The coming of Jesus Christ brought the good news of salvation. This became the main source of happiness to mankind. God made Him human and His coming fulfilled the prophet's vision (John 1: 1-5 and Isaiah 11: 1-9). The New Testament teaches the following about happiness.

Happiness is having a belief in the good news preached by Jesus Christ. Through this believing, man is able to achieve salvation (Luke 4: 18 ff).

Happiness comes from knowing that God is our father and that we are his sons and daughters. This is the only way through which man would inherit His kingdom. (John 16:27).

Happiness is the fruit of a continuing struggle to get rid of selfishness. Jesus emphasized that selfishness is the barrier to man's relationship with God and neigbours. (John 13: 1 and Mark 14: 34).

Happiness is being open to the invitation of Jesus Christ. Zacheaus experienced happiness when he opened himself to good news of the kingdom in response to Jesus' invitation (Luke 19: 1-10).

Happiness is having freedom from slavery, diseases or anything that causes discomfort to man. Jesus' miracles of healing the sick and the dead made his followers happy. (Luke 5:15).

Jesus denied that wealth security or political success were necessary for happiness or proof of God's approval of man. He points out that it is mans' heart and soul that are important. (Mathew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-23 and Luke 18: 18-25).

Christ also denied that the strict observance of the Mosaic laws could guarantee salvation, which is the source of man's happiness. He is of the view that it is man to benefit from the laws instead of the laws taking advantage of man. (Mathew 12: 1 ff).

Happiness is being united with Jesus Christ. This union is seen as the key to loving and thanking others even during difficulties (Philippians 4: 1 ff).

Happiness is being with God in the heavenly kingdom. God is presented as the loving father doing everything for his children to achieve happiness. (Philippians 21: 1 -4).

Christ emphasizes that the sorrow caused by death is not permanent. He pointed out that this would be followed by joy that lasts forever (John 16: 16 - 22).

Jesus encouraged forgiveness and reconciliation for the believers to be happy. He talked about the prodigal son who was accepted back by his father in a great occasion.

Happiness according to Jesus is living by the beatitude. He showed his followers the true nature of happiness which included being humble and merciful among others.

Jesus advised his followers to believe in the heavenly treasures and work for them so that they may be truly happy. He therefore said wealth, security and political success are not necessary for one's happiness.

Jesus called upon every believer to be happy on the Day of Judgment. On such a day the righteous would be together with the father in heaven.

Saint Paul said that Jesus' resurrection is a source of happiness to every believer. By it every believer is assured of coming back to life.

Happiness comes from having the Jove for God and fellow men.

Jesus' miracles were to offer man full happiness. His miracles had power over sins, the barrier to man's Happiness (John 8: 11, Luke 7: 1 Ff Mathew 9:4 - 8).

 Jesus' teaching on true happiness

The beatitudes (Mathew 5: 1- 11 and Luke 6: 20 - 23)

Happiness is being spiritually poor. The Kingdom of God belongs to such people (Math 5:3)

Happy are those who mourn. God will comfort them (Mathew 5:4).

Happy are the meek (humble). They will receive what God promised. (Mathew 5:5)

Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness. God will fill them fully. (Mathew 5:6)

Happy are the merciful. God will also be merciful to them. (Mathew 5:7).

Happy are the pure in heart. Such people will see God. (Mathew 5:8)

Happy are those working for the peace of mankind. God will make them His children (Mathew 5:9)

True happiness is being persecutedforwhatGodrequires. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such. (Mathew 5: 10).                

Happy are those who are insulted; persecuted and having all sorts of lies said against them because of following Christ. A great reward a waits in the heavenly kingdom (Mathew 5:11).

 

Revision Question s     

Basing on Jesus words and actions what should Christians do to be fullyhappy?

•     Should be poor spiritually

•     Should be faithful

•     Should be merciful to others

•     Should allow to be persecuted

•     Should preach the good news of salvation to others

•     Should respond to God's call in faith.

•     Should encourage righteous in their ways

•     Should forgive and reconcile

•           should work for peace  

•     Should know that God loves everyone.

Christian Occasions of Happiness

Christmas day is the day when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the saviour who came to deliver man from his sins.

Good Friday is the day when Christians celebrate the day Jesus died the cross. This means that man would achieve salvation.

Easter day is the day when Christians celebrate the day Jesus Christ resurrected. This is a sign that death is no more to Christians.

Ascension Day on which Christians celebrate the day Jesus went back to heaven to prepare the heavenly kingdom for them.

Baptism which is a day Christians celebrate the increasing number of people joining God's family.

Confirmation, which is a day Christians celebrate their declaration to remain firm in their faith.

Holy matrimony (wedding day) where Christians celebrate fulfilling God's divine plan for marriage.

