hating death

If you read/watch the news it's hard to ignore the black eyes. It is clear that there are tremendous amounts of loss happening around the world. The death toll is Syria is at 7,500 and climbing. Three high school students in Ohio were killed and two others injured at the hands of a fellow student. A church in Africa was the target of a bombing killing some of its congregants. And those are only a few cases with many more completely unknown.

The Bible does reveal why death is a reality of life. Sin ushered in the reign of death (Romans 5:12). Christians can (and should) be honest about this fact. But our response to death should mimic Christ's response: anger and grief. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled (John 11:33). Jesus was angry about death. It was not part of God's good creation, and it brought pain and agony (as He would know better than anyone). This anger led Him to grieve over death and its effects.  

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb (John 11:38). It also led Jesus to act. He raised Lazarus from the dead showing the life found in the kingdom of God, and foreshadowing His own final victory over death. While we may not be called to raise people from the dead (though God's Spirit is more than able), we are called to pray for and share the message of life with those affected by death. And since death affects everyone, no one gets left out.

For while death will remain a reality until Christ comes back, it does not need to be the final reality. For Christ removed the sting and victory of death (1 Corinthians 15), so that we might never know it fully. And because of Christ, we can look forward to the day when sin and death are no more.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:3-5)