Alive or Dead?

Poor Constantin. He can’t convince anyone that he’s really alive. Even by standing before them and saying, “See! I’m right here! I’m speaking to you. I’m alive!” But no, the Romanian government had declared him dead and what’s done is done. There’s no changing the matter.Mr. Reliu had travelled to Turkey for a job opportunity, and then remained there for 3 years. When he returned, he discovered that his wife was having an affair, so he went back to Turkey and stayed 18 years. Then his wife did the logical thing, she petitioned the Romanian government to have him declared dead. They did. Once his visa in Turkey ran out and he was forced back to his home country, security at the airport in Bucharest detained him for 6 hours of interrogation. Maybe they were trying to find out what it’s like to be dead.Of course, it’s all a legal paperwork mess. But it’s one that is still not resolved. The government refuses to reconsider and so now, he’s a man with no national rights in Romania, and no right to live anywhere else. He can’t even find out if his wife ever divorced him because the government claims he’s dead. He has no country, no home, no wife, no job. And he’s going around trying to convince people that he’s actually alive.That would be a problem; People thinking you are dead when you are really alive. But there’s a bigger more serious problem when you think you are alive, but are really dead.There are a lot of people in that category, spiritually.I think it would be a tragedy for you to be spiritually alive but to think that you are dead. That would be discouraging and disheartening. It would take all enjoyment out of the Christian life. But it would be far worse to be dead, and think you are alive.Tragedy of tragedies, Jesus said that many people will be in that camp: spiritually dead while thinking they are alive (Matthew 7:20-23).Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the government declares, what your church friends think, or what anyone else concludes. What matters is what God knows. Have you come to terms with your sin? Have you repented? Are you believing in, trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Have you been born again? Based on Jesus’ death and resurrection, has God declared you to be spiritually alive? Because this is not about a government pension or retirement benefits. This is about forever.