Ordination, which is a day Christians celebrate the consecration of church leaders who are important in developing and strengthening the spiritual lives their people through spreading the good news.

Holy Communion where Christians remember the last supper Jesus had with the apostles before being arrested and eventually put to death through crucifixion.

All saints' days. Here Christians celebrate and remember great personalities who died in their Christian faith after offering important services.

Starting a new church. This is an indication of growth within the Christian community.

Fellowship where Christians come together, share experiences and encourage one another to remain firm in. their faith.

Unending Life

The phrase "unending life" means life without an end. It is the continuation of human life in another form usually in the form of a spirit or soul in the world which is invisible.

Unending life comes after a person has died. The belief in unending life comes from the fact that the body of each person comprises of two parts that is the physical body and the soul or the spirit.      

The belief is that the physical body is mortal (can die) while the soul or the spirit is immortal (cannot die' or lives forever).

Therefore, for one to attain unending life one must first lose the physical body in the process called death.    

Death is, therefore, a point of life when the physical body is transformed or changed into a spiritual being.

Death can also mean a point in life when the immortal soul leaves or separates from the mortal body.

Many words can be used to describe the life that is attained after the physical world or after death. Such included.

•     Life here after

•     The after life

•     Life after death

•     Eternal life

•     An everlasting life

Unending life in the present situation

1. Death is accepted as a reality of life for every human being to experience. For this matter, it is unavoidable.

2. Some people believe that there is life after death. They accept that they would continue to exist in a spiritual life after this physical form.

3. However, to some people life after death is non-existent. This is a view held by the scientists and the highly educated among others.

4. Some people believe that life after death is determined by morality or the way one behaves. The righteous are rewarded with eternal life and the wicked are punished with a life of suffering.   

5. Some people look at death as a mystery and something that remains difficult for human beings to understand and explain.

6. Some people turn to death when they face extreme difficulties in life like poverty and incurable diseases among others. Such people feel that it is better to be dead than to continue with their suffering and therefore, commit suicide.

7. Death is taken to be brutal, rude and cruel by some people. It robs them of their beloved and dear ones unexpectedly.

8. News about the death of good and righteous people is treated with a lot of sorrow and sadness. It is a great loss compared to the death of the wicked

9. The death of the young ones or the children is taken to be more painful than the death of an old person. This means that by dying the old people are assumed to have rested.

10. Some people believe that there is judgment at the point of death. The righteous would be given place in the kingdom of God and the wicked condemned to hell.

11. Some people believe in the resurrection of the body. The Christians in particular believe that they are going to share the resurrection with Jesus Christ.

12. Many people prepare themselves for life after death by being morally upright, repenting their sin and helping the needy among others.

13. The soul of the dead are respected and remembered especially if before their death such people have been useful to the community. They are remembered by giving their names to new born, roads and buildings.

14. Some people believe in purgatory. This is a place where Christians believe people are made pure of their sins or forgiven before going to heaven.

15. Some people pray for the souls and through the soul of the living dead.

Revision Question

1. Explain the view held about unending life in your community.

2. How is the concept the life after death understood in the present situation?

How Christians Prepare For Eternal Life Today

Going through the rituals of water baptism. This intended to remove the original sin inherited from Adam and Eve so as to live a pure life, which is a requirement necessary for joining the kingdom of God.

Carrying out confirmation. This is a means of re-affirming one's faith and belief in the gospel.

Sharing Holy Communion (Eucharist). This is because the body and blood of Christ sealed the new relationship between man and God.

Engaging in prayers. This is a direct means of communicating man's needs to God and a way of expressing gratitude for the blessings received. Prayer is therefore a way of keeping in touch wit~ the kingdom of God.

Some people repent their sins. This is a way of confessing and condemning one's sins so as to embrace righteousness required by God.

The sick or are anointed so as to obtain the divine blessings of God in their last stages of the worldly life.

Other people attend bible studies and fellowships. Here Christians share their experiences, faith and give courage to one another to remain firm on the course of inheriting the heavenly kingdom.

Some have taken the duty of preaching the word of God. This is done in following the example of Christ who also did the same before his arrest, death, and resurrection where instructed his apostles to evangelize the whole world before he went back to heaven.

Christians are carrying out charitable work in preparing for eternal life. They give support to the needy such as orphans, poor and disabled. By doing this, Christians are following the example of Christ their saviour who also did the same.

Some Christians go in for holy matrimony. This is with the intention of fulfilling God's divine plan for marriage as recorded in Genesis 1:28.

Some Christians pay tithe to church as a way expressing their loyalty to God. This is because God is the giver of everything.

Other people have embarked on reconciling conflicting parties in search of peaceful living. Christ also reconciled man with God and man with man.

