Perspectives

Seldom do I write about death or dying. We always want to stay on the living or positive side of things, and not think too much about the inevitability of death. But perhaps I should. The reason I can say that is in November I had a heart problem that required triple bypass surgery. There were moments that the thought of death entered my mind in a rather powerful ways. You and I often sit back and quietly wonder what is out there, what will happen when we die? What will happen when we step through heaven’s portal? One moment we’re here, and the next moment we’re in eternity. Thoughts like that can send shivers up your spine; even frighten us if we don’t know the answer to one of life’s most baffling mysteries. But really it shouldn’t frighten us.

Oh! I could tell you that I’m so righteous and holy that for me there is no fear of death . . . but that would be stretching the truth just a little. No sensible person dies without some form of uncertainty, some form of doubt that grabs our attention. What we need is some form of assurance from a higher power to calm our heart and soul; and the Bible does just that . . . 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52…51) Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – 52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

The Scriptures tell us that Adam, the earthly man, and all his descendants (, “that’s you and me),” receive natural, earthly bodies. However, Christ, the man from heaven who came in a human body received a glorified, spiritual body following his resurrection. In the same way our earthly bodies which now die and decay are different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again for they will never again become sick and die; but they will be full of glory and strength. Our human bodies at death are weak and tired, but when they will come back to life they will be superhuman bodies.

One more thought: The Bible teaches that an earthly body made of flesh and blood cannot get into God’s heaven. These perishable bodies of ours are not made of the right stuff; they are not of the sort that can live forever. But at the resurrection, we shall all be given new bodies! It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet shall sound. For there will be a blast from this trumpet so loud that all the Christian dead will hear it. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour before this life has ended will suddenly become alive with new bodies. Bodies that will never again get sick and old, bodies that will never again feel pain, bodies that will never again die; but listen, there’s more. If you are still alive when this happens, your body will undergo the same change and it will happen faster then you can blink your eye.

1 Corinthians 15: 54-57…Then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55)”Where, Oh death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56) The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57) But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Question: Why do we fear death? Well! Perhaps it comes from the apprehension of the unknown. But maybe it comes from the sense of sin too. If we don’t have the assurance of salvation in our heart, if we have never sought Christ’s forgiveness, then there will be this sense of sin that makes us fear meeting a Holy God. So long as we see in God only judgement, there will be no hope for us. But that is precisely what Jesus came to abolish. He came to tell us that God, is love that we can go to him, not as a judge, but to a Father who waits for us to come home. Because of that Jesus gave us the victory over death: Christ displaced the fear of death by demonstrating to us the wonder of God’s love.

Would you pray this prayer with me…  “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I don’t have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen.