THINGS CHRISTIANS CAN'T TALK ABOUT, PART 4 - Death

I have long said that my primary role as a shepherd-pastor is to help people to die well. To do this, as I have often said, requires that we learn how to live life well. Of all the normally uncomfortable subjects that Christians find it difficult to talk about, death should not be one of them. But it is. This is because, of all the world religions, only Christianity has a positive view of death. After all, we have a divine Saviour who confronted and conquered death. As a result the original apostles mocked death.

“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
¶ The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.”
First Corinthians 15:55-56

These apostles refused to be intimidated by death which was ultimately evidenced by their martyrdoms. The apostle Paul could look forward to his death with the obvious lament that he would no longer be available to help those he had led to the Lord (Phil. 1:23-25). But he could face his impending death with the assurance that it would mean that he would immediately be in the presence of his Lord — and so should we! And like Paul, we too should be be able to talk about death in a very different way to those who do not know what we know.

 

A NON-CHRISTIAN VIEW OF DEATH

For the non-Christian, death might be thought of as “the end” – especially for the one trying to think like an atheist. For the Hindu or Buddhist death might be considered the end of one “life cycle” and/or depending on whether they had attained nirvana or not it might be thought of as their dissolution into the all-powerful Brahma (this is known as reincarnation). For a Muslim man, death might be thought of as the doorway into Paradise where all of his erotic pleasures will be perpetually satisfied. Mormons (“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”), who share many similarities with Muslims, also see death as a doorway to this ‘Paradise’ but as separate planets for each Mormon male who will attain to the status of a god equal to God the Father. For Seventh-Day Adventists, death is the end of this life and when the soul will transition into a state of “sleep” (this is known as soul sleep). Jehovah’s Witnesses see death as a doorway where 144,000 chosen people will get to get to heaven and the rest will be given a choice to either live again on the New Earth for a thousands years, or be annihilated. 

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:4-5

HOW JESUS VIEWED DEATH

Death is not the final end. It is an end, but not the end. Biblically, ‘death’ means separation. James writes that faith separated from works is dead, just as the body separated from the spirit is dead (James 2:26). Thus, physical death occurs when the body is separated from its life-giving spirit. In a similar way then, spiritual death (referred to in Ephesians 2:1-5) occurs when a person is separated from God, the Source of True Life.

After the eternal Son of God was born of a woman, He saw physical and spiritual death as a result of the Fall from innocence into sin which led to the first man and woman’s expulsion from the garden of Eden’s Tree of Life (Gen. 3:1-7). The evil one (who became known as the devil)  had manipulated a serpent illegally (witchcraft always involves deceitful manipulation) to ruin the woman and the man. The writer to the Hebrews states that Christ came to destroy the one who illegally had gained the power of death:

¶ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood,
He Himself likewise partook of the same things,
that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death,
that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Hebrews 2:14-15

Throughout Christ’s earthly ministry, he frequently demonstrated His power over death by raising several dead people back to life (Matt. 9:18-26; Luke 7:11-16; John 11). Jesus certainly did not see physical death as the end and warned people that it was matter of far greater concern than their physical death that they be reconciled spiritually to God in this life so that they would not be separated from God the Father for all eternity:

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28

After Jesus had risen from the dead and thereby demonstrated that He had conquered death, He appeared to the banished apostle John:

¶ When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead.
But He laid His right hand on me, saying,
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Revelation 1:17-18

The writer to the Romans declared that the Risen Christ had conquered death once and for all and He could never die again (Rom. 6:9). Ultimately, he tells the Corinthians, death itself will eventually cease to exist when it is finally destroyed (1Cor. 15:26). Because of Christ conquering death, the imprisoned Apostle Paul could write:

¶ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me His prisoner,
but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling,
not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace,
which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus,
who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
Second Timothy 1:8-10

HOW THE APOSTLES VIEWED DEATH

As persecution began to intensify and the number of Christian martyrs was increasing, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians and told them:

¶ But we do not want you to be uninformed,
brothers, about those who are asleep,
that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
First Thessalonians 4:13

Jesus had told the father of a dead girl that his daughter wasn’t dead, but that she was sleeping (Mark 5:39) before He raised her back to life. And Paul described the death of the Thessalonian martyrs also as sleep. The apostles viewed death as a toothless lion for the believer. They were certain that the grave was not the end for the believer – Christ’s resurrection had guaranteed that. The apostle Peter referred to what awaited the believer after their death as “a living hope”:

¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy,
He has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
First Peter 1:3

James, the brother of Jesus, became the apostle over the churches in Jerusalem. When he wrote his epistle he wrote to Christians about how to care for the dying. Those in the last stages of life, with only perhaps hours left to live, should be surrounded by people who know how to pray, and then the elders should visit and ornamentally anoint the dying with oil to prepare them for their death and burial with the symbol of the Holy Spirit (oil) to reassure them that they would be “raised up” in the resurrection, because their sins had been forgiven –

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church,
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15

Many people fail to see the context of what James is telling believers. When someone is dying as a result of injury or illness, it is not necessarily the result of a curse, or lack of faith, or some secret sin. But how should we talk to someone who has been given a prognosis of how time they have left to live? 

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment
Hebrews 9:27

 

HOW TO TALK TO A DYING PERSON

The apostles spoke of death as a defeated foe. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis noted that the ‘world’ (under the sway of the devil) has long attempted to use death to eradicate Christianity, through persecution and martyrdom, and with each burst of persecution and round of martyrdom the world has been disappointed. Lewis said, this disappointment began with the crucifixion and has only got worse for the world and devil with each failed attempt to dissuade others from becoming worshipers of Christ.

When we are with a loved one who is in their final moments, which can be painful and disconcerting for them as their longing for relief magnifies, God is gifting His beloved with an appreciation for lies ahead:  a resurrected, glorified, body, incapable of pain, sorrow, or weariness (Rev. 21.4). This brief time of transition from this life into the presence of Christ is an act of God’s grace. It is an essential part of true euthanasia (Gr. “eu” = ‘good’ + “thanos” = ‘death’) which has long been called natural death. 

What man can live and never see death?
Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah
Psalm 89:48

We are culturally conditioned to use polite questions in our ordinary social interactions. This is the basis for a civil society.

“Hello”
“Hello”
“How are you?”
“Good thanks. How are you?”

This works perfectly well when both involved in this polite conversation are well. But when one person is terminally ill, it can be awkward — especially when the terminally ill doesn’t look ill. We may not be aware though that someone, who responded to our polite enquiry with a “Fine thanks”, is actually gravely ill. From experience, I have found that such people can get weary about talking about their health challenges and would rather just answer with a “Fine thanks”. But there are times when you might want to follow up your polite question with: “May I ask how you really are?” But what do you ask a terminally ill person whom you know only has months left to live?

When someone you know has told you plainly that they are terminally ill, then you might consider these alternate questions (I don’t offer them as replacement questions for conversations with your healthy friends) :

“Is your soul well?”
“Is your heart at peace?”
“What is left for you to do?”
“How would you like me to pray for you?”

I have not taken the time to discuss how not to talk with a terminally ill person. But I will offer these very brief thoughts: (i) Do not offer false hope for their recovery; (ii) Do not assume that it is always God’s will for someone to be healed; (iii) Do not tell a non-Christian (or an unrepentant) atheist that they “will be going to heaven.”

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD,
and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Ezekiel 18:23

 

HOW TO GRIEVE

¶ Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
Psalm 116:15

Grief is the impulsive emotion that we each feel when we experience loss. It often induces tears. Weeping is now considered by psychological researchers to be extremely therapeutic. Grieving may include something as petty as the emotion we feel when Geelong loses its rightful place in the AFL season’s ending finals (even though it has definitely resulted in tears;). Or, the more weighty loss of losing a job or marriage that we enjoyed. Or, the weightiest of all losses, the unexpected passing of a loved one. We are created to be able to grieve. There are stages of grief that are common to all people. In summary, these stages include: disbelief > sadness > anger > withdrawal > acceptance > learning to live with a wound and the memory of what has been lost. Therefore, when interacting with the grieving, listen carefully for which stage of their grief they are experiencing, and be patient with them. Please do not say such things as, “Shouldn’t you be ‘moving on’ by now?”      

Pastor at Large,

Dr. Andrew Corbett

I hope some of these thoughts help you to be more comfortable talking about death and dying. Let me know in the comments  if these thoughts have helped.

