See Genesis 5:24 and 2 Kings 2:11-12: Death is common and ordinary, but despite this, it remains quite uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable because it interrupts our relationships. The end of one’s life entirely alters many others. It is naturally unnatural to find loved ones missing from our lives. The connection of a loving relationship was never meant to be cut off in this way, but man’s violation of God’s perfect Law introduced this painful and tragic reality into our lives. See Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12: The great question that humanity has tried to answer is what follows the grave? Many answers have been proposed by many different individuals and cultures, most of which have their adherents to this day. Yet, the case for all remains incomplete. The veil of death remains impenetrable to science and philosophy as well. We see, hear, touch, or taste what is to come for us. We cannot reliably go there and return. So, we are left with one reliable source for information on the afterlife: the revelation of the one who created it. The inspired Word of God tells us what we need to know about what follows the grave. That knowledge can guide our lives here, and prepare us to encounter death with peace.
Death is a universal constant, a near certainty of life. The death rate has stayed right around one hundred percent for the entirety of human history despite staggering medical advances. We know of only two men who have escaped this terminal event: Enoch and Elijah.
Christian Perspective on Death
Death Outside of Christ
Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
No one likes to be judged, but this judgment is particularly terrible, for in it all of life is weighed by the greatest of all possible beings: God Himself. Therefore, everything will come out, all the evidence will be in plain view and nothing will remain concealed. See Hebrews 4:13: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Our lives will be measured against a perfect standard by a perfect Judge. See Revelation 20:11-12, Psalm 96:13, and Romans 2:16:
- Revelation 20:11-12: “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
- Psalm 96:13: “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
- Romans 2:16: “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
We can sense something of judgment already in us. Our conscience manifests guilt through mental and physical symptoms. It is imperfect as our morality is imperfect. What we will face is so much more than what we know now, even if we have faced the most imposing of human judges. See 1 John 3:20: “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”
We can fool ourselves while living that our lives can withstand this kind of scrutiny, but the pure light of the thrice holy Godhead will show us that we have all fallen short. See 1 John 1:5, 1 John 1:8, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23:
- 1 John 1:5: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
- 1 John 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
- Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Because our God is light without any trace of darkness He cannot abide that evil go unpunished. Every second the judgment is delayed is a sign of grace and mercy delivered to us in love. See 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
However, the judgment will come, and the vile will be punished. It is promised even in that most cherished of Gospel verses John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Later in John 15:6 it is more explicitly foretold, echoing Matthew 7:19: “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Jesus has much to say about the punishment awaiting sinners. See Matthew 13:41-42, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, and Revelation 21:8:
- Matthew 13:41-42: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9: “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
- Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
The Lord speaks of it in several places, always with severe language. Indeed, significant earthly pain is preferable to this unquenchable eternal fire from which there is no rest or rescue. Consider Mark 9:43-48: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
See also Isaiah 66:24: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”
We see a foreshadowing of God’s ultimate judgment in the stories of Sodam and Gamora in Jude 1:7, in the great flood of Noah’s day Genesis 6-9:17, and in many other places:
- Jude 1:7: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
- Genesis 6:9-17: “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.”
At every turn, we see that God is serious about upholding His righteousness and enforcing His good and perfect law.
Indeed, breaking the good laws of the perfect God is a very serious matter, and the punishment due is immense. So great is the weight of the verdict against us that it required God Himself to become one of us and offer up the perfect and infinite sacrifice that could pay the penalty for our crimes against the holiest One.
Editor’s note: See the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
It is easy to see then why death should be feared by anyone and everyone who is outside of Christ. For anyone who has not trusted entirely and exclusively in Christ, death is worse than termination of identity, it is the beginning of an eternity under the white-hot wraith of the thrice Holy Trinity. For the unbeliever, death will bring them into the undeniable presence of the justice of God without the love of God which they rejected. They will lose everything, and they will have no rest from the agony of it.
Beloved, this is why the mission of the Gospel is so urgent, for there is a time when it will be too late. Hell is a reality that must not be ignored or denied. We do not wish to scare anyone, but to sober hearts and minds with the truth towards honest and earnest reflection upon the Good News of eternal life which is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. See Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
No Second Chances
Damnation is a very bitter pill and very hard for us to swallow. Tender hearts struggle to see how anyone could know joy in Heaven when former family, friends, and other souls are suffering eternal agony. To ease our own dissonance, we often bring in outside ideas of reincarnation or purgatory to create a means of escape for souls who saw the truth just a bit too late. Others like Rob Bell simply manipulate texts to dismiss the unpleasant truth in an attempt to get everyone to Heaven.
