LIFE LESSON: RIP should be associated with life not death

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Rest in peace (RIP) in modern culture is associated with death, it is a thoughtful way to demonstrate our sadness for someone's death.It  also used in traditional Christian services and prayers, such as in the Catholic Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist denominations, to wish the soul of a decedent eternal rest and peace.


My understanding of the gospel says wishing and praying for the soul of the decedent to have eternal rest and peace is an exercise in futility.


Eternal destiny is sealed at death


In our finite perspective death is the end of the road but  in God’s infinite perspective it is the transition to eternity. In other words when we die we transition from the natural realm to the spiritual realm where we spend eternity with God or without God. The opportunity to decide whether our eternity is spent with God or without him is available to us when we are still alive in our natural state on the earth.


When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are making a choice to spend eternity in the presence of God. On the other hand if in death we have not acknowledged Jesus Christ we have sealed our eternal destination to be without God. No amount of prayer from our loved ones will change that, it is a choice we have to make in our lifetime.


Resting in peace 

Rest - Jesus Christ died on the cross so we could be redeemed from the consequence of sin and spend eternity with God. When we have acknowledged him while we are alive we should rest in the knowledge that the enemy of God has been defeated because sin no longer has power over us, and we are now guaranteed to spend eternity with God where there is rest.


Peace - Peace is one of the benefits we receive through the Spirit of God when we acknowledge the work done by Jesus Christ. This peace while we are on earth in our natural state does not mean we will not have trouble, it just means we have peace even in times of trouble because our confidence is not in ourselves but it is in the work done by Jesus Christ when he defeated the enemy on the cross on our behalf.


When we rest in peace while we are in our natural state we acknowledge the love God has shown us  through his Son Jesus Christ and we also cooperate with God to make us who he had intended us to be. When we become who God has intended us to be his purpose in the world flows through us.


The enemy of God exists for one reason and that is to ensure God’s purpose in the world is not fulfilled therefore resting in peace in our natural state while in this world will not be easy because the enemy of God will be opposing us all the way but it is something we should strive for in our lifetime and not in death.


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