What does the Bible say about death and how Christians should think of it?
Death is inevitable, and the question of what happens when someone dies lingers in people's minds. Christians believe in the Bible and what it says about death. And there are numerous verses from the Holy Book that talk about the phenomenon. So, what does the Bible say about death?
Source: UGC
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Death is a foe that visits everyone, including the small and the mighty. Many theories try to explain death, but none have proven true. Christians follow the Bible, which talks about death in many chapters.
What does the Bible say about death?
The Bible, being the Word of God, has many verses about death. Understanding what God says about death is reassuring, although the knowledge does not dispel any fears about dying. Below are Bible verses stating what Christians believe about death.
1. Death means life
In the Bible, Jesus resurrected the dead and shall resurrect his followers. The body is buried in the earth when believers die, but their spirit enters Heaven. 1 Corinthians 6:14:
God both raised the Lord and will also raise us by His power.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 teaches believers that death means life. It is written:
But now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive.
If God resurrected Jesus from the dead, we can trust He will resurrect his people, too. Their bodies are buried in the earth when they die, but their spirits will live for eternity.
2. Death is compared to sleep
The Bible compares death to sleep, saying that those who are dead are just sleeping and they will wake up again in the Lord. Paul talks to believers, instilling confidence that death is temporary to believers and they should have confidence in eternity. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Paul says:
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
3. The end of suffering
The Bible talks about death being the end of suffering for Christians. This promises believers that their pain, suffering and loss will cease to exist when they die. Revelation 21:4 says:
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, sorrow, or crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
4. Death leads believers into the presence of the Lord
Source: UGC
According to the Word of God, human bodies are temporary homes to their soul, and when they die, they will receive new bodies. The new body will not get tired, fall sick or grow weary. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 reminds Christians that to leave the body is to enter the presence of the Lord.
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
5. Death is the start of eternity with their maker
God, who created humankind, has always desired a relationship with man. He created a way for man to find salvation through the death of His Son, Jesus. Through Jesus, believers will not experience separation from God in eternity. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 says:
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
What does God tell us about death?
God speaks through his Word, the Bible. Below are some of God's words to believers about death.
1. People go to Heaven or Hell when they die
According to Scripture, people do not go to the same place when they die. Those who believe in Him through Jesus Christ will be ushered in His presence in Heaven for eternity. All unbelievers will be ushered out of His presence into Hell for all eternity.
2. God never intended for people to die
The Scripture says that God designed humans to have a relationship with him and live eternally. His creation was more intent than the creation of the universe: Genesis 2:7 says:
Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
Psalm 139 says:
He knit together our inmost being that He knows us fully and searches our depths.
These passages talk about a loving Father deeply involved with His creation. However, death came as a result of man sinning against God.
3. People should not fear death
The Bible encourages believers not to live in fear, confusion, or uncertainty. Living in Christ offers a future free of sickness, pain, and sorrow because Jesus has paid the price.
4. Christians will overcome death
God created humankind free of sin and death before they rebelled against Him. Jesus reunited humanity with God through faith when he died on the cross. Believers will be raised from death just like Jesus resurrected. Romans. 6:5 says:
Since we have been united with Him in His death through faith, we will also be raised to life as He was.
What happens after death, according to the Bible?
Christians use the Bible as a tool for soothing stress and fear that comes from the unknown when it comes to death. It states that people lose all senses, emotions, and thoughts when they die. They rest peacefully as the spirit that makes them alive leaves their bodies and goes back to God, waiting for the resurrection. Ecclesiastes 12:7 states:
The spirit will return to God, who gave it.
What does the Bible say about when a person dies?
The thought of the death of yourself or your loved ones can be hard. However, the Bible comforts believers by explaining that people who die are asleep, waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus. When Christ returns, He will raise them from the dead first, and they will ascend to Heaven with believers still alive. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord that we who are alive and who are left until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
What does the Bible say about dying before your time?
Source: UGC
When you study the Bible, you will discover that God knows when everyone will die, and it's his desire for people to live longer. The Word of God speaks about people who die before their time. It warns that engaging in wickedness can lead to an early death. In Ecclesiastes 7:17, the Bible says:
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
On the other hand, a righteous man can die before his time to be saved from calamity. According to Isaiah 57:1-2:
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds and walk uprightly.
Many wonder, "What does the Bible say about death?" The Bible has much to say about death and its meaning to believers. It assures them of eternal life and that death is like a deep sleep.
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