THE RESULTS OF CHRIST'S CROSS

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
¶ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
First Corinthians 1:17-18

The cross of Christ is the greatest ever public display of God’s wisdom and power. The Greco-Roman world knew that the penalty of death on a cross was the ultimate humiliation. Rome made sure that any who defied it would be made an example of through crucifixion. For example, when the Romans put down the Spartan revolt of 71BC they wanted to send a chilling warning to anyone else who thought they could defy Rome. Six-thousand conquered Spartan soldiers were crucified on Roman crosses and displayed along the Appian Way (the main road leading into Rome).

It was the practice of the Romans that those condemned to die by crucifixion were stripped naked and forced to carry their patibulum (the heavy cross beam of the cross) which was put across their shoulders and tied to their wrists as they were publicly paraded and forcibly marched to where they would be nailed to the patibulum and fixed to the vertical post of the cross. Unlike the deaths of the two criminals and Christ on that original Good Friday, the death of those being crucified would result – not from the crucifixion itself – but from their long exposure to the elements and the attacks of wild birds of prey which pecked repeatedly at their flesh. GOD indeed chose this most humiliating means of punishment and execution to bring about the greatest and most glorious triumph in the history of the universe! The humiliating death of Christ became the means by which GOD in Christ would humiliate His enemies!

He [Christ] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame,
by triumphing over them  in him [by the cross].
Colossians 2:15

But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God,
which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
First Corinthians 2:7-8

No wonder the apostle Paul told the Corinthians that the cross was folly to those who were perishing, but the power of God to those who were being saved.

 

THE JOURNEY TO THE CROSS

When the New Testament refers to “the cross of Christ” (1Cor. 1:17) it is also referring to His journey to the cross (known as His ‘passion’). This journey (Christ’s passion) began on earth with His incarnation in the womb of the virgin Mary. While the incarnation of the Word was the greatest miracle, His work on the cross was the greatest public miracle. It is also true that the death of Christ on the cross has now provided the means by which any repentant sinner can be forgiven of their sins and made right with God. But it is also true that the death of Christ on the cross means not just this, and, much more than this. This also involves understanding that not only does the New Testament use the expression the cross or the cross of Christ to include the events leading up to the cross, it also encompasses the events proceeding after the cross – including Christ’s resurrection, ascension and glorification.   

This journey to the Cross led to Jesus revealing the Father

Athanasius wrote, On The Incarnation of the Word, and asked the question about the point of Christ’s ministry and teaching at all – especially in light of God’s mission for Christ to die for the sins of the world. After all, why could Christ just be incarnated, and then die privately as the atoning sacrifice for mankind’s sins? Athanasius answers his question by discussing the need for Christ to reveal the Father publicly (Jn. 14:9), fulfil His role as Israel’s promised Messiah (Jn. 1:41), fulfil the role of being the Second/Last Adam (1Cor. 15:45) by sinlessly exhibiting the perfect image of God (2Cor. 4:4), doing battle with the forces of darkness in the midst of their territory by sinless conquest without yielding to their temptations (Matt. 4:1-11), and establishing the Church (Matt. 16:18).  

The journey to the Cross leading to Him taking the sins of all mankind into the realm of the dead where He also “preached to those who were dead.”

When Christ died, His body would have gone into rigor mortis very quickly (refer to the recent expert comments about this phenomena by Dr. Joseph Bergeron, M.D.). During the 3-day period of His physical death Christ went to the place of the dead and announced the gospel to the righteous dead who were awaiting their release from this Old Covenant holding place for the dead which would take place when the Old Covenant was finally done away with when the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 (note Heb. 8:13 written about AD 63 which states that the Old Covenant “was about to be done away with“). 

For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead,
that though judged in the flesh the way people are,
they might live in the spirit the way God does.
First Peter 4:6

Thus, in the Revelation 6:9-10 we can hear the martyrs from the Neronic persecution of AD 64-68 cry out (if I might paraphrase it) When will You avenge our martyrdom and how much longer will we have to remain here? Thus, even during the three days that Christ’s body was in the tomb, Christ was still working on our behalf. When He went into the realm of eternity He carried our sin, guilt, and shame there, which ensure that even the sins of mankind not yet committed would be atoned for! We can be sure that Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross was sufficient to atone for all the sins of mankind and that there is no need for any human efforts to supplement what Christ has achieved for us! Rest now and forever in His saving grace!

