Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2854

2854 Maturity at death.... becoming a child of God....

August 19, 1943: Book 37

It is extremely important in which spiritual condition a person departs from life, for this alone determines his life in eternity. And that is why every thought should only be directed towards spiritual perfection, which is the ultimate purpose of life on earth. However, if the striving for perfection is disregarded during earthly life then the whole of earthly life also loses its significance, thus it has effectively become unnecessary, indeed, it is even a great danger for the souls of people who no longer strive towards God but towards His opposite pole due to their desire for earthly possessions, for matter, which they should have overcome long ago and which has now gained increased influence again. Consequently the soul of such people strives more and more away from God if this is not made impossible by the fact that the death of the body concludes their life on earth. The spiritual state achieved at the death of the body now determines its fate in the beyond. The soul must take this fate upon itself, but it still has the opportunity to improve it as soon as its will changes and longs for God, for ascent. But it will lose its childship to God, which can only be acquired on earth, which already requires a will turned towards God on earth and which can no longer be made up for in the beyond. Every human being should strive to achieve the highest possible degree of maturity while still on earth, only then will he live his earthly life consciously and it will bring him spiritual success. Yet precisely this striving for perfection is disregarded because no one believes in the effect of the earthly change in the beyond, and where faith is lacking there is no spiritual striving either. And this is why the highest goal, childship to God, is only achieved by very few people, and only by those who only live towards this goal, i.e. who put God and His will before everything else and always and constantly fulfill the commandment of neighbourly love, thus constantly practicing love. They are already so intimately united with God on earth that they also have the right knowledge and therefore know the meaning and purpose of earthly life and pay no attention to earthly possessions. Thus they have already completely overcome matter and can enter the spiritual kingdom without any obstacle when they depart from earth, they can see God face to face and God's strength and love floods through them.... An unimaginable bliss is their lot in the spiritual realm, to be able to create and shape for their own happiness, as was once the original state, which all beings are to reach again....

amen

Translated by Doris Boekers