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Religious: Death is part of life
Pastor Arnie Wyllie
for South Peace News
If you have been to many funerals no doubt you have heard someone say, “Death is part of life!”
Well, it is!
Death is something that happens to everyone. While you are alive death happens to those you love many times before you get to experience it for yourself. When Christians die we say that they have “gone home” - gone home to be with Jesus!
You do not get any practice at death. You only get one shot at it. There is no escape so you should look into making it as pleasant and free of fear and doubt as possible.
The Bible says many wonderful things about the death of a Christian. But the trouble is, many people do not believe these things. They think of death as an end to all things good. They think of death as a time of separation. They think of death as a hideous monster come to cut off all their joys. They fear death. They see no hope beyond death.
But the death of a Christian is a wonderful thing. Suppose you were in a prison camp where you were mistreated and beaten every day. While you were there you had nothing to eat but a dry crust of stale bread every day and you had to sleep on the cold, damp ground every night. Then the cavalry came, rescued you and took you to a place of rest and healing and good food and friendly people. Would you not consider these rescuers as “good friends”?
Well, you ought to look upon death in that way. You live in a cruel world, a world of many hardships, injustices, trials, tears, sorrow and separations. As a Christian, when death comes to take you into the presence of the Lord - where you shall have perfect health and perfect rest - would you not say that death is a “good friend”? Do not look upon death as an enemy, but really death takes you to an eternal place of freedom and rest.
Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of God is the death of His saints.”
When a Christian dies it is a matter of concern to the Lord. He knows about every breath that you draw, every pain that you endure, every groan that you utter. It all means something to Him. Now your Bible says that death is not precious in your sight but in God’s sight. The Psalmist is talking about death from God’s standpoint.
You cannot understand the “whys” and “hows” of death. But you do have this wonderful promise from God.
The Bible says, “God gives rest to His loved ones.” (Psalms 127:2)
Here are some things that death means to a Christian.
1. It means a “change of environment”. Everything here in this life has been contaminated by sin. All around you find dishonesty, crime, lies and hate. And you also find all the byproducts of sin: sickness, sorrow, pain, poverty and death.
But when God’s people die, they go to a place where these things can never touch them. There is for them a complete “change of environment”. They go from total sin to absolutely no sin; from Earth’s conflicts to Heaven’s harmonies; from all that is bad to all that is good; from all that hurts to all that brings happiness.
2. Death means a “change of nature”. Here you are burdened with an old sinful nature, which causes you continual grief. But when God’s people die – in Heaven - the old sinful nature will be gone forever.
3. It means a “reunion with your loved ones”. You have sat by the bedside and watched your loved one die. You have looked into their faces for the last time and wept many bitter tears, but they are not gone from you forever if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
4. Finally, death means “You will see Jesus”. If it were not for Him, there would be no Heaven. But, “Praise God” you shall see Him and you shall know Him and you shall fall at His feet and thank Him for saving you and bringing you safely. . .home!
Each one of you can look forward to these four things and especially being with Jesus for eternity when you put your faith and trust in Jesus.
The chorus of one of our hymns, “Softly and Tenderly” goes like this: “Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home! Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus I calling, calling ‘O, sinner, come home!”
DISCLAIMER: Northern Alberta has a very high suicide rate, especially among young people. Death by suicide does not guarantee any of the above promises from God. To claim the promises of God, eternal life with Him, you need to be a Christian, a child of God, a member of God’s family.
To find out how to become a Christian and live without fear of death, contact one of our local Bible believing churches. If you are contemplating suicide, find out, from these churches, how much God really does love you and you will change your mind. You will then be content to deal with death in the security that God is patiently waiting for you in due time.
I wish you Jesus!
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