An epitaph is a brief statement that commemorates or summarizes a deceased person or past event. On the tombstones of many we have seen words like, “Beloved Wife of…,” “Gone to be with God” or “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” What will be put on your tombstone? What really should be engraved on your headstone that summarizes your life? Would someone put on your tombstone, “He Obeyed Not the Gospel”? Men must obey the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Obedience is essential. There is nothing that can take its place (1 Samuel 15:22). Obey the Gospel now. Obey the facts of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Obey the commands of the Gospel (Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:47; Mark 16:15-16). Then and only then will you receive the promises of the Gospel (Luke 24:47; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 1:16).
If you are a child of God, I ask you what will they put on your headstone? Will they put, “He Hath Loved This Present World”? Demas forsook Paul, having loved this present world and all that in it is (2 Timothy 4:10). God said, “Love not this world, neither the things that are in this world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Jesus said we must be careful lest “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, choke the word and it becometh unfruitful” (Mark 4:24).