Revision Questions

1. In what way do Christians prepare themselves for life after death?

2. Explain the activities that Christians (10 to get ready for eternal life.

3. Explain how Christians prepare themselves for unending life.

 Causes of death today

•        Diseases like Malaria, AIDS and Cholera

•        Accidents through vehicles, drowning and electrocution.

•        Natural disasters such as land slide, earth quake and flooding.  

•        Domestic violence such as child and women battering.

•        Committing suicide through self-poisoning, hanging and jumping into water. Wars i.e. many do lose their lives in the battle fields.

•        Old age. This is a natural way of dying after being tired and worn out.

•        Mob justice. This because it is associated with serious beating, kicking, stoning or burning to death.

•        Armed robbery where victims are killed with the intention of destroying evidence.

•        Government policy of sentencing criminals to death through hanging.

•        Abortion. This is the deliberate expulsion of the fetus from the mother's womb. Forcing the feotus may cause some implication and over bleeding.

•        Child birth

•        Drug abuse e.g. taking opium, cocaine and marijuana Poisoning food, drinks or pouring acids

How Christians venerate or remember the dead

These are the ways through which Christians respect those who died in their Christian faith. In other words, it is giving honour and recognition to the contributions of a person towards the growth and the development of the church.

Christians pray for the soul of the dead. This is done as a way of requesting God to grant eternal life.

Christians give the names of the dead to institutions in remembering them. For example, Saint Mary's College Kisubi and Namirembe Hospital.

Christians commemorate the days their colleagues passed away. In Uganda, 3rd June is a public holiday and is celebrated annually in recalling the day the Uganda Martyrs were burnt in 1886 because of their faith.

Christians remember their dead ones by building monuments. These are structures built resembling the dead. They are commonly known as the statues and are always found in and around the church buildings.

Books are written about the dead. In such books, the life and the activities of the dead are explained for the living Christians to read and try to do the same.

Some of the Christians are canonized and called of saints. They are given such a name because of the roles they played in the church before their death. For example, Saint, Paul, Saint Michael and Saint Mary among others.

The dead are venerated through embalmment. This is where the body of the dead is preserved to prevent it from decaying by the use of chemicals or electrification. In Gulu Cathedral, the bodies of two Bishops in the names of Angelo Negri and Kiyangire were embalmed and are there for people to see.

Christians honour their dead ones by burying them in the church grave yard. People like the Bishops, priests or pastors and the Nuns are always buried in such places prepared by the church.      

Memorial services are also organized in honouring the dead Christians. In such services, prayers are said to dedicate the life of the dead to God.

Songs of praises are composed in the names of the dead. Such songs are sung regularly in the church during time for worshipping. Singing in the names of the dead reminds the Christians of their contributions.

Christians make pilgrimage as a way of respecting the dead. These are visitations to holy sites or areas of religious importance like Namugongo where the Uganda Martyrs were burnt in 1886.

Christians build shrines to express their fellowship with the departed members. For example, Namugongo shrine was built in memory of the Christians who were burnt alive on the order of Kabaka Mwanga in 1886 when they refused to denounce their faith in Christianity.

Christians consult the dead ones through prayers. They request them to intercede on their behalf in order to be granted salvation on the Day of Judgment.

Memorial lectures are organized in the names of the dead. Such lectures may be used to inspire the living to live exemplary lives as the dead had lived.

Christians give the names of the dead to the living ones especially the newly born babies. Names such as John, James and Peter are given in memory of the apostles of Jesus for their great services.

Organizations are also set in the names of the dead. These organizations are always formed to continue with the services of the dead to the community.

Revision Question

1. In what ways do Christians remember those who died in faith?

2. How do the believers recall the lives of the fellow departed members?

Reasons Why Some People Doubt Life after Death

The following are the reasons that make some people to doubt the existence of life after death

1. The influence of science and technology makes it appear that there is no life after death. This is because such an idea cannot be proved.

2. The different approaches or views concerning life after death tend to make some people doubt its existence. This is because such different teachings end up confusing people.

3. Death has remained a mystery and something beyond human explanation. This can make some people to express doubt about what comes thereafter.

4. Some people want to enjoy life and therefore they do not want to think about what happens after death.

5. The sorrows associated with the loss of a member make it difficult for people to imagine life after death. This is because the mourning is always heart breaking.

6. The fear that people have towards death makes them doubt whether there is life after death or not.

7. The delay in the second coming of Jesus Christ (parousia) has made some people to doubt life after death. Some people tend to become impatient and hence lose their faith.

8. Some people are influenced by their material wealth to believe that there is life after death. They tend to concentrate on their riches other than thinking about the unknown.

