LaGard Smith is a “scholar in residence” at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. This lawyer/author has recently created a mild sensation with the publication of his latest book, After Life. In this week’s Penpoints, Wayne Jackson provides a brief review of Smith’s book.

In this world of technological achievement, the human family is confronted with numerous life-and-death decisions that are taxing indeed. Frequently we struggle with such issues. The Scriptures—divinely given and perpetually relevant—can guide us in these heart-rending decisions if we will seek their counsel.

Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ventured far afield from her area of expertise in speculating about human immortality.

Every life is a sacred gift from heaven intended to honor the Creator and prepare us for eternity.

Your life on earth is a precious gift. Do not ignore its value; do not squander it in trivial pursuits; do not let it slip away and leave you unprepared. This very day you may wish to contemplate the question: What is your life?

The only way one can consistently argue for the sanctity of human life is to ground his case in the ultimate moral law which proceeds from the sovereign Creator of the universe.

Is life fair? Many suggest it is not. Good people suffer and “fat-cat” crooks often prosper. Is there any sense to this? Let us reflect a bit deeper than the surface.

While it is the case that as long as we are in the flesh, and constantly harassed by death, there will always be some degree of “uneasiness,” in view of the victory accomplished by the Lord, we can approach the inevitable with spirits that are more tranquil.

How does God, the Creator of human life, view death? Certainly not in the way many humans do. What does the Bible say about the matter?

False notions about death permeate society’s thinking. Is death just an illusion? Is reincarnation a reality? Will we recognize each other after death? What about purgatory or speaking with the dead? What does the Bible say about these common beliefs about the dead?

What does death involve? This terminal human experience can be a frightening prospect indeed if one is unprepared for it.

How can God describe David as a man “after my own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22) when he did all of those wicked things that are recorded in the Bible about him?

When a Christian loved one dies, folks often say, “God called him home.” Yet scripture seems to say that the devil has the “power of death” (Hebrews 2:14). Who does cause death?

Does the home influence the religious development of children?

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon reflected on some of the issues pertaining to death. His observations conflict with many modern religious ideas.

The Islamic repudiation of the death of Christ is grounded in an aversion to the biblical doctrine of the Lord’s vicarious death to atone for sin. The Islamic system strikes at the very heart of the Gospel. It is hostile to the Christian faith.

Some allege that all second marriages following a divorce are prohibited. Does this theory have the support of Scripture? Has the New Testament information on this matter been corrupted? Study this issue with us.

Death is a mysterious subject—one that many are ill at ease in discussing. But the Bible can provide one with an altogether different perspective.

What will be the state of the wicked after their death, prior to judgment?

There are numerous examples from history of valiant Christians who went to their deaths as martyrs, singing hymns and happily praising God. How were they able to exude such a joyful demeanor? Whence their sense of fearlessness that seems to elude so many today?