The journey to the Cross resulted in His resurrection from the dead as the “firstfruits” which now enables the resurrection of all the redeemed.

When Christ had completed the atoning sacrifice of His life as the True Lamb of God, He rose from the dead by the same Power that enabled Him to originally be incarnated (Rom 1:4).

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

His resurrection from the dead is referred to as “the firstfruits” which means there are more resurrections to come!

¶ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.
First Corinthians 15:20, 23

Thus, the grave is not the end for anyone. All people will be resurrected – some to eternal life, and (for those who reject God’s Son) some to eternal condemnation.

¶ “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.
John 5:28-29 NET

Christ’s resurrection announced that He had conquered the forces of evil (who schemed to put Him to death) and had overcome sin and death (Rom. 6:9; 1Cor. 15:26, 54-55; Heb. 6:14).

The journey to the Cross resulted in the vanquishing of certain Principalities and Powers leading them captive into permanent captivity at Christ’s ascension.

The Jews had a belief that there had been three ‘falls’: Genesis 3, the first Man and the Woman who ate of the forbidden fruit; Genesis 6, certain Watcher angels who left their stations and sired the Nephilim (Gen. 6:4);  and, Genesis 11, when certain “sons of God” (powerful Heavenly beings also referred to as “Princes”, refer to Deut. 32:8) led some of mankind into a rebellion against God (and probably included further acts of immorality resulting in siring the more Nephilim and Rephaim) at the Tower of Babel. When the Lord intervened after the third “fall“ (Gen. 11:7-9) some of these more powerful rebellious heavenly creatures, according to Jewish tradition (note particularly the Book of First Enoch referred to in Jude 9), had some of their powers curtailed and were confined to the territory of Mount Herman (which is where Christ was transfigured in Matt. 17). The prophetic psalmist foretold of the day when the Lord would one day vanquish the evil spiritual princes who still used their manipulation powers to indirectly commit their evil schemes:

¶ O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for His abode,
yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them;
Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
Psalm 68:15-17

The apostle Paul would have known about this Jewish traditional understanding of the captivity of these principalities and powers to Mount Herman, and saw that the ascension of Christ resulted in their temporary captivity at Hermon being made a permanent captivity in Tartarus (2Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Thus Paul wrote that it was Christ at His ascension who fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 68 – 

Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives,
and He gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:8

At Christ’s ascension Jesus returned to His Father where His “blood” was accepted by the Father as the sufficient atoning sacrifice for the sins of mankind (Heb. 9:12, 14). Because of this, every believer can now enter boldly into God the Father’s presence and present our requests to Him (Heb. 10:19).

The journey to the Cross led to the Holy Spirit being sent after Christ had returned to enter His glory enabling for the regeneration of all the redeemed.

When Christ ascended He returned to His Father and re-entered into His glory. On the Isle of Patmos John the Apostle encountered not just the risen Jesus, but the risen glorified Jesus (Rev. 1:9-18). Jesus had told His disciples that during His earthly ministry the Holy Spirit had been with them but after He had returned to His Father the Spirit would be in them (Jn. 14:17). The day that the promised Holy Spirit was poured out revealed that each of Christ’s acts of redemption actually corresponded to the Jewish feasts described in Leviticus 23. It was on the Day of Pentecost (Lev. 23:9-14) that the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers “baptising” them with power to be Christ’s witnesses (Acts 2:1-4).

The journey to the Cross established Christ as the rightful Judge of all mankind – some to life and those who reject Him to condemnation.

As a result of Christ’s triumph on the cross, His Lordship was declared in heaven affirming that He will one day judge all mankind (Jn. 8:16). Christ’s, resurrection, ascension, and re-glorification has provided for all the redeemed our eternal salvation, our  regeneration by the Holy Spirit, our adoption by God the Father, our baptism with the Holy Spirit, our future resurrection with an imperishable body, our ultimate glorification with Christ, and, our participation in the divine nature and inviting us to rule and reign with Him as joint heirs of Christ (Rom. 8:17; 2Tim. 2:12). What glories await the believer! Our eternal destiny in the New Heaven/Earth will mean that we will forever be in union with God and partners with Him in building and administrating His eternal kingdom where there will be no possibility of sin or evil!

¶ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Second Peter 1:3-4

These are all the result of the cross of Christ, that benefits us, the redeemed!

Your Pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.