Why do people fear the idea of death? What does the bible teach about death? What lessons does death teach us?
These are the intricate questions brother Eli Soriano tackles in this second part of the series "Why do people die?"
Death is not synonymous with evil for those who serve God. Our death teaches us a crucial lesson - that we will face judgment. As we face death, we must also prepare to face the Judgment seat of God on the day of Judgment. This is an inevitable reality that we must all come to terms with.
The book of Acts 17:31 states, let read below;
"Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; w hereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
God has appointed a day for the judgment of the whole world, and this judgment will be carried out by the man whom he has chosen. This assurance has been given to all men through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ teach us something very important. Through his death and resurrection, he taught us that we will inevitably die and be resurrected to face judgment. This is a fact that we must all accept.
God is just telling us something that we cannot deny or escape from, and that proves to us the supremacy of God. Nobody can escape that.
The book of Ecclesiastes 8:8 says "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death:...
The verse above from the word of God makes it clear that no man has the power to retain their spirit or control on the day of their death. This means that we are all helpless when our appointed time comes.
That's something that teaches us that there's somebody who owns our lives. We do not live by ourselves, we live because God allows us to live, and when He chooses it is our time to go, nothing can stop it from happening.
We are reminded of the power that governs our lives beyond what we can control as human beings, and with it comes many lessons about accepting things out of our control, and being humbled by the knowledge that even though death may be inevitable for us, so too is life. It's the almighty creator's authority over both.
We are all helpless when it comes to death. According to our Bible verse stated earlier, no man has power over the spirit and we have no power on the day of death either. Death affects every one of us regardless of age, or where we live in. It can be hard for many people to come to terms with death, nevertheless, it's an unavailable part of life which we should all be prepared for. Therefore, understanding why people die allows us to understand and appreciate the sovereignty of the almighty God.
Acts 17:28 further explains it. It says "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
People die because our existence depends on God. We live, move, and have our being in God. So, if He chooses not to allow us to exist anymore then we will cease to be. Therefore, when we die it means that God has already given us enough chance to serve Him.
There may be many causes for people's death, however, we believe that everything is in God's hands, and it is He who determines the length of our lives here on earth. When people die it simply means that God has decided their journey on earth should come to an end, as Romans 14:7-9 puts it.
**"For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."
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Death is an inevitable part of life, but the reason why some die at quite a young age, while others die at an old age is something that still raises questions. One source to find an answer to such question is the book of Proverbs chapter 10:27 which states:
"The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened."
This verse sheds light on how living a God-fearing life can add days to one's lifespan while living in sin will shorten it. It also tells us that death is out of our control as humans; rather it lies in the hands of a higher power - God Himself.
Now, should you be afraid of death?
As Christians, the answer is no. People fear death because they see it as an evil and also untimely thing. However, if we know God's words and accept the truth of His teachings, then, there is nothing to be afraid of about death. Death isn't something meant to make us afraid, instead, we should see it as God's design, and a part of life. We can find comfort in knowing that when that time comes for each one of us, we shall meet Him in righteousness.
