Some quick answers to questions young people have asked me recently because of this video...
Q: Why do people die?
A: I don't know anyone who's happy about the fact that people die. We hate death. Jesus hated it too (John 11:33). The Bible says people die because of sin. Everybody sins, so everybody dies. God offers us forgiveness and life though (Romans 6:23).
Q: What does John 10:10 mean? If Jesus hadn't said this, would we not be able to have life to the full?
A: Jesus said part of the reason he came into the world was to bring people life to the full. The Bible says, Jesus was God in human form (Colossians 1:19-20) and the only one qualified to rescue us from sin and death (see last question). If God hadn't sent Jesus, we'd be lost and with no hope of peace in this life or hope beyond death.
Q: What is love?
A: Someone once said, 'Love is more often an action and only sometimes a feeling. If you want to feel love, choose to love and be patient.' I think they're right. The strongest love is about loving actions, even when we don't feel like it. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 1 John 4:10.
Q: What was the point of the video?
A: I used it because I thought it was an interesting idea and I was hoping it would get people talking. I thought the final image of birth and death was powerful and would spark some discussion about why we're here.
Q: What happens after you die?
A: The Bible says judgement (Hebrews 9:27-28). We face God and he decides if we should be with him or not. People think he weighs up the good and bad and if we've done more good things than bad things, we get into heaven. This idea is nowhere in the Bible though. Instead, God offers forgiveness for free to those who want it (1 John 1:9) because it's the only way anyone could ever be good enough to live with God (Isaiah 64:6).
Comments on the video and what life and death are all about...
- Living and dying - basically see what you can achieve in that time.
- You get born, then you live, then you die.
- Into the world and out again.
- Life and death are opposites.
- To live and love and to die.
- Not dying until you're ready.
- Being born, then live to your potential, then die.
- I understood that the film is saying that when you die, you go into a new life.
- Start and end of life.
- Being epic.
- New beginning or end. Journey.
- Enjoy life while you can.
- While an old life ends, a new one begins.
- Coming into the world and then leaving.
- Life and death are all about the bit in the middle.
- Helpful.
- Death is the end.
- When you die you go to heaven.
- I don't believe in God. He's imaginary.
- It's about recognising it but not focusing on it. Use that perspective to live a good life.
- Death is about giving someone else a chance.
- Life is fun.
- A beginning coming to an end and an end becoming the beginning.
- Have ambition. Inevitability.
- Live it to the full.
- Live each day like it's your last.
- It's for you to decide personally, so it's different for everyone.
- We live life to the full anyway (unless you can't be bothered).
- Live life the way you want to live it because one day it will be over.
