GOD'S EVERLASTING LOVE Death is the necessary consequence of Adam's sin, and has been passed upon all men. "Wherefore, as BY ONE MAN sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom 5:12). Again, "For if BY ONE MAN'S offense death reigned BY LONE . . . " (5:17). The reality and inevitability of death, therefore, are not to be questioned. – Tomorrow:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, NKJV)
Although it may appear to be a mere technical point, it is one emphasized by the Spirit in the above text. Men die because Adam sinned. Death entered the world by him and reigned because of him. It is true, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned – but they sin because of their relation to Adam.
In order to attest to the factuality of the unseen world, two men – and only two – was exempted from death: Enoch and Elijah – one before the Law, and one during the Law (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5; 2 Kgs 2:1-11). They did not cease to exist. In fact, Elijah appeared on the mount of transfiguration with Moses, speaking with Jesus concerning the death He was to "accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31). Interestingly, there is no indication that either Moses or Elijah knew anything about Christ's death while they were in the body. At least neither of them ever spoke or wrote about it. It is obvious from their conversation with Jesus that somewhere between leaving the world and appearing with Jesus, their knowledge had increased. If that was not the case, Jesus would have done all of the talking.
There will also be an entire generation that will not see death in the ordinary sense of the word – namely those who are "alive and remain" to the coming of the Lord (1 Thess 4:15-17). Even then, that generation will be "changed," being given new bodies (1 Cor 15:51-52). Apart from these exceptions, "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb 9:27). The thought has occurred to me how thankful I am we are only appointed to die "once." There is a "second death" (Rev 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8), but it is not an appointment. Rather, it is the result of choosing to reject what God freely gives through Christ Jesus.
While the appointment to death is common for all men, the manner in which they die is not. Abel was murdered (Gen 4:8). Abraham died "in a good old age" and in peaceful circumstances (Gen 25:8). The mighty prophet Elisha died of a sickness (2 Kgs 13:14). King Asa died of a disease in his feet because "he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians" (2 Chron 16:12). Stephen died a prolonged death by being stoned (Acts 7:58-65). Some were "sawn asunder" and "slain with the sword" (Heb 11:37). James the Apostle was killed with a sword by Herod (Acts 12:2). The "prophets of the Lord" were cut off by wicked Jezebel (1 Kgs 18:4). Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, died of an extended illness (John 11:6,13). All experiences of death are certainly not the same, and we should not approach them as though they were.
Death separates us from the world. In it we are separated from our worldly possessions, and from our family and friends. For those in Christ, it also separates them from pain, sorrow, trouble, and all enemies. Death separates the spirit and soul from the body. Yet, with all of that, it cannot separate us from the love of God! That is, it cannot interfere with the EXPERIENCE of the love of God, for unless that love is experienced, it has no effect upon the individual, and brings no glory to God.
If it is true, as some affirm, that in death the whole person lies inactive and unconscious in the grave, then death has, in fact, separated them from the love of both God and Christ. God, of course, is "not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt 22:32). No Scriptural text suggests that God's love ceases to be experienced at or after death. In fact, Paul preferred dying to living – he preferred being absent from the body to remaining in it. If death moved him into an inactive and unconscious state, he preferred inactivity to activity, and unconsciousness to consciousness. In such a case, knowing Christ, for which he suffered the loss of all things, counting them but dung, would be willingly forfeited in preference of a state in which that holy familiarity could not be realized. In my judgment, such a doctrine is too close to earth and too far from heaven.
In death, the promise of God holds true: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor 10:13). It is true – and it is possible to be persuaded of it – that death cannot separate us from the love of God. It may be attended by unusual misery, but it cannot drive a wedge between you and God's love for you! Death cannot bring us where God's love cannot reach us! I do not doubt that there are lofty experiences that can only be realized when we leave the body.
Among other things, this confirms the love of God does not necessarily exempt us from hard experiences. We should not allow the devil to deceive us on this matter. When it appears as though we have been counted as sheep for the slaughter, and when we are required to pass through circumstances that may even terminate in our death, we still have not been separated from the love of God. God's love for Abel did not relieve him of a hard death, nor did it do this for John the Baptist and Stephen. Sometimes His great love is seen in supporting those who are in seemingly impossible circumstances.
Because of erroneous teaching and conceptions in this matter, I have known of people who have ceased to trust and serve God because a loved one died, whom they thought should not have died. In their case, the death of someone whom THEY respected and relied upon took place. Yet, even in that circumstance, neither the ones who passed away, nor those who dearly cared for them, were separated from the love of God. Faith can receive this.
Some of the greatest expressions of faith have occurred when people died. Jacob blessed his sons "when he was dying" (Heb 11:21). Stephen prayed for those who were killing him while he was dying (Acts 7:60). When his death drew near, Paul confessed, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim 4:7). Rather than separating us from the love of God, death can actually accentuate His love!
This reference to death confirms that Satan will seek to work aggressively at that time to drive us from the Lord. He will try to constrain us to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). He will promote despair, unbelief, and fear at that time. Yet, in all of his efforts, he is absolutely impotent to separate us from the love of God in our death. Whatever may seem to pass from us while we are dying, the love of God will become more firm at that time. I have also considered the loving commission of holy angels to minister to the saints of God during their life (Heb 1:13-14). Surely those faithful servants who ministered consistently to us while we were in the body, will not forsake us when we come to fight our last battle. They will rally to the cause, seeing to it that we can focus our energies on believing God. Even in death, we will not be separated from the love of God!
PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus Christ, I thank You for Divine love that is stronger than death, cannot be interrupted by death, and that makes death bearable.