It should be clear from the last section that universalism is far from what Christ thought, but there is one more text we should examine:
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
There is no escape from Hell. The rich man does not ask to be released, only for a little water. Even that is denied. It is denied in the first place because it would be unjust. The rich man lived his best life already, rejecting God and His ways to his own benefit. Lazarus lived in poverty but trusted God. We are also told that the request is impossible to fulfill as the two realms are separated to prevent any crossing over.
Notice that Abraham and Lazarus do not seem in the least bit troubled by any of this. They are aware of the justice of the situation, and trusting God they have peace with it. It is only the rich man who is disturbed, and even he does not protest his sentence.
Denied his own comfort, the rich man turns his attention to his living relatives and asks that Lazarus be sent to evangelize them. Abraham states very plainly that it is unnecessary as there is already a witness for the living. The same witness the rich man rejected was sufficient and is sufficient. If people do not believe the divine revelation they will not listen to a ghost. If it were not so, the rich man and others like him might have grounds for complaint, but as Romans 1 plainly states God has given everyone sufficient reason to seek Him.
Editor’s note: See Romans 1:18-20: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
Our ideas of justice are imperfect. We are influenced by imperfect affections, and left unchecked by imperfect faith. We are influenced by noble desires to see everyone enjoying God forever, but also by ignoble desires for our personal comfort. Beloved, the right response to teaching on hell is to go and spread the Gospel: especially to share it with those we love most dearly. God has given us a chance now, there will be no second chances. Thus, it is written in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
Death with Christ
As with all other things Christ’s Lordship entirely changes one’s perspective on death. What was once fearsome has now lost its power over us. Death is no longer an end, but merely a transition, and one that is for the better. See 1 Corinthians 15:55-58: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
As a soul whose faith is in Christ faces the judgment, there is no condemnation or punishment to fear. All of that was taken by Christ on the cross. See Romans 8:1-4: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Thus, upon dying the Christian will enter into Heaven. Heaven is a real place; more real than any place you have ever been. Heaven is where God dwells in all His fullness. See Deuteronomy 26:15, Psalm 14:2, Psalm 33:13-14, Psalm 53:2, Psalm 102:19, Matthew 6:9, and Revelation 21:2:
- Deuteronomy 26:15: “Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.”
- Psalm 14:2: “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.”
- Psalm 33:13-14: “The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.”
- Psalm 53:2: “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.”
- Psalm 102:19: “For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;”
- Matthew 6:9: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
- Revelation 21:2: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
That alone is enough to tell us that Heaven will be the best of all possible places for there is found the true source of every good. See James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
However, the Bible tells us more of our Home in John 14:1-4: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”
Heaven is a place for us. There is a place in heaven specifically for each Christian. We spend our lives here looking for that place where we truly belong, where we fit perfectly into a physical, sociological, and psychological environment. That place we are looking for is in Heaven.
We know Heaven is a physical location because Jesus’ physical body exists there according to Acts 1:1-11: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
The very Lord ascended to prepare our place for us. Your eternal dwelling is crafted by the Carpenter who loved you enough to suffer death on a cross that where He is you may be also. The Lord speaks of His father’s house, the familial language for a family. Beloved, you are going Home.
When we get home all the suffering of this life will be ended, the wounds and scars tended and treated tenderly. We will be safe at home beyond the reach of all our enemies forever. God Himself will meet us there to care for all we endured in our travels. Rest assured dearly beloved: Earth has no sorrow that Heaven Cannot Heal.
See Revelation 21:4: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
The reality of Heaven is not something for tomorrow, but a reality to shape our lives today. O how many of today’s worries can be eased by the thought of what tomorrow holds? The Scriptures call us to realize the sure hope of Heaven in our lifestyle. See Colossians 3:1-2, Ephesians 2:19, Philippians 3:20, and Matthew 6:18-21:
- Colossians 3:1-2: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
- Ephesians 2:19: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”
- Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”
- Matthew 6:18-21: “That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
We are to find our place, our citizenship, and our wealth in Heaven. Clearly the eternal reality of our best life to come is central to the practice of Romans 12:2, it is a paradigm shift away from the thinking of this world and towards true understanding and wisdom: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The oft-quoted notion that someone is too heavenly-minded to be of any Earthly good is nowhere in Scripture. Indeed, Scripture teaches the opposite: that we are often too Earthly minded to be of any eternal good. Randy Alcorn and his Eternal Perspective Ministry have led the charge (in our day) to see the truth of Heaven applied in everyday life.
