Attending a funeral will call to mind the important questions, one of which must be, what is the greatest desire of the saint in death and the resurrection?
For many, the desire of the resurrection is to resume an interrupted life, full of enjoyment and friends and creativity and work.
Indeed, the loss of life means never seeing the fondest desires of this life fulfilled. We all die with some great task unfinished, some cherished cause short of victory.
Such was the case with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He declared he was not worried about dying, because he had seen "the promised land" of political equality. But when he was assassinated, his chance to see the reality of his vision was forever cut off.
Contrast this with the experience of the saints: we struggle for Christ's cause and the Gospel, but when we die, we die having never seen Christ's rule actualized with a physical kingdom and throne.
But that does not mean we shall not see it, for none of the saints will miss out on the kingdom! When Christ comes to rule here, there will be no solemn memorials to the saints who did not live to see it, because we will all be raised by our Prince! There will be no "fallen comrades" to recall fondly, for we will all be present and rejoicing!
For the believer then, the important causes are not lost to us in death. One day we shall see righteousness rule, and evil put down. One day we shall see all the splendors of the heavens!
But none of these things, as banal, or as excellent as they may be, are the true greatest desire of the saints in resurrection.
Paul preached that to be present with the Lord Jesus is the greatest desire of the believer!
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Reply to Marsha Fowler My remarks about Dr. King's worldview are based upon his writings and his speeches. He clearly denied the bodily resurrection, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, and the substitutionary atonement. He is widely regarded as a "modernist" who did not accept or preach the gospel.
He made it clear, in his preaching, that he had no hope of the resurrection, that all his hope rested in this life.
I know that is disturbing, because Dr. King had many excellent things to say about justice, and accomplished many good things.
That is why he stands as a tragic public example of the profound sadness of having no hope in eternity.
Marsha Fowler (8/17/2018)
from Texas
Suspect your motives How, dear sir, do you make these claims about Dr. King’s viewpoints. I am saddened by your temerity in judging Dr. King’s heart.
John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...