Contributor:
Chad Roberts
Jesus boldly declares in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Based upon the tremendous hope in this statement, I wanted to show you 5 reasons why it is not death to die for Christians.
#1. Because of the Obedience of Jesus
Did you know the Bible teaches that because of Adam’s sin, it brought the calamity of sin upon all humanity? Read carefully Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
This is terrible, tragic news for us. It means that there is not only a spiritual death, but because of Adam’s sin, there is now a physical death that humanity experiences. Can you now see what it is so shocking and incredible that Jesus would say, “I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, though he die yet shall he live? If sin is death then Jesus is life!
The word “Gospel” means “Good News.” Do you know why the Gospel is good news? Because verse 12 says that all people have sinned, therefore all will die. Yet Jesus says if we believe in Him, though we die, yet shall we live. That is good news!
Listen to the good, gospel news of the next verses in Romans 5:17-21, “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now, the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
#2. Because Death is Precious in the eyes of the Lord
Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the eyes of the Lord are the death of his saints.”
Is that not an incredible statement? How can death be “precious”? Well, this verse tells me God knows something about death that I cannot understand.
If the death of God’s people are precious in His eyes, then I cannot image the sweet grace that accompanies a believer at the time of their passing. D.L. Moody, the great pastor and evangelist of Chicago in the 1800’s once said, “One day you read in the newspaper that Moody is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it, on that day, I will be more alive than ever before!”
On December 22, 1899, DL Moody breathed his last breath on this earth. Before he died, his last words were to his son, Will. He said, “If this is death, this is sweet.” To die is not death for a believer. It is our great and glorious transportation to that celestial city whose builder and maker is God!
#3. Because of what God has prepared for those who love Him
1 Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Can you believe that God is preparing for your death? He is. While the passing of loved ones come as a great shock to us, they do not shock the Lord. He is prepared. All of Heaven is prepared!
Jesus promises in John 14:1-2, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
#4. Because God is Sovereign, even over Death
Romans 14:8-9, “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
I never stand at a grave side to do a committal service that I do not read these glorious words. It is a great and precious promise that we are the Lord’s.
It is not death to die because we belong to the Lord. We are His possession, no matter what side of eternity we are on. We belong to Him! My favorite phrase of this verse is, “For to this end Christ died and lived again.” Again showing that because of Jesus…because of His atoning work…because He tasted death and explored the grave and overcame death, hell and the grave we can have hope, peace, rest and safety in Him!
#5. Because Death has been Destroyed
1 Corinthians 15:26, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
John Owen, a Puritan Pastor in the 1600’s, wrote a wonderful book that is still in print today called, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.” Our greatest enemy, our greatest fear, our greatest loss is death and Jesus Christ, who is the “resurrection” or is “life” has destroyed death!
If you fear death, ponder these two verses this weekend and thank Jesus for the victory He has given us over death.
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with all its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:14-15
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
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