Today I also commend to you what I consider the best that Christians have written about this.
These are not the Words of God, and so are not infallibly accurate. But they are time tested to be reliable summaries of Scriptural truth.
This is controversial to some Christians, but I will be assuming as a Reformed believer (following the way men like John Calvin read the Bible) that God is sovereign and in control of everything, always. He is not the author of sin, but He does ordain that it happen.
Amos 3:6 - "If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?"
So we'll look at some thoughts on providence, too.
I'm using some of the same questions from the last post, reordered a bit.
1. Where do I go, who do I go to, for comfort?
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
That I am not my own,
but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
Heidelberg Catechism Question 1
2. What is happening now to our loved ones who have died trusting Jesus? Where are they?
Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?
Our death does not pay the debt of our sins.
Rather, it puts an end to our sinning
and is our entrance into eternal life.
Heidelberg Catechism Q42
How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?
First, by his resurrection he has overcome death,
so that he might make us share in the righteousness
he obtained for us by his death.
Second, by his power we too
are already raised to a new life.
Third, Christ’s resurrection
is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection.
Heidelberg Catechism Q45
How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you?
Not only will my soul
be taken immediately after this life
to Christ its head,1
but also my very flesh will be
raised by the power of Christ,
reunited with my soul,
and made like Christ’s glorious body.2
1 - Luke 23:43; Phil. 1:21-23
2 - 1 Cor. 15:20, 42-46, 54; Phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:2
Heidelberg Catechism Q57
How does the article [in the Apostles' Creed] concerning “life everlasting” comfort you?
Even as I already now experience in my heart
the beginning of eternal joy,
so after this life I will have
perfect blessedness such as
no eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no human heart has ever imagined:
a blessedness in which to praise God forever.
Heidelberg Catechism Q58
The Last Judgement
Finally we believe,
according to God’s Word,
that when the time appointed by the Lord is come
(which is unknown to all creatures)
and the number of the elect is complete,
our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven,
bodily and visibly,
as he ascended,
with great glory and majesty,
to declare himself the judge
of the living and the dead.
He will burn this old world,
in fire and flame,
in order to cleanse it.
Then all human creatures will appear in person
before the great judge— men, women, and children,
who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world.
They will be summoned there
“with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet.”
For all those who died before that time
will be raised from the earth,
their spirits being joined and united
with their own bodies in which they lived.
And as for those who are still alive,
they will not die like the others
but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye”
from perishable to imperishable.
Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened,
and the dead will be judged
according to the things they did in the world,
whether good or evil.
Indeed, all people will give account
of all the idle words they have spoken,
which the world regards as only playing games.
And then the secrets and hypocrisies of all people
will be publicly uncovered in the sight of all.
Therefore, with good reason
the thought of this judgment
is horrible and dreadful
to wicked and evil people.
But it is very pleasant
and a great comfort
to the righteous and elect,
since their total redemption
will then be accomplished.
They will then receive the fruits of their labor
and of the trouble they have suffered;
their innocence will be openly recognized by all;
and they will see the terrible vengeance
that God will bring on the evil ones
who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them
in this world.
The evil ones will be convicted
by the witness of their own consciences,
and shall be made immortal—
but only to be tormented
in “the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.”
In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned
with glory and honor.
The Son of God will profess their names
before God his Father and the holy and elect angels;
all tears will be wiped from their eyes;
and their cause—
at present condemned as heretical and evil
by many judges and civil officers—
will be acknowledged as the cause of the Son of God.
And as a gracious reward
the Lord will make them possess a glory
such as the human heart could never imagine.
So we look forward to that great day with longing
in order to enjoy fully
the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Belgic Confession Article 37
before the great judge— men, women, and children,
who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world.
They will be summoned there
“with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet.”
For all those who died before that time
will be raised from the earth,
their spirits being joined and united
with their own bodies in which they lived.
And as for those who are still alive,
they will not die like the others
but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye”
from perishable to imperishable.
Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened,
and the dead will be judged
according to the things they did in the world,
whether good or evil.
Indeed, all people will give account
of all the idle words they have spoken,
which the world regards as only playing games.
And then the secrets and hypocrisies of all people
will be publicly uncovered in the sight of all.
Therefore, with good reason
the thought of this judgment
is horrible and dreadful
to wicked and evil people.
But it is very pleasant
and a great comfort
to the righteous and elect,
since their total redemption
will then be accomplished.
They will then receive the fruits of their labor
and of the trouble they have suffered;
their innocence will be openly recognized by all;
and they will see the terrible vengeance
that God will bring on the evil ones
who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them
in this world.
The evil ones will be convicted
by the witness of their own consciences,
and shall be made immortal—
but only to be tormented
in “the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.”
In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned
with glory and honor.
The Son of God will profess their names
before God his Father and the holy and elect angels;
all tears will be wiped from their eyes;
and their cause—
at present condemned as heretical and evil
by many judges and civil officers—
will be acknowledged as the cause of the Son of God.
And as a gracious reward
the Lord will make them possess a glory
such as the human heart could never imagine.
