place now.” It seems to be said of everyone, not just Christians.

The Bible talks about Hell more than it does it does about Heaven. It is a real place where people who have no faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity.

When someone is grieving over a deceased loved one who had no faith, it may not be the best time to deliver the truth that unless the dead soul was a believer in Jesus Christ (knowing that His sacrifice paid the debt owed to God for his sin), the deceased person is not in a better place. In fact, he will be in Hell and it is a terrible place.

How does one deliver this message without adding serious pain to a grieving person?

There are two ways to handle this dilemma. The first is not to wait until someone is on his death bed to tell the way of salvation for eternity through faith in Jesus Christ. People need to understand their own standing before God in order to see their need for a Savior. It is important, bring it up.

The second is one I heard at a funeral a few years ago. My husband had told his own father about the Lord and the way of salvation many times. We never knew if his heart was changed. That day my husband assured people that he was sure that if his Dad could address those in attendance, he would want them all to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

We will meet our judge, and we will know that He is Lord and we will wish we had told others.

If we console someone with, “Well, he is in a better place,” we are lying if he was not a Christian. If we do not know about his faith, we can offer hope that if he knew Christ, then he is with Him in glory.

Today is the day to understand that “the better place” is chosen for us, by God. If He is nudging you to believe, or to tell someone else about Him, will you follow His lead?

His way is the only way to the better place.