According to Jesus: John  5:39 “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” This statement is not addressed to unbelievers but those that profess Jesus Christ. However, his astonishing appraisal of their misguided beliefs is directly opposed to their assumption that they possess eternal life? Eternal life as described by Jesus and stated in the Gospel is a present state of being, an opposing physical reality in which the possessor does not succumb to bodily death (by any means, Luke 10:19). So why do “Christians and born again believers” continue to die? According to Jesus, they are not receiving his Gospel instructions on acquisition of eternal life, “you refuse to come to me.” So if they are not listening to his word in this regard, whom are they listening too? Beware, Don’t let anybody “talk you to death!”

“Give no thought for your life concerning food, drink, and clothing,” or any other worldly commodity (physical need). Do Christians focus their prayers on worldly requests, that even a sinner may obtain through alternate means? Apostle Paul clearly illustrates the blessed ability of applying “Faith in God” to literal situations and circumstances.

Paul declares in Hebrews (New Living Translation, 2007) 11:32 “How much more :do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,^d and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”

How many present day Christians use their “Faith in God” to perform life saving miracles, or death-defying acts? Has the application of faith been weakened instead of increasing? According to Paul’s final sentence on faith: “For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”  Do you suppose we are appointed to do perfect acts of faith that make the episodes of our forefathers pale in comparison? Would overcoming physical death by believing, having faith in, and manifesting Jesus’ word qualify as an astounding feat of faith? Our beloved, great-ancestors of faith would give a standing ovation to anyone who overcame physical death and the grave, by faithfully manifesting and obeying John 8:51.

However, when billions of faithful believers overcome physical death and the grave, literally standing ready for the coming of Christ, what do you suppose the Heavenly Hosts will do? When we do our part and “endure until the end” (Matthew 10:22), the Heavenly Host will fulfill Jesus’ promise: “And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world–from the farthest ends of the earth” (Mark 13:27, NIV 1984). This gathering of God’s ultimate faithful ones culminates in our direct physical ascension into heaven! Thereby we bodily manifest the perfection which was sought after and willed to us by the Ancestors of Faith, as it is written: “they would not reach perfection without us.” We must complete their journey toward perfection by performing the ultimate act of faith, which is overcoming physical death and the grave. Remembering always to have faith in 1st Corinthians 15:51, “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!”  So, faithfully manifest 1st Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.”  So don’t let anybody, “Talk you to death.”