Is Death The Final Answer?

I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living. Job 30:23 (NIV)

There is a saying: “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.”

Some people believe that death ends everything, that there is nothing after death. Some badly depressed people believe that death is the answer to ending all their problems. And many people, especially Christians, believe that death leads to eternity with God.

Christians look forward to, and long to be with Jesus, yet we are in no hurry to die, and we may even fear dying. To be separated from our body is a scary proposition. Yet I have been to the place where it is scarier to imagine suffering continually with a badly broken body than to leave it behind and be with Jesus.

Jesus came to set us free from the fear of death:

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)

Living can be a scary proposition, and dying can be an even scarier proposition. But knowing that Jesus is in our hearts, in our lives, can give us strength for living. And knowing that Jesus will be there to meet us when we die should give every believer hope and reduce the fear of dying.

We live in a broken world with broken bodies. It is easy to get discouraged and even depressed due to our many afflictions. Yet if we can hold onto the hope that Jesus gives to those who have faith in Him and trust Him with both their lives and deaths, we need not live in fear of living or dying. Death is not the “answer”, Jesus is the answer:

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:20 (NIV)

Whether we live or die we belong to Jesus. He will give us strength to live, and peace to die in His own time and according to His own will. We must be patient in our afflictions and courageous in the face of death for we are more than conquerors through Him (Romans 8:37).

Prayer: Dear Lord, whether by life or death, help us to honor you and keep a good testimony of faithfulness, pleasing You always in all things. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017