Experience True Life

[mlepfitjw]

Hello you and welcome: Scriptures are 1 Timothy 6:15-19 (A letter written to Timothy)

For,

At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

 

[Anthony2019]

From dust we came and to dust we shall return (Genesis 3:19).

When we pass on from this world to the next, our money will not come with us, neither will our worldly goods, our physical "beauty" or our academic or theological genius, however useful they have served us in this life.

The only thing that will come with us is our soul.

One of the most famous novels by Oscar Wilde is the Picture of Dorian Gray. In the story, Basil Hallward, a painter, encapsulates the young innocence of Dorian on canvas. Dorian hopes and dreams that the picture of himself will age instead of him, and that he will attain perpetual youth and beauty. His wish is granted. Over the years, the appearance of Dorian never changes, but with every vice and every sin he commits, the picture is blemished. At the end of the story, Dorian comes face to face with the portrait of himself - withered, blemished, absolutely horrific and terrifying to look at. Having lived, for many years, a hedonist lifestyle, he finally sees the state of his soul for what it truly is.

The only thing we will have left is our soul. What will it look like? Will it be like the beautiful tree that has produced good fruit, or like the withered tree that is taken down and burned.