God’s Redemption of Man through Perishing
The Bible teaches us that perish is a term signifying a spiritual reality concerning God’s redemption of man. In order to understand what perish means in the Bible, we must first understand the redemption story of mankind in the Bible.
The Bible tells us that God created us in His image and likeness, which is the ultimate blessing of being a man. We were instructed by God to have dominion over the earth and have fellowship with Him forever. But when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin entered the world and everything began to perish. This is because once we have sinned, our fellowship with God had broken, and without this relationship, our purpose here on earth is lost.
We then come to the part of the Bible which describes timeless concepts like justice and mercy, because when sin entered the world it separated us from God, the one who is just and holy. We then learn that God, in His infinite mercy and righteousness, sent Jesus to redeem us from our sins and restore us to a place of relationship and intimacy with Him.
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we partake of God’s eternal redemption and are now in a position to accept God’s promises to us. This means that when Jesus died on the cross and our sins were taken away, we have a chance of being restored with God. We have the privilege of participating in the spiritual reality that perish is actually being redeemed, as Jesus restored us to a place of relationship and fellowship with God.
Therefore, perish in the Bible is a reminder that we can turn to God and accept His eternal redemption. By having faith in Jesus, we can draw near to God, who takes away our sins and gives us the gift of eternal life.
Human’s Need For Perishing
The Bible shows us that humans have a desperate need for perishing. We were not created to be alone, but to have fellowship with God and live in harmony with one another. But as soon as sin entered the world it made us vulnerable to the desires of the world and our own selfishness. We can no longer live in the perfect relationship with God and others that He intended for us.
Over time, our primal human needs are often forgotten and we end up in a cycle of never-ending dissatisfaction, from which we can’t escape. We turn to material possessions and sinful behavior in an attempt to fill the void, but nothing can satisfy us for very long. In the end, all that is left is a sense of hopelessness and aimlessness.
But the Bible teaches us that only God can fill the holes in our hearts and satisfy us. We all need to come to the realization that only by perishing in Christ can we regain the joy and peace that we once had. Through death, we are made alive and our sins are forgiven, allowing us to be reunited with God and live in true happiness.
Personal Reflection of Perishing
The concept of perishing in the Bible is something that I can relate to in my own life. I know what it feels like to be stuck in a cycle of sin and never-ending dissatisfaction, and I’ve found that only by surrendering my life to Christ can I be filled with lasting joy and peace.
I have also learned that perishing can be a scary thing, especially when I consider what it means to surrender myself to God. But my experience has taught me that trusting in Him is the best decision I can ever make. When I do, I experience a feeling of joy and love that is beyond anything I can find in this world.
Believer’s Responsibility After Perishing
Now that we have accepted Jesus Christ and have been redeemed from our sins and given a new life, we need to understand what our responsibility is to God. As believers, we are called to bear the fruit of righteousness, to serve the Lord and our neighbors, and to testify of His goodness and mercy.
The Bible tells us that, as believers, it is our responsibility to proclaim the gospel and spread the news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are to bring others to the Lord so that they may be redeemed, as He was for us. We also need to be encouraging, comforting and patient with others, as God has been with us.
We are called to live like Jesus, allowing His love, mercy and grace to flow through us as we extend love and forgiveness to those around us. This means that even when those around us refuse to turn to God, we are to persevere in love, trusting that the Spirit of God will always be present and active in our lives.
Perishing as a Sign of Growth
At times, it can be difficult to understand why we must “die” in order to truly live. But perishing in the Bible is often used as a sign of growth, because it is through dying that we become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we grow in our relationship with God, we become more aware of the sin and selfishness in our lives. We begin to realize that we can’t do it alone and we need God’s help to live a life for Him. We can trust that God sees us as complete and whole and that perishing in Him is the only way to be renewed.
Experiencing the death of our old selves and being made alive in Christ also allows us to grow in our understanding of God’s love and grace. We can begin to view the life of Christ in a new light, seeing how He persevered through hardship, temptation and suffering. His death and resurrection is a reminder to us that He can take even our worst moments and redeem us.
Turning Perishing into Life
In the Bible, we learn that turning away from our sins and submitting our lives to Christ is the only way to find true life and satisfaction. We can’t just ignore our sins, but we must turn away from them and accept the gift of eternal life that God has given us.
By examining the stories of Jesus in the Bible, we discover that despite the darkness and suffering of the world, there is always hope and new life with God. He never turns us away, but instead provides us with the grace and salvation necessary for us to experience true life. So, we need to accept that perishing in Christ is the only way for us to become alive again and truly be satisfied.
Perishing as an Invitation to Holiness
The Bible tells us that when we choose to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, perishing in Him is the first step towards a life of holiness. We must be willing to relinquish our old selves and the sinful habits we have adopted and be willing to take up a life in Christ.
We can now live according to God’s standards and no longer accept the standards of the world. We can choose to live according to God’s righteousness, so that we no longer fall back into our sinful habits, but instead choose to persevere in living a life of holiness and godliness.
It’s also important to remember that as believers, we are called to be witnesses of God’s truth and grace. We must be willing to share the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection and be willing to walk alongside others in their journey of faith.
Perishing Through Overcoming Temptation
The Bible makes it clear that after Jesus died and rose from the dead, He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Though we may never have to face such physical temptations, all of us can relate to being tempted by the world and struggling with our own sinful desires.
But the Bible teaches us that temptation does not mean that we are doomed to fail, but it is an invitation to turn to God and ask Him for help and strength. As long as we persevere in the Lord, He will grant us the power to overcome temptation. He promises that those who cling to Him will never be put to shame, but will persevere even through our darkest moments.
We must remember that it is only by turning away from our sinful desires and clinging to the Lord that we can overcome temptation and perish in Him. Through Him, we can receive strength, joy, and peace, no matter what temptations come our way.
