Death and the Teachings of The Holy Bible About Loving Earthly Possessions - Paper Example

Death is a natural phenomenon that affects all living organisms. In a mathematical perspective, the probability of a person to die is one, and as such, death is certain and inevitable. Through this understanding, numerous scholars have tried to understand the importance of loving material possessions on earth. Some argue that if eventually, a person is going to die, there are no reasons as to why he/she should enjoy earthly possessions. This essay offers a justification as to why we should not love things of the earth rather than use them for comfort since death is a certain phenomenon.

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Definition of Earthly Possessions

Earthly possessions can be characterized as those things that human beings struggle to achieve to make their lives more comfortable. Such include wealth, education and political power among others. Due to a large number of persons on earth, there is an ever-growing competition to achieve the best earthly possessions during a persons lifetime. As such, the majority of people may often fall in love with earthly possessions due to the level of comfort and freedom they offer. Also, the same people often forget that eventually they will die and leave their lifetime-acquired properties behind for their future generations. For this reason, there is a dilemma as to why people should toil tirelessly for all years of their life, only for something that will not be theirs forever.

Purpose and Certainty of Death

The primary purpose of death is to make room for the coming generations. All living things eventually die depending on their species lifespan. Even trees that can live for over a century eventually dies. For this reason, death is a certainty. In respect to this understanding, rational thinking persons must understand the importance of life and not prioritize on the attainment of their earthly possessions. However, this does not imply that people should not work hard to secure such materials. Instead, they should seek and acquire earthly phenomena, and use them to ensure that their lives are more comfortable before they die.

The Holy Bible and Its Teachings About Loving Earthly Possessions

Book of Ecclesiastes

In the Holy Bible, Ecclesiastes vividly explains the toil and joy that people have in all days of their life, in search of happiness and contentment. The book of Ecclesiastes states that there is no better way for people under the sun to live other than to eat, drink and enjoy themselves. It further states that this can only be achieved if people are ready to toil all days of their lives, which God has given them under the sun (Ecclesiastes 8: 15).

Nevertheless, the Holy Bible clearly outlines that all worldly possessions can never offer people their full happiness. In the Book of Ecclesiastes 1 verse 2, the worldly possessions are characterized as vanity of vanities. In other words, Vanity is described a chase after the wind. This revelation illustrates that even the Holy Bible acknowledges that although earthly possessions are important, they cannot offer absolute satisfaction to a persons life. Also, they cannot protect or help a person to run away from his/her death.

Book of Corinthians

St. Paul authored the Book of Corinthians, and it illustrates the need for people to labor for the Lord. In the book, Paul offers a lengthy discussion of the concept of resurrection and then applies his conclusions to the concept of work. According to Saint Paul, material possessions acquired through hard work on earth are not everlasting. Instead, he advocates believers to work for the Lord because such labor has an everlasting significance. Also, Saint Paul states that laboring for the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15: 58).

Saint Paul also states that only the body and the soul shall be taken to the kingdom of God. As such, he does not state that a person will travel with his/her earthly possessions to the kingdom of God after death. For this reason, the Book of Corinthians has a major significance on how people should treat earthly possessions during their lifetime. This is because it illustrates that when people die or leave for the kingdom of God, they will only depart with their body and soul and not with their earthly gains.

The Stranger

The publication was authored by Albert Camus illustrating the story of an ordinary young man who is detached from the feeling of sadness brought about by death. In the publication, Meursault is a shipping clerk who lived in the French Algiers during the 1940s. In the story, Meursaults mother dies, and he attends her burial. Nevertheless, to the amazement of other burial attendees, Meursault portrays an unusually calm and detached demeanor. It is evident that the tragic death of his mother has not affected him. In the two weeks that follow his mothers burial, Meursault moves on with life as if nothing tragic had affected him.

He even frolics with his new girlfriend, becomes friends with a pimp and later goes on a beach vacation with the two new friends. While at the beach, Meursault and his newly found friends are confronted by two Arabs. The confrontation turns violent, and Meursault ends up killing one of the Arabs. He is convicted of murder and again portrays no apprehension for his oncoming death. This story can be employed to portray the importance of understanding death to be a natural phenomenon. In his life, it is evident that Meursault had come to terms with the realization that death is inevitable. As such he chose to commence on with his life without being burdened by the sadness of the tragedy of death.

Conclusion

In light of the two publications, it is evident that earthly possessions are not everlasting. This is because even if a person may work all days of his/her life, one day he/she will die and leave the possessions to others. This is also because death is a certainty and it is also inevitable. The Holy Bible in the Ecclesiastes and Corinthians describes earthly possessions as vanity and not meant everlasting. For this reason, people should not love worldly things but instead, seek and use them to satisfy their daily needs before they can die.