Death

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Not too many people want to think or talk about this somewhat morbid subject. We will do almost anything to deny the existence and reality of death, and sooner or later, we must all face this stark fact!
There is much misunderstanding about death and false teachings regarding this vital truth abound. Let’s consider just a few thoughts from God’s Word:

1. Death is never annihilation (total exit out of existence)— it always speaks of separation (of the body from man’s immaterial being, or of man’s spirit being separated from God eternally, also spoken of as the second death in Revelation 20: 11ff.
2. Death is unavoidable. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
3. Death is final. There are no second chances to turn to Christ after death.
4. No one knows when death will overtake him. Some die young, others die at an older age.

Not too long ago I saw a bumper sticker which read, “The one who dies with the most toys—still dies!” We can avoid talking about it, we can try to dress it up, we can pretend it doesn’t exist or won’t affect us. But that’s the head-of-the-ostrich-in-the-sand syndrome. The only answer is to be prepared to die. John 11:25, 26 state, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”