Peter Sammons reflects on the challenges of approaching the subject of death.
TABOO SUBJECT
Its not possible to discuss with most people the vexed subject of death, and this includes at least some church-attending Christians!
My father remained atheist until his dying day, as far as I am aware, albeit I was not with him when he passed from this life – I wonder what might have happened in his last few hours. Yet my father was profoundly frightened of death. If anyone was ill or at death’s door, or if conversation moved towards the subject of mortality, he would volubly demand a change of subject or urgently leave the room. He represents many people in this regard. Truly, death remains our last enemy. Whilst the process and mechanics of death may be of concern to all of us, yet the subject of death to a Christian should not be frightening – if anything the opposite!
I remain bemused at what I witnessed amongst some Christians during the Covid imbroglio of 2020-21. I recall once shopping in Tesco, duly masked-up, and saw a woman from our church edging from aisle to aisle as though a sniper had her in his sights, and dramatically shrinking away in very apparent horror from other shoppers if they got too close! (This lady now has no Christian contact of which I’m aware, as she resigned from our church during Covid). A few Christians seemed thrilled by the whole Covid experience. Some had otherwise suppressed instincts of officiousness brought right to the surface as they demanded masks, refused public worship and singing, and insisted on semi- ‘religious’ observance of access and egress rules for the church sanctuary. Did they lack trust that God would preserve His people in their joyous task of assembling before Him for pubic worship and praise?
WORST THING?
Is death the ‘worst’ thing that can happen to a Christian? During Covid some Christians said that preservation of ‘life’ and health was the most important thing possible, and that demonstrating Christian fear of Covid was somehow a positive witness to the unsaved!
I asked a few such whether our suffering brothers and sisters in countries like Sudan, Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere were, by the same token, giving bad witness in attending church ‘services’, where a gunman might burst-in and spray bullets over Sunday School children (this has happened). I received no response, just slightly flustered looks. Let us state the tragedy clearly, for far too many Believers in this world, to be identified as a disciple of Jesus is to court death. By Covid thinking, are these Believers wrong to do so?
Another element of our collective fear (or horror) of death is the submission of patients to invasive medical interventions when it is clear that a person is on a pathway towards death. When is it right to fight against death, and when is it right to own up to it, and face it?
This article does not seek to provide pat answers. Western nations’ determination to introduce euthanasia (called ‘assisted suicide’, but actually just killing the patient, let’s be realistic and honest), masks the reality that we must all die. It pretends, instead, to give us a measure of ‘control’. The irony is that ultimately any move towards euthanasia does not give us control, it gives the State more control – something never discussed!
PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE
If I’m reading Scripture aright, death was never part of God’s creative intention. Death came to humans as a result of the Fall (Genesis 2: 17) and expulsion from the mysterious Eden was precisely to prevent access to the tree of life (4: 22-23).
We shall have to await full understanding of this mystery when finally opened up to us in the new heaven and new earth. Until then we shall not fully understand these mysteries, yet we can be certain that God’s eternal intention is to relieve us of the sentence of death, in and through His Son who gave Himself for us so that we might have life in all its fullness (John 10:10). In the new heaven and new earth we are restored to the tree of life (Revelation 22: 2) wherein the ‘solution’ to our present problem of mortality is made permanent and eternal. But this restoration is restricted to those who have received Jesus as Lord.
CAN WE DIE WELL?
The concept of “dying well” is tied to the idea of living faithfully and preparing for death in a way honouring to God. It involves growing in spiritual maturity, increasing trust in God’s promises, and a sense of peace and readiness as we face the end. While the Bible doesn’t give a step-by-step manual on dying, it provides teaching on preparing for death, what the attitude toward death should be, and how to die in a way that reflects faith in Messiah:
* Living faithfully: Christian preparation for death starts with living a life of faith. The Bible emphasizes the importance of trusting God’s sovereignty and grace. This means loving God and others, receiving Jesus as Lord and believing ‘on’ Him (John 3: 16), and growing in holiness. As Paul writes, “to me, to live is Messiah, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). For Christians, life is to be lived in Messiah, and death is a transition to eternal life with God.
* Trusting God’s plan: For the Believer death is not the end, but a passage to something greater. In 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, Paul speaks about being ready to “finish the race” and “keep the faith,” with the understanding that a crown of righteousness awaits those who remain faithful. Living with the confidence that death is not final, but a step into God’s eternal presence, helps prepare us for the inevitable.
FEARED OR WELCOMED?
* Death as enemy and as gain: Death is sometimes referred to as the “last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26), but for Christians, it is also seen as gain. There is tension between fear and hope. Death is something to be mourned (as seen in the mourning for Lazarus in John 11) because it is the consequence of the sin and brokenness of this world. On the other hand, the New Testament offers specific hope because death is overcome through Jesus’ victory over the grave.
In Philippians 1:23, Paul expresses a desire to depart and be with Messiah, which he says is “far better.” He is not afraid of death but welcomes it as the final step toward being with Jesus; not from a desire to escape life’s difficulties, but because of profound hope that physical death leads to eternal life with God.
* Fear of death: While Christians are encouraged not to fear death, the Bible recognizes that it can still be difficult. Hebrews 2:14-15 affirms that Messiah’s resurrection destroyed the power of death, freeing those held “all their lives held in slavery by the fear of death.” For Believers, fear of death is ultimately overcome by Messiah’s victory.
* Faith and peace at the end of life: A key aspect of dying well in Christian understanding is having peace with God at the end of life. In 2 Corinthians 5: 6-8, Paul speaks of being confident and at peace with the reality of death, saying, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” indicating his deep trust that, for the Believer, death leads to perfect communion with God.
RESURRECTION
The ultimate Christian hope is resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 both emphasize the reality of resurrection. The hope of eternal life through the resurrection of Messiah Jesus transforms the Christian view of death. Jesus promises, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19), giving Believers hope and confidence, even as they face the physical reality of dying.
Revelation 21: 4 tells us God will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” This vision of the future encourages Christians to face mortality with the assurance that death is not the end of the story, but the passage into eternal joy with God.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
True Believers should not be enslaved by the fear of death. If we are, this surely indicates something amiss in our spiritual life, or that we are simply immature, lacking trust. When temporal ‘health services’ offer us euthanasia (euphemistically ‘assisted dying’), as Believers we should not avail ourselves of such. The right to give life and to take it away is God’s alone.
When we face death we might avoid elective surgery/treatments that artificially extend life beyond what God has naturally given. The correct course to treat excessive pain is surely – and logically – to access artificial pain relief, even in the knowledge that the build up of pain relief drugs may speed our passing from this life. But that is not the same as actively seeking death. Clarity about “The Liverpool Pathway” (in the UK, but similar strategies are used in other countries) and making personal wishes known well in advance is to face up to the reality of death. But most of all for the Believer, there is the power of prayer that God will Himself graciously intervene and govern the manner of our passing from this world.
Finally we should be realistic about when to pray for complete healing and when to consciously hand our loved ones back to our Father and say, “not my will be done, but thy will be done”. I well recall a Christian lady who told me her husband had hovered between life and death for some days after a massive heart attack. Many Believers were praying for healing but with no discernable result. The lady finally offered up the prayer just mentioned, saying “Lord, I would like him back, but if it is Your time for him, then I am content”. Her husband recovered and they were granted five more happy years together. Praise God for His wisdom, and for His overruling.
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Peter Sammons is author of “Last Days and End Times – Making the Connection”, published by Christian Publications International.
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