O Death, where is your victory? O Sheol, where is your sting? - Hosea 13:14
Church is nice, generally. Stick around long enough and you'll find pretty good reasons to complain; but it is generally worth it. Folks seem to like having their kids there at least, even if they mind going themselves. After enough time and you can identify yourself as a christian: congratulations.
You can baptize, commune, give, offer, sacrifice... pick a faith and take a chance with it. We preach that sincerity is more important than the substance of your faith; as long as you meant to believe something good, you should be in shape for the next step.
And then let Death introduce himself. Not quickly, where pride and courage and adrenaline create an exoskeleton defense of your soul. Let Death come slowly, over months, with pain and numbness and lack of control, with people poking and prodding and praying and laying hands on you... with Death not stopping his advance.
He will win; you will die. Your flesh will be emptied and the who of who you are will change; it is going somewhere else... or is it? Your creed and tradition and hope may point your mind to a "belief". But a metaphysical intervention is required to face Death with hope. Our beliefs are pleasant, but they do not create redemption, nor do they overcome the world outside of us. Victory over Death does not come from within. We will all meet and be overtaken by Death... all of us. We are not capable of survival... we don't even understand what we are battling.
Litmus Tests:
Peace in the face of Death. Do you know the presence of God and rest in His care, not merely resolved to face Death with 'dignity'? This is a gift from beyond our selves, from beyond rational comprehension.
Joy in the grip of Death. This is ludicrous, and counters the instinct of the cells that intertwine to form us. The look forward to what is next, in a trust that the One is there, where you are going, and He cares for you, and will take care of you.
... we cry out, "Abba! Father!" - Romans 8:15
Sunday school and scripture memory and church attendance and gray hairs... an open mind and educated background, the words and works of those come before us... none of these birth Joy. It is a gift handed, poured over your head from One who knows and understands and gives Victory over Death.
He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord YHWH will wipe tears away from all faces. - Isaiah 25:8
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ... therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain. - II Corinthians 15:57-58
Not necessarily worried about what comes next, but rather how you face Death when he knocks: in the now, you can pretend... you can not worry about it, put it out of your mind. Lord knows it isn't a pleasant subject. And then you can hope that when your 'time comes', it is quick and you won't be given much time to think about it. You can put hope in your 'beliefs' and whatever direction they provide for you. I have never witnessed someone facing Death at peace and with joy from their beliefs; I'm skeptical of our power to prepare for Death. But I have witnessed Jesus reaching down with His peace and joy and calming one's soul down and readying His brother to come home.
Not necessarily worried about what comes next, but rather how you face Death when he knocks: in the now, you can pretend... you can not worry about it, put it out of your mind. Lord knows it isn't a pleasant subject. And then you can hope that when your 'time comes', it is quick and you won't be given much time to think about it. You can put hope in your 'beliefs' and whatever direction they provide for you. I have never witnessed someone facing Death at peace and with joy from their beliefs; I'm skeptical of our power to prepare for Death. But I have witnessed Jesus reaching down with His peace and joy and calming one's soul down and readying His brother to come home.