When I Leave This World, Where Then?

From: Tidings of Life and Peace: 1904

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 3min

THE above question is worth pondering over I in the light of eternity. There are many who think that all will be together, and though shut out of heaven, yet they expect to have a good time. In one sense of the word it is true, all will be together. All the unsaved will be in one place “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 7⁷Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7); 2 Peter 2:4-6⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; ⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; (2 Peter 2:4‑6)). But each one will be occupied with his or her own suffering.

Look into one of the City hospitals, where six or seven hundred men and women are under one roof suffering intense pain of body. One has had a hand taken off, another a foot: each one’s trouble is diverse from the other. It brings no comfort to them to know that they are all suffering under one roof. It does not ease the pain of the one who has the hand off to know that others are suffering extremely because of their own particular troubles. Each one is occupied with his own pains. So it will be in eternity. All who die without Christ will be taken up with their own sufferings forever.

WHEN I LEAVE THIS WORLD, WHERE THEN?

All who are sheltered by the precious blood of Jesus can say, ‘Absent from the body, present with the Lord.’ “Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.” “We shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (2 Cor. 5:6-10⁶Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ⁹Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:6‑10); Phil. 1:23²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23); 1 John 3:2²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)). You may have had a godly father or mother who loved the old Book. It was not a Sunday book with them; every day, they were at it, and the words they read made them happy.

The real Christians can sit down and talk about Jesus who died in their room and stead on the cross (Luke 24:14-48¹⁴And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁷And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? ¹⁸And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. ²¹But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. ²²Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; ²³And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. ²⁴And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. ²⁹But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. ³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³²And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ³³And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³⁴Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁵And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. ³⁶And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ³⁷But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. ³⁸And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. ⁴⁰And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? ⁴²And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. ⁴³And he took it, and did eat before them. ⁴⁴And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. ⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: ⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:14‑48)).

Dear reader, there is no escape for you, only in Christ. He died that you might have life through Him. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)). When you are alone, take up the old Bible your father or mother enjoyed so much and read some of the marked verses in it. Look at Romans 5:8⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8): “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Trust in Jesus as your own personal Saviour, then you will be ready to meet your loved ones, where sin and sorrow can never enter. Through eternal ages all the praise shall then be given to the Lamb slain on the cross of Calvary. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:12¹²Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)). “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). J. G.

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.