If man is never to overcome death, why do the Scriptures say, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”? The tenor of the Word shows that we shall obtain the victory over death in proportion as we overcome sin. The difficulty lies in our ignorance of what sin is. I account it sinful and idolatrous to have more faith in drugs, diet, air, exercise, cleanliness, than in God, Truth, and Love, to keep the body harmonious, and make man undying. The Immortal Mind, governing all, must be acknowledged in the physical realm, so called.
The great spiritual fact must be brought out, that man is, not shall be, immortal. We must begin with the more simple demonstrations, and the sooner we begin the better. When walking we are guided by the eye. We look before our steps; and we look beyond a single step, if we are wise.
I find the path less wearisome when I have the high goal always before my thoughts, than when I count my bleeding footsteps in reaching that goal. If the destination is desirable, the vision speeds our footsteps. The outlook makes us young instead of old, and rests instead of wearying us.
If the belief in death were obliterated, and the understanding could obtain that we live on without death, this would be a Tree of Life, known by its fruits. We should renew our energies and endeavors, and see the folly of hypocrisy, while learning the necessity of working out our own salvation.
When we learn that sickness cannot kill us, and that we are not saved from sin or sickness by death, the thought will quicken us. It will master our fear of the grave, and tend to destroy “the ills that flesh is heir to.”
