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10 Important Things the Bible Says about Death
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Jennifer Slattery
Death.
He
wants us to live, and die, with the confidence that comes from knowing we
belong to the victorious, risen King who defeated death when
He died on the cross and rose from the grave.
More
than that, the reality of death can point to incredible hope we have in Christ.
Every
heartache and struggle on earth can draw us closer to our Savior, center us
deeper in His truths, and motivate us to engage in transformative conversations
with others.
May we
all learn to say, “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
So,
what does the Bible really
say about death?
Here
are 10 truths Scripture reveals regarding death:
1. Death is not the end.
Some
believe once we die, we simply cease existing. They assert that human
consciousness arises gradually as the brain develops and will either slowly
deteriorate or simply cease.
In Matthew 25, after
sharing two parables designed to reveal the realities regarding God’s kingdom,
Jesus discussed a time when He will separate the “sheep from the goats.”
Those
declared righteous through His blood will receive eternal life, whereas those
who rejected Him will “go away to eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:45).
In
other words, eternity awaits all, though our ultimate destination may look
vastly different.
2. We don’t have to fear death.
God
never wants us, His beloved creations, to live in fear, uncertainty, or
confusion.
In
Christ, He offers us a certain, glorious and joy-filled destination; a future
free of pain, sorrow and sickness.
This
invitation is open to all who trust not in themselves or their good works but
instead in Jesus and the price He paid.
When we
believe Christ is who He says He is — the sinless Son of God — and did what He
said He did — died for our sins and rose from the dead — Scripture says we
receive entrance into heaven.
We’re
granted unhindered, relational intimacy with our Savior. He who holds the
universe in His hand holds our lives, now and forever more, as well.
This
means, when our bodies fail and illness invades, we can rest knowing we’re
secure in God’s unshakable, unbreakable love.
3. Not everyone goes to the same place.
According
to Scripture, each of us will go to one of two places once
we die.
Those
who have rejected Him and His offer of grace, however, will spend eternity
hell.
Hell
isn’t a place we like to talk or read about, but Jesus, the One offering
eternal life, addressed this topic on more than one occasion.
He told
us it’s a place of darkness and of fire, populated by the wicked and
rebellious.
With
each parable and statement, it’s as if He’s offering us a warning: “There’s
death” and in this context, that means separation from God, “and life.
Choose life.”
What if
our inner angst regarding hell points to the heart of God?
Scripture is clear: God is a loving Father who doesn’t want
anyone to perish. “‘As I live,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked’” (Ezekiel 33:11).
To the
contrary; God is loving toward all of His creation and heaven rejoices when a
single sinner recognizes her need for Jesus and turns to Him.
4. Because Jesus overcame death, so will we.
God
originally created the world free of sin and death.
When
mankind rebelled against Him (Genesis 3), we
broke our relationship with God the Father and the curse of death and sin began
to rule.
When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He broke the power of
both, and “since we have been united with Him in His death” through
faith, “we will also be raised to life as He was” (Romans 6:5).
This
means, though our physical bodies will cease to function, our souls will
immediately enter into God’s presence.
Later,
when Christ returns, our souls will be reunited with our physical, then “glorified”
bodies, which will be raised from the dead.
It’s
easy to read modern definitions for words and ideas for concepts and situations
into biblical text. This often occurs when someone thinks of death.
In
Scripture, however, death primarily means separation — separation of man’s
spirit from his body and of man from God.
For
example, Scripture reveals our physical bodies will eventually cease to
function and will begin to decay.
Our
souls, however, are eternal. Therefore, once brain death occurs, our bodies and
souls separate.
Similarly,
spiritual death, caused by sin, separates man from His Creator.
When we
receive eternal life, our relationship with God is restored.
Those
who don’t trust in God for salvation, however, remain in death — eternally
separated from Him and therefore all the love and goodness and righteousness
that stems from Him. This is hell.
6. We don’t have to die alone.
He
makes His home within us, surrounds us, walks beside us, and we become one with
Him.
Therefore,
from that moment on, we are never and will never be alone. In Christ, God’s
presence surrounds us completely.
This was the message Jesus was trying to convey to His disciples
on the night before He died. “[the Father] will give you another advocate to
help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth” which is the Holy
Spirit.
“You know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will
not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. … On that day, you will realize
that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you” (John 14:17b-20).
Though
others, perhaps even those closest to us, may abandon or reject us, Christ
never will.
When
our time on earth ends, He’ll usher us into paradise where we’ll experience His
love and presence at a depth unimaginable to our finite minds.
7. Death was never God’s intent.
Scripture
tells us God designed humans to live eternally in deep relationship with Him.
He
created the rest of the universe by a mere command, speaking stars, planets,
and oceans into being.
But
when it came to man, God’s involvement was much more direct and intimate.
“Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
Psalm 139 tells
us He knit together our inmost being, that He knows us fully, and “searches”
our depths.
All of
these passages speak of a loving Father and Creator deeply involved with His
creation.
Though
mankind’s sin brought death — separation from God — into the world, this was
never God’s intent. He created us for life. Life with Him.
8. Sin won’t always rein.
But
Scripture promises this isn’t true. One day Jesus will return, sin will be
banished from His presence for good, and He will make all things right.
Revelation 21:4 promises,
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, no
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
May
this truth give us hope and peace as we endure all the chaos in our broken
world.
9. We mourn with hope.
When we
lose a loved one, it may feel as if a part of ourselves has been taken with
them.
Though
this pain is real and deep, if our loved ones belong to Jesus, our sorrow is
always tinged with the certainty that one day, we will see them again.
Scripture promises this and Jesus’ death and resurrection proved
it. “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that
God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
This
means, for those in the family of faith, our goodbyes are never truly goodbyes
but rather we look forward to seeing one another again.
10. Heaven will be better than anything we
can imagine.
I’ve
experienced some amazing things.
I’ve
visited the Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and Yosemite.
I’ve
eaten enough ice cream of all varieties to fill numerous freezers, but all of
these experiences pale compared to what awaits Christ-followers in heaven.
In
fact, heaven will be better than all the earthly pleasures combined across the
span of time.
Regarding this, the Bible says, “What no eye has seen, what
no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — the things God has
prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Physical
death is inevitable this side of heaven, but this was never God’s intent for
His beloved creation. Nor is this where He wishes for us to remain.
In
Christ, He offers us life — to experience, through relationship with Him, all
the good and lovely and amazing blessings He has planned for us.
He
wants to surround us in His love, from now into eternity, and in so doing,
casts out all fear.
Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we, His beloved, can
confidently say, “Where, o death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your
sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks
be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Jennifer Slattery is
a writer, editor, and speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church
groups, Bible studies, and writers across the nation. She’s a multi-published
author with her eight novel, Restoring Her Faith,
having just released, and maintains a devotional blog found at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com. She
has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in
Christ. As the founder of Wholly
Loved Ministries, she and her team partner with churches to
facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with
maximum impact. Visit her online to find out more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s
event, and sign up for her free quarterly
newsletter HEREto stay up to date with her future
appearances, projects, and releases.
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