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What Is Death?

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Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles

In the early morning hours of Saturday, December 20th, my beloved and aged mother (she was 87) passed from this life to be with the Lord (Philippians 1:23). As I reflected back on her godly life, I pondered over the thought of what it means to die. Contrary to popular belief by atheists, death is not simply a long leap into a void of darkness nor is it annihilation nor the cessation of all existence as taught by materialists. So, just what is death?

1) Death Is A Consequence Of Sin (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; cf. Genesis 3:6) — Physical death came to Adam and his descendants as a consequence of the first sin. Death is a positive consequence of sin, because if there was no death, all of the wicked would live forever. Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini would all still be around to make havoc of our lives.

2) Death Is A Power — It is far stronger than any woman’s charm and beauty. For example, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren were once beautiful women in the physical sense, but look at them now as they approach their impending death. Death is more powerful than position and prestige.

When I was a boy, such great actors as Clark Gable, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper, Tyrone Power, Dick Powell and Alan Ladd were at the zenith of their Hollywood careers, but where are they now? They are all dead. Death is stronger than earthly might. Joseph Stalin once ruthlessly over a large expanse of the earth’s surface, but he died!

The most wise and financially successful men of all time was Solomon, but he died! Death is stronger than money. Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller amassed vast fortunes, but they are now dead.

3) Death Is A Mystery — The greatest scientists in the world cannot fully explain death as they cannot fully explain life. When an individual’s heart stops beating, they die. But why must one die when their heart stops beating? Is the secret of life stored up in the four-chambered blood pump we know as the heart? No, but due to the lack of information that we have, can we really go beyond that explanation?

4) Death Is A Stranger — We may have lost more than one loved one to death, but their death is still strange to us. We still ask, “Why did they have to leave us behind?”

5) Death Is An Enemy — The Epicurean philosophy was: “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die.” In essence, they were saying, “Have a good time because you will soon be dead.” They were saying there is no happiness or joy beyond the grave, so you had better get all of the “gusto” while you are living on the earth. Death is still called an “enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).

6) Death Is A Blessing (Psalms 116:15; Revelation 14:13) — When Samuel was brought back from the dead, he asked Saul: “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? (1 Samuel 28:15).

In other words, “Why have you interrupted the blessing of peace and tranquility that I am experiencing?” Death is an entrance into a state far beyond our ability to conceive. If our loved one was a Christian, we have every reason to rejoice that they are being carried into Abraham’s bosom by the angels of God (Luke 16:22 ) — death is indeed a blessing.

7) Death Is A Tragedy For The Unprepared (Luke 16:23-25) — Our Lord referred to Judas as the “son of perdition” (Luke 17:12). That is, he was the son of hell [a state of loss and ruin]. The Lord also stated that it would have been better if Judas had never been born (Matthew 26:24). That same statement could be uttered about anyone who dies without a Savior — an individual without hope.

The story is told of a Christian woman who married a man who professed no religion. On the day that he died, she met the preacher at her door and said, “Oh, brother so-and-so, please pray for my departed husband,” to which he replied, “It’s too late to pray!”

Brethren and friends, it’s too late to show concern about saving a man’s soul after he has departed the walks of this earthly existence. We must show our interest and do our praying for one before his heart quits beating, because we cannot alter an individual’s destiny after he dies. Death is indeed a tragedy for a person who leaves this old world in an unsaved condition.

8) Death Is A Certainty (Hebrews 9:27) — All of the faithful individuals listed in Hebrews 11 are dead. In fact, all of the great men and women of God mentioned in the Bible have died. Even our Lord had to die! The only exceptions being Enoch and Elijah who were translated and thus did not see physical death. In the future, only those folks who are living when Christ returns, will escape physical death. But for the rest of us, death is a certainty!

In light of the above short study, let us draw four conclusions about death:

  • It is not how “long” we live upon this earth (Genesis 5:27), but rather, “how” we live upon this earth that counts (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5).
  • For the faithful Christian, death should not be a fearful experience (Romans 8:38-39 ; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23)
  • Death, and its hold upon mankind will be destroyed  (1 Corinthians 15:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55). John describes the beauty of that eternal abode when he states:

“There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

  • Since we all have an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27), let us make preparation for that certain event now! (cf. 2 Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1).

While there’s no question that we should be baptized into Christ in order to begin a new life in Christ (Gal. 3:27; cf. Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17), we should also be baptized in order to be properly prepared for our scheduled departure from this life.

With regard to our scheduled departure, we need to ask ourselves this question: “If I died today, would I want to die in my present spiritual condition?” Our answer to that question will govern what action we should immediately take in order to insure our standing with the Lord.

Like the Boy Scout motto, let’s “be prepared” for this certain event, always ready to meet our Lord (Philippians 1:23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).

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