The Defeat Of Death

+JMJ+

May the word of God be on our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts, amen.

Come Holy Spirit....

My hometown suffered a horrible tragedy over the weekend. Four students, all seniors at the local high school, were killed in a horrific car crash while returning home from Spring break. The driver of the other vehicle was also killed.  I join my prayers with so many others for the repose of their souls, and for their family and friends left behind, in Jesus' Name, amen.

The following verse immediately came to mind when I heard the horrible news:

1 Corinthians 15

50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^g

55“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O grave, is your sting?”^h

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Herein lies the truth of our reality. We are supernatural beings having a temporarily natural existence. For those who believe, Jesus Christ defeated death's power over us. It means nothing! Thanks to Jesus Christ, where is death's victory over us? Where is the sting of the grave?

You see, death is not the final word. It is not the end. It is only the beginning of our eternal life with Christ Jesus for those who believe in Him. The Bible often refers to those who died as merely "sleeping." And just like someone who sleeps, we will wake up to spend eternity with God. And let's face it, heaven is a far better place to spend your time than earth is!

Do you think the souls that are in heaven are sad about it? The Bible says there are no tears in heaven, and no pain, so the answer is a resounding no! Those who have died are happier than they have ever been, far moreso than when they were stuck on earth. We are the only one who are crying for them. 

That's not to say that crying for a departed loved one is wrong. It is normal to miss someone during the time they are away. Even Jesus wept when He heard His friend Lazarus had died, and Jesus went ahead and raised him from the dead! So even knowing Lazarus could be revived, the Lord still wept. 

However, we must remember that we will see our loved ones again, someday, and when that day arrives, we will never be separated again. That's right, we'll be together for all of eternity, in the day in which there is no dawning, and no sunset. No pain, and no tears. Oh death, where indeed is your victory? Oh grave, where indeed is your sting? You have been utterly defeated by Jesus Christ. Death, you have no victory over us. You are merely a transition to our eternal reward. 

This is also important to remember when we start to wonder how God could allow someone to die, especially if they are young. Look at it from God's perspective. He gave up His Son so that death would have no power over us. So to Him, allowing someone to die is not a punishment, but a reward. They are being taken to their eternal reward, a place far greater than a mortal life on earth. So how is that a bad thing? Some say, "Well I needed them more than God does." God wants you to need Him more, to lean on Him in this life even more. Your loved one is receiving their reward, in the meantime, lean more heavily on God and Jesus Christ until you are finally reunited. 

The victory over death does not just apply to those who die in faith, but to those left behind for a few more years, or decades. We can take solace in knowing where our loved ones are, and that we must keep (and practice) our faith to ensure that we join them when our time comes.  

May God bless you all.