So we look forward to that great day with longing
in order to enjoy fully
the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Belgic Confession Article 37
The state of men after death
The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep), having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies:
Westminster confession of faith 32:1
3. Can I really trust a God who does this to me, or who allows this to happen?
What do you understand by the providence of God?
The almighty and ever present power of God
by which God upholds, as with his hand,
heaven and earth and all creatures,
and so rules them that
leaf and blade,
rain and drought,
fruitful and lean years,
food and drink,
health and sickness,
prosperity and poverty—
all things, in fact, come to us
not by chance
but by his fatherly hand.
How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?
We can be patient when things go against us,
thankful when things go well,
and for the future we can have
good confidence in our faithful God and Father
that nothing in creation will separate us from his love.
For all creatures are so completely in God’s hand
that without his will
they can neither move nor be moved.
Heidelberg catechism Question 27-28
What does the fourth request [of the Lord's Prayer] mean?
“Give us this day our daily bread” means:
Do take care of all our physical needs
so that we come to know
that you are the only source of everything good,
and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts
can do us any good without your blessing.
but by his fatherly hand.
How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?
We can be patient when things go against us,
thankful when things go well,
and for the future we can have
good confidence in our faithful God and Father
that nothing in creation will separate us from his love.
For all creatures are so completely in God’s hand
that without his will
they can neither move nor be moved.
Heidelberg catechism Question 27-28
What does the fourth request [of the Lord's Prayer] mean?
“Give us this day our daily bread” means:
Do take care of all our physical needs
so that we come to know
that you are the only source of everything good,
and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts
can do us any good without your blessing.
And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and trust in you alone.
Heidelberg catechism Question 125
Heidelberg catechism Question 125
God's Providence
We believe that this good God,
after creating all things,
did not abandon them to chance or fortune
but leads and governs them
according to his holy will,
in such a way that nothing happens in this world
without God’s orderly arrangement.
Yet God is not the author of,
and cannot be charged with,
the sin that occurs.
For God’s power and goodness
are so great and incomprehensible
that God arranges and does his works very well and justly
even when the devils and the wicked act unjustly.
We do not wish to inquire
with undue curiosity
into what God does that surpasses human understanding
and is beyond our ability to comprehend.
But in all humility and reverence
we adore the just judgments of God,
which are hidden from us,
being content to be Christ’s disciples,
so as to learn only what God shows us in the Word,
without going beyond those limits.
This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort
since it teaches us
that nothing can happen to us by chance
but only by the arrangement of our gracious
heavenly Father,
who watches over us with fatherly care,
sustaining all creatures under his lordship,
so that not one of the hairs on our heads
(for they are all numbered)
nor even a little bird
can fall to the ground
without the will of our Father.
In this thought we rest,
knowing that God holds in check
the devils and all our enemies,
who cannot hurt us
without divine permission and will....
Belgic Confession Article 13
Providence
The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends; yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God; who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.
Westminster Confession of Faith 5:4
4. Is there life after death? How can I make sure I have it?
We believe that this good God,
after creating all things,
did not abandon them to chance or fortune
but leads and governs them
according to his holy will,
in such a way that nothing happens in this world
without God’s orderly arrangement.
Yet God is not the author of,
and cannot be charged with,
the sin that occurs.
For God’s power and goodness
are so great and incomprehensible
that God arranges and does his works very well and justly
even when the devils and the wicked act unjustly.
We do not wish to inquire
with undue curiosity
into what God does that surpasses human understanding
and is beyond our ability to comprehend.
But in all humility and reverence
we adore the just judgments of God,
which are hidden from us,
being content to be Christ’s disciples,
so as to learn only what God shows us in the Word,
without going beyond those limits.
This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort
since it teaches us
that nothing can happen to us by chance
but only by the arrangement of our gracious
heavenly Father,
who watches over us with fatherly care,
sustaining all creatures under his lordship,
so that not one of the hairs on our heads
(for they are all numbered)
nor even a little bird
can fall to the ground
without the will of our Father.
In this thought we rest,
knowing that God holds in check
the devils and all our enemies,
who cannot hurt us
without divine permission and will....
Belgic Confession Article 13
Providence
The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends; yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God; who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.
Westminster Confession of Faith 5:4
4. Is there life after death? How can I make sure I have it?
How are you righteous before God?
Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.
Even though my conscience accuses me
of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments,
of never having kept any of them,
and of still being inclined toward all evil,
nevertheless,
without any merit of my own,
out of sheer grace,
God grants and credits to me
the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,
as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner,
and as if I had been as perfectly obedient
as Christ was obedient for me.
All I need to do
is accept this gift with a believing heart.
Heidelberg Catechism Q60
Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.
Even though my conscience accuses me
of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments,
of never having kept any of them,
and of still being inclined toward all evil,
nevertheless,
without any merit of my own,
out of sheer grace,
God grants and credits to me
the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,
as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner,
and as if I had been as perfectly obedient
as Christ was obedient for me.
All I need to do
is accept this gift with a believing heart.
Heidelberg Catechism Q60
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