From Death to Life

Dear people of the Navuiko, I want to talk to you about an important thing that we fear very much. This thing is death.

Perhaps you are wondering why do I say that death is important? Surely we can see it nearly every day. When somebody has died, there is always much sorrow and weeping. So we see that many of us wear the (enumerate charms) to protect us against witchcraft and all kinds of bad spirits that can cause death. Some of us have even swallowed "thimpelo" (if possible name potion) to ensure a long life here on earth. When somebody becomes ill, it is always thought that he has been bewitched. Therefore our people go to the witchdoctor to have this sickness investigated. And furthermore, the ancestral spirits (if possible name them) are also feared. I know that there is not one of us who are sitting here who do not know and have seen all these things that I have mentioned. Just think how many head of cattle, and goats and chickens have been killed as sacrifices to the vakulu (ancestral spirits.)

My dear people of the Navuiko, let us ask ourselves: Where does death come from?

Here is the answer: When God created all things He also created two human beings. God made them very well, without any sickness or death. He placed them in the wonderful garden of Eden to care for it. Then God told them: "You may eat of all the fruit of the trees in this garden. But you may not eat of the fruit of the tree there in the middle of the garden. If you should eat of that, you will die."

But now these two people were disobedient. They ate of the fruit of the tree which God forbade them to eat. And so death came among the people. Those two persons were man and wife. Their names were Adam and Eve. They were the parents of us all.

Dear people, while Adam and Eve were obedient they did not see death. But when they refused to listen to what God told them, death came to them. The Lord God told them: "Because you ate of the fruit of that tree, of which you were not allowed to eat, you and your descendents will all die." So, my dear people, that is the reason why we still see even today that people die. Yes, we all are going to die.

This disobedience of Adam and Eve was the first sin. And, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." Yes, God is merciful. He saw that the people that He created were all going to die, because they had sinned. So, because God was merciful, He made a new plan to save these people. What could He do?

The plan that God made to give us back eternal life is found in the Bible.

God spoke to Adam and Eve with His mouth. Today God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. If we want to know what God wants us to do, we must only read the Bible. If we are unable to read, we should listen to those who can read the Bible. We should listen to what the Bible says to us. Everything that is written in the Bible is true, for it is the Words of God.



Let us discover what the Bible has to say about this death of which we are so afraid. Death will not keep away if we wear the (name charms.) By using those things we do not get life - we lose it.

Perhaps you are asking: "What life are you talking about?" My dear people, this life of which I am speaking is a new life. The Bible says that this life which we are living now here on earth is only temporary. There is a much better life hereafter. That life is eternal. Did you know this?

Who then gives that life? Is it the witchdoctor or the (name charms) or perhaps the ancestral spirits? No, there is only one Man who can give us this life. This man, Jesus Christ, was sent to earth by God. Yes, Jesus came to the cross to die, in order to pay for your sins and my sins by His blood. Although He was the Son of God, He became a man. Do you know why? So that you and I who are children of men may become children of God.

Jesus did not only die for us. He conquered Satan and rose again from death. Why? So that you and I, if we should believe (trust) in Him, will also rise from death one day and live for ever.

Yes, the Bible says there will come a day that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. Everybody will be resurrected. All people who trusted in (name the charms) will have to go to the eternal fire where there will be pain for ever. But those who did not trust in those things, but trusted in Jesus, will receive eternal life.

Therefore, you will have to choose today which God you want to serve. Do you want to choose the (name charms) that cannot help? Then you should fear death. Or do you choose this God, Jesus Christ, Who died, but rose again and who will come to judge the living and the dead? Then you need not fear death.

If you choose to trust Jesus only, you can pray as follows: "Lord Jesus, today I want to receive you into my heart. But there are so many other things that I also love. You say that I may not have any other gods. Please take them all away, for by myself I cannot do it. I know and trust that you did come into my heart. Thank you. Amen."