Recently, I was reading about the death of someone and almost all of the comments included wishes that the deceased "rest in peace". Some commenters even claimed that they knew the person was resting in peace?
Listen. Not everyone is going to end up resting in peace.
It's so common for us to automatically parrot the phrase, "Rest in peace". It just pops out of our mouths like "Have a nice day" or "Thoughts and prayers". We so often speak without thinking. Many sentiments and thoughts have become meaningless.
Do we think about what it really means to "rest in peace"? Does that even fit into every belief system? What does the saying even mean to an Atheist or an Agnostic?
In my belief system - as a Bible-believing Christian - rest in peace means resting in the peace promised by Christ. That promise, however, has to be accepted. An Atheist is not going to rest in that peace. Nor is a Buddhist or a Mormon or an Agnostic. The promise can't be prayerfully bestowed on someone after death (as some religions seem to think).
When I say, "Rest in peace", I am saying it to someone who believed in Christ while they were living.
For me, "resting in peace" means not spending eternity separated from God. It means not spending an eternity of regret and torment.
If you really want someone to not only rest in peace but to live in peace, share the gospel. Spread the word of Christ's offer of salvation. Don't leave unsaved people to judge Christianity by the charlatans they see on TV. There are so many faces and voices of deceptive teachings out there. There are a lot of Kenneth Copelands, Benny Hinns, Creflo Dollars, Joel Osteens, and T.D. Jakes who all have massive audiences. People know there names and see their faces. But do the same people know and read the Bible? Do they know the real Jesus? And the real gospel?
My best friend accepted Christ when she was almost 80 years old. She lived so much of her life in confusion and suffering. She had searched through all sorts of "gods" and belief systems, trying anything to find hope. For most of the years of our friendship, when I asked, she said that she believed in "a higher power". I would ask her to name that power but she struggled to.
When she did accept Christ, her search was over. She had finally found the Higher Power - God. When she died, she went on to where she is now resting in peace. I'm so thankful for that but I do think of all the years that she spent not knowing the peace she could have.
If you truly do want more people to end up "resting in peace", make sure they know the Provider of that peace. Let's not only share with people how they can eventually rest in peace; let's share how they can have that peace now.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm a Christian and I have a lot of trials in my life. I'm not physically healthy. I suffer from depression. I am not saying that the peace I have saves me from the consequences of the choices I've made, the bad habits I practiced, or the genetic issues I have. The peace that I have allows me to endure all the trials. The peace that I have reminds me that this life - as good or bad as it can be - is only temporary. Indeed this verse is a reminder to me:
"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (James 4:14 NASB)
Regardless of what you believe, you have to know that James 4:14 speaks truth.
Peace
Free