9. The influence of formal education also makes it difficult for some people to believe in after death. The highly educated people look at life as a circle. One is born, lives, dies and decomposes

10. Some people believe that idea about life after death is a consolation 'for those who are frustrated in life.

11. To Some people, the issue about life after death is a moral education intended to control behavior of human beings when still alive in order to create harmony.

 Unending Life in African Traditional Society

It was a belief among the people in African tradition that the dead continued to exist in another world after the physical life. This belief was reflected in the daily activities of the people.

Beliefs about Life After Death

1. The dead in African tradition were not dead they were referred to as the living dead.

2. The Africans therefore believed that the dead would continue living in the form of spirit in an invisible world.

3. Death was not complete destruction of a life of a person. Only the body was believed to have been destroyed to let the spirit of the person join the rest of departed family members and ancestors in another world.

4. Death in Africa was taken to be a form of sleep but with a belief that one would wake up in another world.

5. Death in Africa was taken to be a change of one's environment. That is from the visible to the invisible world.

6. The living dead were believed to be more powerful than the living and therefore they had to be respected.

7. The living dead were believed to have the power either to bless or curse the living depending on the kind of relationship one had with them.

8. The dead were believed to be active members of the family. They had control over the family affairs and were therefore consulted through giving sacrifices.

9. The dead were believed to pay visit to the living family members through dreams and visions.

10. The Africans believed that the water vapour (smoke) after rainfall was an indication of the dead preparing food.

11. Life hereafter was believed to be determined by the way one live the visible life. If one had been good, one could go to the good spirit world and vice versa. Therefore, morality was an important aspect of life here after.

12. In some cultures dying while giving birth meant that one had died completely. Among the Acholi people, the dead were remembered through their children among others. The Chagga of Tanzania believed that the existence and the happiness of the dead depended on having had children.

 Revision Questions

"The dead are not dead"

Explain the statement giving reference to African Traditional practices or beliefs. Explain the practices in African tradition that show the belief in unending life.

 Causes of Death in the Traditional Africa

Violation or breaking of taboos was believed to have been the cause of death. Taboos carried religious meaning and people were not allowed to touch or to say anything bad about them. Therefore, breaking them was an insult to God-the author of life.

Breaking the brotherly blood pact was believed to result into death. This was because the relationship was built on blood, which sustains one's life. Therefore, breaking the blood pact meant terminating one's life.

Violation of an oath by an individual was also believed to cause death. Making an oath was meant to bring out the truth about something or somebody. It was also meant to prove one's commitment in all spheres of life. Breaking it was therefore breaking the relationship already established.

Curses especially by elderly people could bring death to an individual. This was because elderly people like fathers, mothers, uncles, brothers, and aunties or in -Iaws were believed to be representative of God or gods. Their words could therefore cause death.

Death was also attributed to old age. They believed God could choose to call an old aged person to le~ve the earthly life after realizing that he or she was already worn out.

Death was associated with witchcraft or evil magic. In such a case, a person was poisoned through food, water, or even casting an evil eye and saying magical words.

Bad spirits of the living dead were believed to cause death. They believed that if an individual had some grudge with the dead when they were still alive, he or she could also die.

Evil deeds of relatives or neighbours like incest, murder and night dancing among others were also believed to cause death. This was based on the ground that it would annoy the gods responsible for social life of human beings.

Death in traditional Africa was attributed to lack of respect for God's holy place either through words or deeds.

Ways of expressing sorrow in African traditional society

The following were the ways that people in African traditional mourned for the death of a person.

1. There used to be crying and weeping for the loss of a family member. This was caused by the pain of physical separation.

2. The Africans could sing and dance upon the death of a person. The songs contained sorrowful messages but which were intended to help the people overcome the sorrow and the pain caused by the death.

3. In some cultures, the people could suspend their daily activities like cultivation for a given period. Among the Acholi people, activities could be suspended for three days in the event of a man's death and four days in event of woman's death. This was to show respect for the departed member.

4. There used to be slaughtering of animals and birds including goats and chicken respectively. This helped the people to overcome the sorrow caused by the death of a person.

5. In some cultures, the people could smear their bodies with white clay. This was practiced by Masai people of Kenya.

6. Besides, the Masai people would abandon their homesteads and shift elsewhere. This was because such a horn was now associated with a form of misfortune.

7. Among the Masai people, all the pots in the house were broken down to show that the life of a family member had come to end.     

8. The people were required to dress in a particular fashion. The women in most cases would be bare chest and tying some leaves either on their heads or around their waist.

9. In some cultures, the people would stay without bathing and washing until the period of mourning was over.

10. In some societies, the living would trim off the bodily hair. This was to symbolize that death had occurred and yet another life was about to spring out.

