Book 4 of Musings Activity After We Die

I don't know for certain what happens to us after we die. Do you?

But I wonder if perhaps life continues, including Christian service, except for those activities that are confined to the physical body.

Paul tells us plainly, in the Book of Ephesians, that the gifts and ministries given to the Body of Christ will labor until we all reach the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. I would venture to say that not too many believers in the present world attain, before they die, to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. How do you feel about this?

Now, we know the Word of God cannot be changed-not in the slightest manner. So it follows that all true members of the Body of Christ eventually will attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

This agrees with the new covenant that promises all shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.

If the Bible promises that the ministries will labor until we all attain to maturity, and many believers die before attaining to maturity, should we conclude that ministry and growth in Christ continue after we die?

Of course, this could mean after we are raised from the dead and enter the Kingdom Age, or even after that during the new heaven and earth reign of Christ, we are ministered to until we gain maturity. But I think the Lord is going to want some of the saints brought to maturity before He appears so they can appear with Him in Glory. This makes sense, doesn't it?

We seem to be left with one conclusion: ministry and growth to maturity take place after we die and before the Lord appears, at least for some people.

I don't know about you, but this sounds good to me. I would like to rest for awhile after I die, and the Lord told Daniel he would rest and then rise at the end of the days to receive his allotted inheritance. But knowing myself, unless I feel quite differently after I die, after I have rested for a while I would like to get busy contributing what I have to offer.

It seems to me that after we die we could do any work except that which involves the physical body. For example, we probably could not chop firewood. But I don't see why we could not make intercession (Jesus does continually), teach, preach, encourage, help people along.

I used to be a grade-school teacher. I wouldn't mind teaching children the arts and sciences of civilization, particularly those whose life was cut off prematurely and have been with Jesus and the angels all this time.

I always have had a passion for classical music. I have had to interrupt my progress in learning to play the classics on the piano so I would have time to write what God had put on my heart. But I do believe after I die I am going to have all the time I desire to master some of the classics. I'll bet there are some first-class teachers in the spirit world!

I must be getting old, since I am planning what I am going to do after I die.

But it is fun thinking about it, isn't it?

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, To prepare God's people for works of service, so the body of Christ may be built up Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ<. (Ephesians 4:11-13)