The worldwide reaction to Michael Jackson's death has been unbelievable in the amount of discussion it has prompted. His pop star status, unique musical talent, strange and sad personal life, dysfunctional family background, prescription drug abuse and so much more have all become front-page topics for everyone to read and talk about, but what has been noticeably absent from the discussion is Michael’s destiny beyond death. When Michael died, where did he go? This is a subject that evokes all kinds of reactions and beliefs, yet it is one that don’t want to neglect or misunderstand since it is the future course of every person’s life.
Talk of the afterlife is mysterious to many and full of all kinds of intriguing beliefs: from thinking there is nothing beyond the grave (you just go out of existence) to reincarnation (continual cyclic rebirths or transmigration to greater or lesser forms of life depending upon the karma you sowed in the previous life) to everlasting life in one place or another.
For Christians, the Bible teaches that every person will give an account of his life to God and participate in an eternity beyond the grave. It says “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). God describes two possible destinies for all human beings: one is heaven and the other is hell…both are eternal and places of conscious existence. Your destination is determined in this life by what one does with the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said many things about our eternity, but the following two statements sum up His thoughts most clearly.
- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, see also John 5:24, 6:40, 47, 11:25-26)
- “…for unless you believe that I Am He, you shall die in your sins” (John 8:24, see also John 3:36)
Why would we wait to see what happens when we can make reservations now for our future eternity?