11. In some societies, sexual intercourse was suspended till the period of mourning was over. Sex was associated with pleasure and therefore it could not be done at the time of mourning.

12. Lighting fire the whole night. Some of the mourners would spend the whole night awake.

 

Rituals of Death in African Traditional Society

Death in traditional Africa was considered sorrowful and was marked by complex and long rituals. The rituals involved a lot of activities. They were not performed to unknown strangers, thieves or murderers; such rituals included the following.

1.        Rituals for disposing the Body.

These were ceremonies that were performed before and in preparation for burial. They included:

Washing the dead body with water or traditional medicine. This was done to prepare the individual for the journey to the next world while clean.

Shaving the bodily hair. This meant that the living dead would begin a new life in a new world the way he or she came to the visible world.

Cutting off the bodily nails. This had similar with the above.

Putting oil or butter in the mouth, nostrils or any other bodily opening.

The above rituals are conducted in the presence of leaders and elders. Sometimes children, pregnant women or suspected witches were not allowed to touch the corpse.

2. Burial time

The dead were buried with belongings like spears, arrows, foodstuffs, domestic utensils and tools. In some cases, servants and wives of kings were buried with the dead body. They believed that these items would help the dead in the next world.

In some cultures, a hole was made on the grave. This was done with the belief that the spirit would move in and out freely.

3. Funeral rites

The last funeral rites were performed when the person was old or when she or he had children.

For the unmarried, the funeral rites were simple and only close relatives attended it.

For a king or chief, it was taken as a national affair that involved the suspension of normal life; it required a lot of preparation and wealth.

Funeral rites involve selection and installation of the heir of the family, chiefdom or kingdom. The successor could either be the oldest man, daughter, niece or nephew of the deceased.  

Reasons for carrying out or performing death rituals

Death rituals were intended to send the spirits to the dead peacefully into the next world. This was done by offering sacrifices.

1.          Death rituals were intended to help settle the spirit of the living dead among the ancestors.

2.          The rituals were to help recognize the living dead as still being part of the family especially by giving their names to the new born.

3.          The rituals were intended to bring life back to normal. Some activities like singing and dancing could help to overcome sorrow brought by death

4.          The rituals were intended to show the spirit of solidarity and togetherness between the living and the living dead.

5.          Some of the rituals were intended to help the living remembers respect and recall the contributions or the roles of the living dead.

6.          Some of the rituals were intended to thank those who helped during the funeral arrangement like digging the graves and burying the dead person.

Comparing Ideas about Unending Life in African Tradition and Christianity

Similarities

1. Both believe that there is life after death. Death is not considered the end of life. There is a belief that an individual would have another life in the form of spirit in an invisible world.

2. In both, names of the dead are given to places, children and buildings, lakes as a way of remembering them. For example, Saint Balikuddembe market and Luwum street.

3. In both, there is casting out of demons from possessed people. Africans would sacrifice animals and pray as a way of removing the bad spirits in individuals. In the same way, Christianity believes that bad spirits can be caste out through prayers.

4. In both, shrines are built as a way of respecting and recognizing the ancestors in the livelihood of the living. For example, Namugongo shrine was built in memory of the Uganda martyrs of 1886. For Africans, shrines are built in the compounds.

5. Both African tradition and Christianity believe that one's destiny into the next world is determined by the behaviour of an individual in the earthly life. Africans believed that badly behaved people would go to the bad spirit world. And for Christians, hell is the destination tor the sinners while the righteous are rewarded with eternal life.

6.   Both African tradition and Christianity respect the names of the dead. Christianity refers to names of such people as saints. To Africans, such names are not to be mentioned without authority from the elders or the spirit of the dead.

7. Death in both African tradition and Christianity is looked at as being the transformation of the physical body into spirits or souls. Both believe that the immortal soul leaves the mortal body at the time of death.

8. Prayers are used to attain eternal life in both African tradition and Christianity. Prayers are considered as being a direct communication to the supreme God who is behind man's existence here on earth and after.

9. Funeral rites are performed in both African tradition and Christianity. This is a day to recall the earthly life of the deceased and the day the deceased passed away. For example, requiem masses and memorial services are conducted for Christians.

10. Sacrifices are offered in both African tradition and Christianity. Africans offered sacrifices killing domestic animals like goats and sheep or slaughtering birds like chicken to appease the spirit of the dead. Christians also offer sacrifices to bid farewell.

11. The rituals were intended to show the spirit of solidarity and togetherness between the living and the living dead.

16. Some of the rituals were intended to help the living remembers respect and recall the contributions or the roles of the living dead.

17. Some of the rituals were intended to thank those who helped during the funeral arrangement.

 Comparing Ideas about Unending Life In African Tradition And Christianity

Similarities

Both believe that there is life after death. Death is not considered the end of life. There is a belief that an individual would have another life in the form of spirit in an invisible world.

