On the Strange Christian View of Death
and the last end that makes all things new
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/ Your Redemption Draws Near (Luke 21:28)
My favorite, and perhaps the most important verse on the Second Coming.
/ On the Strange Christian View of Death
We Christians criticize the world’s thinking about death. It hides death, pretends like we will never die, and tucks dying people around the corner in nursing homes. But then there is October, and everyone’s front-yards turn into cemetaries and the sets for horror movies. Our culture tries to use death therapeutically (consider abortion and euthanasia).
But the world might bring a similar critique to the church. “You guys are goofy about death. On the one hand, you march for life, your protest abortion and euthanasia. You call for an end to the culture of death. But then, when the Christian is dying, they rejoice. And you celebrate All Saints. What’s your deal? Do you like death or hate it? Is it good or bad? Do you fight against it or do you welcome it?”
We answer, “Yes.”
Our Christian perspective on death has a number of layers.
First, we know that death is not natural; it is the punishment for sin. “On the day you eat it, dying you will die.” “The wages of sin is death.” Death is a consequence of disobedience. It is the result of sin.
Second, we fight for life. That we are created in the image of God makes every human life precious and valuable. (See Genesis 9:5-7) Protecting life is the vocation given to each of us in the 5th Commandment. We fight for all lives of all people from conception to natural death.
Third, the fear of death consists, chiefly, in the judgment to follow, but through His death and resurrection, Jesus has destroyed the fear and power of death. (Hebrews 2:14). He has taken away the fear of death, and this transforms death, for the Christian. It is no longer a threat, but a gift, the normal way that the Lord brings is from this life to the next. (See The Sweet Names of Death.) So the Christ prays for a blessed death (“Deliver us from evil.”) and hopes for the gift of death (“To live is Christ, to die is gain.”).
Fourth, death remains the enemy, and the abolishing of death is the final victory (1 Corinthians 15:26). The Last Day will be the last day of death, and then the New Heavens and New Earth where death is no more.
All this means that the Christian treats death as an enemy and a friend.
The best picture I’ve cooked up is this. Imagine a guy trying to break into your house. You do everything to prevent it. You lock the windows. You close all the doors. You train a guard dog, you are yourself. You booby-trap the stairs with ice. Death is this thief, and we are doing everything we can to prevent him breaking in.
But then, when death knocks on the front door, we open it, and welcome him like an old friend that we’ve been waiting for. Since the resurrection of Jesus, death is God’s death, not threatening and destroying, but bringing us to the joy and bliss Jesus promises.
I preached about this last week. If you’d like, you can listen here: https://www.stpaulaustin.org/sermons/sermon-for-all-saints-2/
/ Memory Verse Challenge
Did you know the LCMS has a weekly memory verse challenge? That’s great! Learn more here: https://www.lcms.org/worship/memory-verse-challenge.
This week’s verse is Revelation 21:4. Beautiful.
/ Most People Get This Wrong about the Reformation
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Christ is Risen!
Pastor Wolfmueller
Psalm 27:4
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Our Theological recommendation is to listen to the evening prayer on KFUO at 6pm EST. It is so amazing right when the sun is going down. It is also on You Tube too. I'm trying to memorize that .... so far not quite there yet.
Hi. I enjoyed this read. I am glad you are on Substack. I like this platform. I found I am getting into some difficult waters here in subscriptions having to withdraw from those subscriptions. Do you know of any other like-minded Substackers that I can follow? I found one church I really like, and you. I would like to have more of a community of us here following each other here.
I've followed you for a long time on YouTube although I haven't commented there.
Also, something I learned a long time ago about the word "death" helps me out a lot when reading scripture. There are two definitions of death. One is the physical death and one is the eternal separation from God. I always ponder which death a Scripture means when reading. It is amazing how much difference the meaning of a verse is when you consider that the word death means "eternal separation from God." I think you are referencing those two kinds in your post, although not stated that way.