Where will death lead?

As the previous post indicates, I have a deep interest in what is referred to as "the persecuted church". These are disciples of Jesus, the Christ who suffer for His Name's sake in more than fifty countries in the world, today. Someone has estimated that more Christians died for their faith in the 20th century, than in the previous nineteen centuries combined! 

Even the former UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, MP, who ordered a report on the subject, accepted that persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near "genocide" levels. The review, led by the Bishop of Truro, estimated that one in three people suffer from religious persecution, and that Christians were the most persecuted religious group. Mr Hunt said he felt that "political correctness" had played a part in the issue not being confronted - something with which I would agree!

In 410 AD, the Germanic barbarians known as the Goths (yes, that's the origin of that word!! I often wonder if those who dress, and use make-up, in a particular manner, and go by that name, actually know of those from whom they take their name!) sacked the city of Rome. During the invasion, many disciples of Jesus were put to death in hideous and cruel ways - just as happens in 2019! In the midst of this terrible, and tragic, situation, the great theologian Augustine (354 - 430) wrote his classic volume The City of God. His reflections, from nearly sixteen centuries ago, are still relevant today.

Augustine wrote: "The end of life puts the longest life on a par with the shortest ... ... Death becomes evil only by the retribution which follows it. They, then, who are destined to die, need not inquire about what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them." 

During my tears in pastoral ministry, I dealt with many who were, themselves, dealing with death - either their own, or that of a loved one. What a difference there was between those who could look beyond death to an eternity with the One Whom they had loved for, in some cases, many decades; and those to whom death was something to be feared. And, by the way, what a difference it made to the funeral service that I was so often asked to conduct!

For the true disciple of Jesus, death is not a policeman hauling us off to court, but a servant ushering us into the presence of a loving Saviour. The apostle Paul understood this. He looked at life and death from the perspective of the Lord Jesus. Since he knew where death would take him, he could make the bold declaration: "Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Cor 15:51-57).

Every disciple of Jesus - whether we die quietly in our own bed, or are crucified, burnt, hanged, beheaded, or whatever - may have that same assurance. Because of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, we who have placed our trust in Him can look at death, not as a 'full stop', but as a 'comma' - that precedes  a glorious eternity with our Lord.

Perhaps you don't like to think of death - especially not your own!  But ignoring your death won’t stop it from happening—the mortality rate is still 100%! Medical advances can often extend lives, but no mortal lives forever. In the end, doctors lose every patient they treat. Your bank balance won't help; your social status won't help; your personal accomplishments won't help. George Soros will die; your favourite sporting celebrity will die; every film star will die. Eventually you, and everyone you love, will die. Until the rapture of the saints, every life on this earth ends in death.

So it is important that you know where you are going! You may believe that death is, indeed, a full stop; that when your mortal body breathes its last, there will be nothing. You may be in for a big surprise! I am saddened when I read, on social network sites, people wishing a deceased loved one "a happy heavenly birthday"; when I hear people say, with no evidence to support the claim, that someone who has, perhaps, been in a lot of pain, "is in a better place"; when I see comments about people being reunited with loved ones who died before them. 

That is why so many of these posts seek to point you to Jesus. Only in Him is there victory over death, and hell, and the grave. The anonymous writer of the great letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus wrote: "... we see Jesus, Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death , so that by the grace of God He might taste death for every one. ... ... ... Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same nature that, through death, He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage." (Heb 2:9, 14-15).

May all who do read this post experience the salvation that is available in Jesus, and know eternal life - even now! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have [note the present tense!] eternal life." (John 3:16).