In both, names of the dead are given to pJaces, children and buildings, lakes as a way of remembering them. For example, Saint Balikuddembe market and Luwum street.

In both, there is casting out of demons from possessed people. Africans would sacrifice animals and pray as a way of removing the bad spirits in individuals. In the same way, Christianity believes that bad spirits can be caste out through prayers.

In both, shrines are built as a way of respecting and recognizing the ancestors in the livelihood of the living. For example, Namugongo shrine was built in memory of the Uganda martyrs of 1886. For Africans, shrines are built in the compounds.

Both African tradition and Christianity believe that one's destiny into the next world is determined by the behaviour of an individual in the earthly life. Africans believed that badly behaved people would go to the bad spirit world. And for Christians, hell is the destination for the sinners while the righteous are rewarded with eternal life.

Both African tradition and Christianity respect the names of the dead. Christianity refers to names of such people as saints. To Africans, such names are not to be mentioned without authority from the elders or the spirit of the dead.

Death in both African tradition and Christianity is looked at as being the transformation of the physical body into spirits or souls. Both believe that the immortal soul leaves the mortal body at the time of death.

Prayers are used to attain eternal life in both African tradition and Christianity. Prayers are considered as being a direct communication to the supreme God who is behind man's existence/here on earth and after.

Funeral rites are performed in both African tradition and Christianity. This is a day to recall the earthly life of the deceased and the day the deceased passed away. For example, requiem masses and memorial services are conducted for Christians.

Sacrifices are offered in both African tradition and Christianity. Africans offered sacrifices killing domestic animals like goats and sheep or slaughtering birds like chicken to appease the spirit of the dead. Christians also offer sacrifices to bid farewell.

Differences

Africans bury the dead with items such as spears, food and stools. However, for Christians, unending life is absolutely spiritual and thus has nothing to do with material possession.

Whereas Africans believed that the dead were reborn through their children and grandchildren, Christians believe that a person remains as a child of God.

To the Africans, the dead were considered active members of the family. However, Christians join the family of God in His heavenly kingdom.

Traditional Africans believed that the dead had influence over the living and were more powerful than living. This is contrary to Christianity where such an idea is not considered.

The dead make demands such as sacrifices and being appeased according to the Africans. This is an idea that Christians do not agree with.

Unlike in Christianity, the Africans believed that the dead would pay visits to their families through dreams and visions.

In Christianity the soul of the dead is believed to go either to heaven or to hell. In African tradition, it was believed that the soul of the dead either lingered around the homestead or went to the spirit world in places such as mountains, caves and forests.

Unending life in church history

At the time of Jesus Christ, most people believed in life after death. This was because of His miracles and the teaching on salvation, followed by His death and the immediate resurrection. However, after His ascension, people got confused. Different groups of people expressed different ideas about life after death depending on what they thought was right. These groups include.

1. The Egyptians

The Egyptians believed in life after death. They believed that the soul would live as much as it was on earth provided that such a soul had not encountered some hazards.

The Egyptians buried the dead with material things such as food, clothing, furniture or anything needed for the expected future existence.

The Egyptians treated the dead bodies well to avoid decomposition. This process is called embalmment.

They believed that dead bodies could come back to life again.

2. The Greeks

It    The Greeks believed in immortality of the soul and the mortality of the body. They believed that the soul could live forever even when the body was dead. .

Many Greeks believed the immortal soul could escape from its imprisonment in the body at the time of death.

The Greeks believed that life after death was determined by the kind of life lived here on earth. If an individual behaved in a good way, he or she could have a good eternal life and vice versa.

The Greeks expressed their belief in eternal life through paintings. The paintings showed how the souls of the dead could be weighed by the god of the underworld through which the soul of the dead body had to pass.

Some religious cults believed that those who had shared certain rituals during the earthly life would experience resurrection.

 The Early Christians

The early Christians believed that life after death was possible (Acts 2: 22 ff, 17:30 ft).

The apostles and other Christians believed that they could share the resurrection of Jesus (Philippians 1:21 ff 1 Corinthians 1:4ff)

The Christians believed that they were saved from the power of sins and received the Holy Spirit as well as became children of God because of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Christians believed that death was good because it was a way of achieving salvation.

The Distortion (False Ideas) of Unending Life in Church History

This began from the middle of the 3rd century. There arose many false ideas about unending life, which changed the real meaning of salvation. These false teachings made life in the Roman Empire increasingly insecure because many Christians lost their certainty about salvation. These false teaching include.

The Christians were made to believe that God was cruel and harsh. Because of this, they started fearing death, which was believed to be violent and sudden.

