Death and the Christian (Part 2)

Now we come to how we as believers deal with others that die. It is a different consideration altogether from dealing with our own mortality. But, that said, the two are undoubtedly connected. When people you know and love die it will often lead to some consideration of your own mortality and the mortality of others you love but have not yet lost. Yet, how should we view their deaths? I hope the following consideration will help.

First, let us consider the death of others that are not saved. This is, or should be, the hardest to deal with. If we have loved them then I have no doubt we have striven for their salvation. That may have taken on different forms from witnessing to them, praying for them, and simply being there to let them know you care about where they will spend eternity. So, whether an unexpected death or a protracted passing, there is a huge let down when they go. Not just because you have lost someone you love, but because you know they are now beyond help, they are now cemented in hell never to repent and turn to Christ and this, to the believer, is the most pitiful condition a soul could have. But you have to let them go. No longer are you able to witness to them and it is certain they are not in heaven looking down upon you as the world would like to believe. I think we have a wonderful example of this concept in the story of David and Bathsheba. David's illegitimate child has been cursed by God as punishment for his sin with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. When the child becomes sick David is inconsolable and none can convince him to do anything except pray and fast. But as soon as the child dies he gets up, cleans himself up, and gets prepared to resume life. His servants are troubled and astonished at his behavior and they ask him why he is acting like this. His response is clear and it is appropriate for us as well, especially in dealing with the death of lost people we have loved. He says in 2 Sam. 12:22-23, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again?" This doesn't mean that there won't be emotional concerns in dealing with the loss. So grieve as is natural for you to do and move on; but, dwelling on their condition will not change anything for them and will most certainly be a stumbling block for you. This, as in all things, must be handed over to the Lord knowing that His will is perfect and it has come to pass.

Second, we have the death of loved ones who were saved. This is by far the more desirable position to be in. Once again, there is going to be a sense of loss; emotion is a reality for all of mankind. But the perspective is entirely different here. Here your sadness is for your loss exclusively. There is no way it can be for them for they are now where you are waiting to be. They have finally been called home and you can rest assured knowing that nothing on this earth, including you, will ever give them the slightest desire to come back. Nothing here can compare to the blessing they have there. Finally they are with our Lord, finally they worship by sight and not by faith, finally the struggles with sin that pain us all are gone from them. I have thought that one day it will be really amazing to sit down with the Apostle Paul, with Moses, with Solomon, with David, with John Calvin, and John Knox, and just speak with them. But even that will not compare with being in the blessed presence of my God never to be separated again. And this, dear friend, is where your saved loved one has gone. Rejoice for them in spite of your loss. For you have the added benefit of David's ending sentence in the aforementioned passage. He says, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." We will see them again in heaven with all of the saints of all of the ages for all of the rest of eternity. It is as if they moved to another country and lost contact yet you know that one day you will meet again. Because only the saints can say with certainty, only the saints can confidently cry, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55) Rejoice for them, and rejoice for you, knowing that death has not truly torn you apart and that one day you will share in the richest privilege of all and be with our Lord in heaven.

Death and the Christian (Part 1)

Recently people I care about have lost loved ones. The death of those they cared so deeply for, moved me and caused me pain as well. Not because I personally knew those they loved and lost, but because I cared for them, I prayed daily for them, and thus I feel a small measure of their pain as well. On top of this I had a conversation with one of my own loved ones and their struggle with the idea of death and the pain that is caused by it. So as a result I desired to discuss it here.

Death is a reality. We are born and we will die. Ge 3:19, "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." It is a fact of life. But it is not a natural fact of life. That is to say that God did not create man to die. It is a result of sin and the fall of man. Sin kills us. So in dealing with death we feel naturally averse to it. As we should. But that leaves us with how to react to it as believers.

The Christian has two things he must deal with when it comes to death. The death of himself and the death of others. Since I believe the more prevalent fear comes from death to self then let us deal with that first. (The death of others will be dealt with in part 2.)

In the book "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan we have a wonderfully true and accurate depiction of what the saints should feel as they are about to die. Mr. Standfast has come to the river, ready to cross over into heaven that awaits him, and begins to wade out into the water to cross over. Half way over he stops and this is what he says:

This river has been a terror to many, yea, the thoughts of it also have often frightened me; but now methinks I stand easy, my foot is fixed upon that upon which the feet of the Priests that bare the Ark of the Convenant stood, while Israel went over the Jordan. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold; yet the thoughts of what I am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on the other side, doth lie as a glowing coal at my heart.

I see myself now at the end of my Journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going now to see that Head that was crowned with thorns, and that Face that was spit upon for me.

I have formerly lived by hear-say and Faith; but now I go where I shall live by Sight, and shall be with Him in whose company I delight myself.

I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of His shoe in the earth, there have I coveted to set my foot too.

His name has been to me as a civet-box; yea, sweeter than all perfumes. His voice to me has been most sweet; and His Countenance I have more desired than they that have most desired the light of the Sun. His Word I did use to gather for my food, and for antidotes against my faintings, He has held me, and I have kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps hath He strengthened in His way.

What a wonderfully godly view of how we should perceive death and prepare for it as that day approaches. For Bunyan's depiction is in full agreement with the Apostle Paul when he says, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Php. 1:21) One of my favorite passages in the entire Word of God is when Paul says in 2 Tim. 4:7-8, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." This is the crowning achievement of our lives! This is the hope we all live in and for. For those that are saved there is nothing to fear for "we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:9) He has defeated death so that we do not feel its sting... there is nothing to fear! Because of this we may boldly proclaim, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55)

Saints must not fear death but relish the thought of finally being where they have been going. The trip was long and hard, the battles great, the energy has been sapped, and many are left behind. But when we see Him as He is all of that will go away. No more sin, worry, hunger, or pain. The only thing we are left with is to relish and worship our God forever with Him in heaven. The narrator of our story in "The Pilgrim's Progress" ends Mr. Standfast's speech by saying,

Now, while he was thus in discourse, his countenance changed, his strong man bowed under him; and after he had said, Take me, for I come unto Thee, he ceased to be seen of them.

Perhaps we will not all have such luxuries in passing. But our eyes must be equally fixed on where we are going and rejoice that we will be there forever more.