So, the life to come for the believer is the best of life. What we must realize is that it is the best part of life, and not some entirely new life from what we are living now. When God gives us eternal life it begins then and there (see John 3 and Romans 6). Death is not the transition from one life to another, but rather from one phase of life to another. There is a profound continuity between now and then which makes death the equivalent of moving from a war-ravaged, diseased, poverty-stricken, and backward land to a peaceful, healthy, thriving utopia.
Christians may look forward to death; one might go so far as to argue that they should look forward to death. It is reasonable to anticipate the end of suffering, toil, troubles, and the renewal of relationships; and more than anything else is reasonable to anticipate with all gladness the full immersion of the presence of the most beloved Lord and Father and Comforter.
Indeed, a Christian rightly informed about the life awaiting him/her in Heaven may look forward with anticipation, and speak of the day of death warmly. Consider Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21: “…to die is gain.” This sentiment used to be quite common in our hymnody, “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I stand, and cast a wishful eye to Canaan’s fair and happy lands where my possessions lie.”
Or “Weary of Earth, Myself and Sin: Dear Jesus set me free, and to Thy glory take me in, for there I long to be. Let a poor laborer here below, when from his toils set free, to rest peace eternal go for there I long to be.” There are many others in this vein like Jerusalem Heavenly Home, The Sands of Time are Sinking, In the Sweet By and By, and O Day of Rest and Gladness just to name a few.
We can also find the sentiment in folk songs such as the original version of Will the Circle be Unbroken, and This World is Not My Home. More modern offerings exist in relative obscurity such as We Shall Feast in the House of Zion, and Glory Awaits.
Looking forward to the next chapter of life does not mean rushing ahead, acting recklessly, or endangering ourselves. The same eternal perspective that draws our wishful eyes across Jordan to our heavenly Home, also makes us aware of the true value of our time here on Earth.
See Philippians 1:21-25: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;”
Paul desired to be with Christ, but he also saw the value of this life. See 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” If the decision had been his it would have been a difficult one, but Paul, like the prophet Elijah before Him, knew the choice was God’s alone (see 1 Kings 19).
Psalm 139:16, and Ephesians 2:8 are just two verses that confirm that every day of life has a purpose:
- Psalm 139:16: “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
- Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
While we are living here something good is being accomplished in us and through us to God’s glory.
Dear brothers and sisters, the love of God is such that He would not keep us from His full presence any longer than is necessary. The love of God is such that he would not take us before we completed our full service. We should trust God alone to determine. Therefore, we need not to worry about lingering too long or being taken too soon. God’s time is perfect, even if we cannot appreciate that perfection. We find the idea well expressed in a song by Wes King.
When it comes to death, the Christ follower has rest. Death does not worry him. Death poses no threat to him. The true believer will simply go on living through a transition into the glorious fullness of life in Christ.
A Word to the Grieving
For some of us, the teachings of life after death are immediately pressing as our aching hearts seek solace in truth for their grief at the departure of a loved one. Christians mourning Christians can sometimes feel guilt or shame over shedding tears as well. After all, the separation is only temporary and the dear soul is in the best of all possible places now. These are wonderful truths that do ease our burden, but even a temporary separation is a legitimate sorrow.
Our Lord mourned His departed friend shortly before raising Him as attested in John 11. Our Heavenly Father does not look disapprovingly at our mourning, but instead draws near to us according to Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
It is not wrong to grieve. Let us recall when a believer parts their words to us are not goodbye, but goodnight.
For those unsure or even doubtful of their loved one’s relationship with Christ there, is help in the wonders of God’s grace. There is so much we cannot know, but we can know God, and in His character, we can find peace and hope in this troubled hour. The hope of all in Christ alone, set your sight on Him and He will see through this season.
Final Thoughts
The reader has found many songs linked in this article, music has always been a good means of conveying the medicine of the Gospel to our hearts, and when we encounter death around us the need for that good medicine is great. There is something in singing that typed words cannot convey, and we pray this section of songs here will do just that and make this message complete.
There is a final truth about death that we must share. Death has an end. Death was a part of the curse against sin, and that curse has been undone by Christ. Already, and not yet death is undone. See Revelation 21:14: “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
No more separation of the Family of God, no more mourning, no more questions, no more interruptions. The pronouncement against death is final and irrevocable. Christ has overcome, blessed be His name forever!
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