The moment you accept Jesus Christ as LORD and personal Saviour, bingo, you have eternal life. If that is true then why do Christians die since we have eternal life? Do Christians really die despite the fact that we have eternal life? Are all deaths the same? When a true child of God dies, is it the same as an unbeliever dying?
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life (Rom. 6:23); for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The soul that sins shall surely die (Ezekiel 18:20) but the question is do Christians really die? Has Jesus Christ not paid for the full penalty of our sins which is death? Certainly, yes. Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins. Christians do not have to necessarily die because Jesus Christ died in our place. As a result, God can choose to translate Christians from the flesh into eternity without passing through and tasting death just as Enoch and Elijah did not taste death at all (Gen. 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11; Heb. 11:5).
Attempts people make to live longer and not die
Modern Christians and people in the world have tried to apply all kinds of knowledge, wisdom and strategies to prolong life and enhance their general wellbeing and their health. While many people have resorted to eating restricted meals and become vegetarians, others have stopped eating red meat at a younger age. Many people have stopped eating sugar, salt and oily and some junk foods but the question is do they live forever though they live longer?
Each day and especially on weekends, many keep themselves so busy at the gym working out in several minutes to hours just to keep the body fit. Apostle Paul observed attempts being made by men during the earlier stages of Christianity about how people were so much interested in bodily exercise and said: “For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” 1 Tim. 4:8.
Christians Die But Still Have Eternal Life
As Christians or believers, we do not have to necessarily die because Christ purchased us with His blood and delivered us from the penalty of sin which is death. However, the LORD has chosen to delay this benefit until the final resurrection which will be looked at in detail in another post. Christians do not have to die, but they do die in order to have communion with Christ’s sufferings, to experience Christ’s grace, to be made into Christ’s image, to witness for Christ’s glory, and to bring them into Christ’s presence. Let us quickly learn some lessons here about death on why Christians really have to die.
Reasons Christians Die
1. Death is a friend that leads and hastens us to Christ. Death is an enemy but to the believer, death hastens us to meet our Saviour Jesus Christ instead of waiting for the LORD in the bodily form. We will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). No longer will we see Him through a dark lens, but we will see Him face-to-face (1 Cor. 13:12). To us as Christians, death is no longer an enemy but a friend.
2. Through death, we witness about the glory of Christ that lies ahead: When people die, we use it as an opportunity to talk about Christ rather and His final works on the Cross. The death of a believer gives us the opportunity to speak of how faith in Christ helps us to die and gives victory over the greatest enemy (1 Cor. 15:55). The witnesses or believers of Christ that die a victorious death will not only go to heaven but are also celebrated in Heaven (Rev. 12:11).
3. Through death, we put on the incorruptible image of Christ. Through death, and thus, leaving behind this earthly body, we are transformed into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 4:16). Living in your flesh or body is subject to so many sicknesses, bodily pains, troubles and other disturbing issues that make life unbearable. Death does not only take away our struggles and pains but also give us the incorruptible form.
4. As believers, we go to rest through death. When the little girl died, Jesus Christ said she was only sleeping (Luke 8:52). To them that died in Christ, they are only resting from the struggles and toils of this world until the final resurrection day when we shall meet our LORD of LORDS and King of Kings. To them that die in Christ, R.I.P really means Rest in Peace but to the sinners, R.I.P may mean Restlessness in Pieces.
Reasons God Allows the Righteous & Christians to Die
If we serve a loving and a caring God who loves us so much and desire the best for His children, then why can’t He prevent His sons and daughters from dying? Ah well, death is part of the design of God for mankind on this earth. Here, I will briefly talk about some lessons to learn here on reasons God allows the righteous and Christians to die.
1. When you finish serving the purpose of God: In Acts 13:36, the Bible gave a good account of David that after he had served the purpose of God in his generation, he died. Identifying your purpose on this earth is very critical. The earlier you discover your purpose, the better it will be for you. Do not be surprised if some people die young, they may have finished serving their purpose in life.
2. To call you back home (2 Cor. 5:1): This world is not our home. We are sojourners here on this earth. When the time is due, God will call us home one after the other. When death comes knocking on your door, which home are you going to: heaven or hell? The decision is yours to make to decide where you will spend eternity.
3. It is a test of our faith: The story of Job in Job 1 is a critical test of the faith of Job in the LORD and how the believer responds in difficult and worst times of life. Your true faith is seen when all odds hit you in life and you remain faithful to your God and calling but not when all things seem okay in life. Apostle Paul asked and said: “What then can separate us from the love of God? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:35-39).
4. It is one of the greatest tests of our faith that is fully grounded and well established: When your faith is well grounded and established and become unshakable, you are ready to die for the sake of Christ. Those who are well grounded in Christ are not afraid of what can kill the flesh but cannot do anything to the spirit.
Does death make sense to you?
Does it make sense to you that after all the struggles in life to amass wealth, a man has to die? Does it make sense to you that today you are somebody and everyone seems to respect you and tomorrow, you may not be remembered because death has taken you away? The people that have a lot of possessions to boast about today, lots of money to do whatever they want today and all the people at their beck and call today but the money and all possessions may be meaningless tomorrow.
Death may be fatal but not final. To die in Christ is gain but to die without Christ is a loss and a waste of time and all efforts in life. Once you have life now, there is hope for you. Do not die and regret but die and be happy because you have eternal life.
Related Reading: 35 Lessons to learn from death, grief and losses in life
Are you scared of death?
Many people are scared to die. The mere thought of death sends down some cold shivers down their spine. The mere thought of losing a loved one can be scaring. The mere thought that sooner or later, you will relocate from your beautiful state of the art mansion and be in a cold mortuary and finally in a lonely far away cemetery covered with tons of sand can take away your happiness and destroy your mood, causing you not to be stable in life. But the point is this, it is not where you die, how you die, where you will be buried and who takes over your possessions is not what really matters in life but where your soul goes after death is what matters.
So what will you do? Do you need help?
Is there anything that can be done about your situation if you do not know what to do and where your soul goes if you die today? There is hope for those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is the only solution. You have to give your life to Jesus Christ and once you have Jesus, you have eternal life. Death is no longer having authority over you once you have life and Jesus, in your heart. In case you need help and want to be sure that your soul will go to heaven when you die, then kindly say the prayers below.
Prayer of Confession
Dearly LORD Jesus, thank you for dying on the Cross to save me from my sins. Today, I accept you as my LORD and personal Saviour. I will love you and walk with you all the days of my life in obedience to your word. Forgive me of all my sins and come into my life today. Help me, LORD, to live my life for you. Amen.
For Further Counseling and Prayer Support
Rev. Ernest K. Akorli – WhatsApp No: +233249310230
Email: ekakorli@gmail.com
