Death

Delivered from the Paralyzing Fear of Death

by


Hebrews 2:14-15  Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Jesus was made like his brothers in all things, except sin. Messiah, our elder brother, fully identifies with His children so that He might conquer the devil, overcome our fear of death and restore us to true life. He has succeeded. The obedience and suffering of Christ is our salvation.

The accuser is silenced, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33), death is befriended, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), and life is freely given, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

What is this “lifelong slavery” that the fear of death subjects us to? Satan forms our sin into a stick to mercilessly flay our consciences. We are guilty and we know it. Our life is forfeit due to our transgressions. Satan, our accuser, has a legitimate case and we know it. That cripples our walk through life. We live in the fear of a death that we so richly deserve.

Jesus has taken the stick out of the devil’s hands. Our sin is paid for. The accusations are answered in full. Life can now be lived without the ball and chain of guilt and shame.

Death is now a friend. How is that again? We are now delivered from the guilt and shame of sin but not from sin itself. Sin, our disobedience to the law of God, is a life sapper. Sin brings death; always. While we are still subject to sin and temptation, fullness of life is just out of reach. Death changes that. Death is a promotion. When we die, sin dies and we are beyond the reach of temptation. Death ushers us into life; real life; eternal life.

Actually, Jesus ushers us into life and he does so the moment we first believe. As his children we are no longer walking zombies living in the fear of death. We have life now. Life will become fuller, richer, in glory; but we walk in newness of life today. “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Yet, even Christians continue to be afraid of what comes next. Contributing to our fear of death is the unknown. Will I still be me? Does our conscious self continue after death? Yes. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Will we recognize and relate to other saints? Yes. “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). “And He (Jesus) was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him (Matthew 17:2-4). What will we be doing there? Working, resting, hearing, praising, reigning in the presence of Christ – seeing him as he is.

What will we be waiting for? The completion of salvation, the full restoration of life. We shall be body and soul on the new heavens and the new earth in the presence of God and the absence of sin forever.

Death need not be feared while we walk in newness of life. Death is conquered, life is freely given. We have passed from darkness into light, from death into life. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

So, we have “Death in Adam, life in Christ” (Romans 5:12). “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him” (Colossians 2:14-15).

I have quoted the Scriptures profusely. Nearly half of this article is the Word of God. Why? First, because I am a divine plagiarist. I have no new wisdom or experience that did not come to me by the Word of God. Second, only God can answer the questions of sin and death. And he does answer them. Let us rest in them and rejoice. And live, now, the life of the world to come.

Death is Defeated!

by

It calls for an exceptional effort of mind on our part to appreciate how paradoxical was the attitude of those early Christians to the death of Christ. If ever death had appeared to be triumphant, it was when Jesus of Nazareth, disowned by His nation, abandoned by His disciples, executed by the might of imperial Rome, breathed His last on the cross. Why, some had actually recognized in His cry of pain and desolation the complaint that even God had forsaken Him. His faithful followers had confidently expected that He was the destined liberator of Israel; but He had died – not, like Judas of Galille or Judas Maccabaeus, in the forefront of the struggle agains the Genitle oppressors of Israel, but in evident weakness and disgrace – and their hopes died with Him. If ever a case was lost, it was His; if ever the power of evil were victorious, it was then.

And yet – within a generation His followers were exultingly proclaiming the crucified Jesus to be the conqueror of death and asserting … that by dying He had reduced the erstwhile lord of death to impotence. The keys of death and Hades were henceforth held firmly Jesus’ powerful hand, for He, in the language of His own parable, had invaded the song man’s fortress, disarmed him, bound him fast and robbed him of his spoil (Luke 11:21f). This is the unanimous witness of the New Testament writers; this was the assurance which nerved martyrs to face death boldly in His name. This sudden change from disillusionment to triumph can only be explained by the account which the apostles gave – that their Master rose from the dead and imparted to them the power of His risen life.

FF Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, NICOT, p. 49.

Facing Death – Living Life

by

Facing Death – Living Life

I love vacations but I tread that final day. I endeavor to deny the existence of that last day of vacation. True joy, needed rest, and belly laughing fun will all be over and I will return to normalcy – that sounds so uninspiring. Can I somehow extend the vacation, or make it last forever? Despite my efforts my vacation dies.

We often think of death like that last day of vacation. We dread it. We avoid thinking of it at all. Our tranquil lives are often greatly disturbed by thoughts of death. Disrupted, it feels more like violated, by the death of loved ones, by the unexpected death of friends. Yet, greater than all other thoughts of death is the disquieting intrusion of our own impending death. Best not to think about it, we surmise. Don’t think about death just go on living.

But the Biblical prescription for dealing with death is far different. We are called to courageously grapple with death in order live well. “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2) The living lay it to heart. They think on it. They embrace it. “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) Facing our death leads to a heart of wisdom. Counting our days backwards infuses greater significance to our hours and minutes.

Thinking on death helps us live real life. Many of the things that torment us in life, harsh words, rejection, setbacks, slights, seem quite petty and insignificant in the face of death. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It is all small stuff. Also, when death first penetrated my mental barriers it helped to drive me to Christ and to understand his life and death in a saving way. We also tend to dig our tent stakes in pretty deep in this life. We drift into actually believing that his life is all that there is. This makes death a total loss of everything that holds meaning for us.

“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:9) In Christ we have great hope for this life – to know God and his Son is eternal life already begun! (John 17:3) Jesus Christ’s love, his rule, wisdom, compassion, guidance are a great blessing in this life. But, this life is still a twisted mess. He is preparing us a better place and he is preparing us for a better place. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3) This image pictures a bridegroom adding a separate room to his father’s home and when completed he goes to retrieve his bride. He is preparing a place for us, and us for a place.

Death, when seen through to eyes of faith in the beginning of the marriage! Death ushers us into fuller life, better life, eternal life with a perfect husband and a loving Father. Death is not the end of the perfect vacation, it is the beginning of a vacation that will never end.