The preachers put emphasis on death which they presented as being sudden and violent. This made the believers to begin fearing death.

Many Christians decorated their churches with pictures showing suffering in hell. They showed how some people would be punished on their way to heaven before being accepted by God.

The preachers emphasized that dying without repenting ones sins would mean a person was going to hell. By saying so they had forgotten that God was forgiving and merciful.

The Christians preached that rebellious people against God could not escape judgement and emphasized that their permanent place was hell. This made people to fear judgement and purgatory [space life full of suffering].

Parents feared the death of their babies especially if it occurred before baptism. They got frightened by their own mistakes instead of trusting God's goodness and forgiveness.

The sale of indulgence that later came up also confused Christians greatly. The church leaders encouraged people to give gifts especially money to the church in order for their sins to be forgiven before being granted salvation. The rich had even gone to the point of organizing hundreds of masses to be conducted after their death. This  made it appear that salvation could be simply be bought.

John Calvin of Switzerland came up with another false idea with his pre-destination doctrine. He argued that God had already determined one's destination before birth either to go to heaven or hell and therefore nothing could humanly be done to change that arrangement. This made God to appear cruel and man as having no ability to choose between good and evil.

Because of scientific knowledge, some Christians looked at heaven, hell and purgatory as geographical places. They imagined their sizes to absorb all human beings .This ended up confusing the believers who also started doubting life after death.

The missionaries especially those who came to Africa preached that those who never heard the gospel would go to hell. They emphasized the need for the people to embrace Christianity quickly before facing God's judgement. But St. Paul had pointed out those who heard the gospel is judged by it and others by their conscious (Romans 1: 18 ff)

The Catholics taught that the Protestants were rebels and they believed that they could go to hell. They based most of their teachings on frightening and alarming stories to make people believe in the gospel. This means that the Catholics had forgotten the love of Jesus Christ and his redemptive death as well as the goodness of God.

The Jews had a false belief that salvation was for them only. They believed that the Gentiles could only salvation after embracing the Jewish religious practices. This was a wrong idea because salvation is universal.

The idea of renunciation brought by the Monks and the Nuns was a false teaching about salvation. They preached that salvation could only be achieved by living in isolation and doing without worldly pleasures such as eating, dancing and sexual intercourse. This was a misconception because God created all the worldly resources for man's benefits. (Genesis 1:27-30).

The Christians feared sickness because it was associated with death. Sick people became worried because of the lack of knowledge of what could happen after death.

Revision Questions:

1.   Explain the wrong teachings that developed about life after death in the history of the church.

2. How was the idea and belief about life after death distorted life after death?

3. Explain the teachings that caused panic among Christians about life after death ill Church history.

The Old Testament and the Unending Life

The History of the Israelites did not have any clear belief in the bodily resurrection. Most of their beliefs showed that they had limited ideas about life after death as summarized below.

God willed death for human beings as a punishment for having disobeyed his command by eating the forbidden fruits. He told the first human beings that they will go back to soil from where they were formed (Genesis 3: 1 9)

God set time for everything including the time of birth and the time of death (Ecclesiastes 3:2)

The Israelites were required to choose between life and death. By obeying the commands they would live forever in the land they were about to occupy. (Deuteronomy 32:45--47)

The Israelites looked at death as a punishment that God had given for them.

The Israelites took life to be useless and looked at it as a way of chasing wind before they would all die (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10).

The Israelites believed that an individual could go to a place called Shoel and live in the form of a shadow. This was a place where an individual could have no real personal life, no work, no reasoning, no knowledge or wisdom or anything done in the earthly life.

There was fear of death and Shoel. King Hezekiah was sad when he was about to die because he feared Shoel (Isaiah 38: 9 - 20).

The Israelites believed that a man's life was fragile and a mere puff of wind (Psalm 144:4). They looked at it as being useless because it was easily blown away at the time of death without seeing and knowing its final destiny.

The Israelites looked at having children as a way of prolonging their parents' existence on earth. (Psalms 127: 3 - 5). They believed that when one had died before producing, then such a fellow had died completely.

Death was taken to be a means of resting from the troubles of the world. Job desired to die because he felt he was tired of suffering.  The Israelites considered life to be short and it would pass away like a shadow.

The Israelites felt that death was only for the evil people therefore it was painful to see a righteous person suffer and die.

The Israelites expressed a pessimistic view (hopelessness) of what would come after death. Because of this, they tried to reduce the dreadfulness and the sorrows of death by enjoying life as much as possible. (Ecclesiastes 3: 12 - 13)

The Israelites recognized and accepted the death of the old people but were saddened by the death of the young ones. They believed that old people had already done everything possible in their lives and therefore deserved to die. (Ecclesiastes 12: 1 ff).

The Israelites expressed sadness for the suffering of a good person. They believed that the only way of rewarding the goodness of such an individual was prosperity in earthly life.

However, the Israelites had a belief that God was with the dead. They believed God could protect them (Psalms 73: 21- 26)

The Israelites had a belief that God protects against early and shameful death (Psalms 16: 1 ff and 7 ff).

The Israelites believed that God was the only one who could rescue a person from the sinful world and take him to the world of peace for him to live eternally

The Israelites also had a clear belief in the resurrection of the body. They believed in the coming of the messiah to judge the living and the dead (Daniel 12: 1 - 13).

Revision Questions

1. Explain the Old Testament teaching about life after death.

2. Show that people of Israel had limited idea about life after death

3. Give reasons to explain hopelessness that the people of Israel had about life after death.

The New Testament about Unending Life

In the New Testament, the life, death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives hope to every believer about life after death. He showed man that there is another life of abundance in the heavenly kingdom. Through Him, every believer got the hope of achieving salvation.

1.God sent his only Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the human beings so that they may achieve or obtain salvation

2.Christ sympathized with those who lost their dear ones. For example, He was sorrowful at the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11: 32 - 37).

3.By Jesus death on the cross he conquered death once and for all for the believers.

4.Jesus’ resurrection gives the hope for all the believers that they would come back to life. Christ had power over death. He raised the dead like Jairus' daughter. He also came back to life after the third day of His death. (Luke 7: 11 - 17 and Mark 5: 21 ff).

5.Jesus identified himself to the believers as the way, the truth and the life. Therefore he encouraged all the believers to have faith and trust in him for them to inherit the father's kingdom.

6.Jesus advised his followers to open up themselves to his messages in order for them to have eternal life. He illustrated in the story of Zacheaus who accepted his invitation and he was rewarded.

7.Knowing  Christ is choosing ever-lasting life and failure to know Him is a way of choosing permanent Jesus identified himself as the only way to eternal life (John 14: 5).

8.Sharing the Holy Communion is a source of man's strength to increase eternal life (John 6:25 ff and 1 Corinthian 11:24).

9.Jesus encouraged everyone to be born again of water and spirit in order to attain salvation or eternal life. It was in his conversation which Nicodemus who wanted to know how he could attain eternal life (John 3: 1 ff)

10.   Jesus said that the merciful here on earth would be showed mass in the father's kingdom

11.   Jesus encouraged the believers to give assistance to the needy including the poor and orphan in order for them have eternal life. He advised the rich man to sell all his property and give the money to the poor, follow him and he would be rewarded in the fathers' kingdom.

12.   Jesus taught the believers' that death is a gate way to eternal life. He emphasized that whoever wants life must first loose the body in order to have.

13.   Jesus encouraged the believers to repent and turn away from their sin in order for them to be rewarded with eternal life. He emphasized that repentance puts one's faith right with God.

14.   According to Christ, eternal life is the love of God with all our hearts, souls and strength and the love of our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. (Luke 10: 25 - 28).

15.   Eternal life begins here and now. This is the meaning of the phrase "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand". Jesus points out that this requires an individual to turn away from his or her sins. (Matthew 3:2).

16.   Christ emphasized that there would be the final judgment for all mankind. He points out that the righteous would inherit God's kingdom and the wicked cursed into eternal fire (Math 25: 31 ff).

17.   The resurrection of Jesus is an opening way to a new life and having joy in the kingdom of God as well as being with Jesus Himself (Philippians 1 :21- 26).

18.   The separation and sorrows death causes are not permanent. Believers are advised to rejoice because at the second coming of Christ, they would be able to meet and shake hands again (1 Corinthian 15: 51 - 52).

19.   The way an individual lives the earthly life prepares the individual for the fullness of life in the kingdom of the Father. This is a call for believers to keep their moral integrity (Revelation 22: 1- 5).

20.   Denial of the resurrection of Jesus is denial of one's faith. This is because the main theme of Christian teaching is the resurrection of Christ. (1 Corinthian 15: 12 - 14). St. Paul points out that if Jesus had not risen, Christians would have had nothing to talk about.

21.   Believers are told to rejoice because the resurrection of Christ is proof that death has no power over man. They would also resurrect (1 Corinthian. 15: 15 - 28).

22.   According to St. Paul being open to God and neighbour is a gateway to eternal life. This is a way of accepting the invitation of Christ to a bouquet in the heavenly kingdom. (1 Corinthian. 18: 18).     

Revision Questions

I.           Give examples from the New Testament to show that there is life after death.

2.        How can the teaching and the life of Jesus Christ help the believers to have hope in the eternal life?

3.        In what ways did Jesus show that there is life after death?