Free From the Fear of Death
Our home page says this site is filled with good news. Today’s post is one example. If you or someone you know is afraid of dying, this post is for you. In The FUD Factor (May 4), we said the only reason to fear death is if you don’t know where you go after you die.
First, can we agree on some basics? One, everybody dies. Two, nobody knows when they will take their last breath. Three, there is an afterlife. (Some may not believe this point. But, for the sake of argument, assume it’s true.) Fourth, there are no second chances. Fifth, we can know positively where we go when we die.
Proof Text
My only proof text is the Bible. If you struggle with its veracity, then you’re not likely to be convinced by anything I say. But if you can accept that every word of it is true, then this will make a lot of sense to you.
There are many verses that support my position, but I’ve chosen one that covers most of the points: “…it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…” (Heb. 9:27). We all die…once. There is no reincarnation, no limbo, no appellate court. God assigned a finite number of days for each of us before we were born, “…and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps. 139:16). After we die, we stand before God in judgment. If all we have are our good deeds to present as evidence why we should be allowed into heaven, we’re in trouble.
The Bible says, “…all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6). Jesus said, “I am the [only] way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). If there is “nothing” when we die, what would be the purpose of judgment? We could say, like the rich man in Jesus’ parable, “…soul…eat, drink and be merry” (Luke 12:19). But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you” (v.20).
After we die
If there were nothing after we die, Paul’s word to the Corinthians would be our legacy, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (I Cor. 15:19). But pity is NOT our legacy. HOPE is. The writer of Hebrews places an exclamation mark on this hope, “…that through death He (Christ) might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Heb. 2:14,15).
The past 18 months have been filled with racial tension, people and groups fanning the flames of hatred, and lots of references to slavery. The truth is, we’re all slaves to something. “Do you not know…you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Rom. 6:16) There are only two camps, a conscious choice of righteousness, or the default of sin. One leads to heaven, the other to hell.
That covers the first four. Let’s end with the most important one: You can know positively where you’ll spend eternity. John 14:6 tells us that Jesus is the only way to God. Good deeds, or works, as we’ve seen, won’t do it. Church attendance, baptism, money, volunteering for good causes all fall into the category of “works,” none of which is acceptable payment of the entry fee to heaven. The standard that God accepts is perfection—not one single sin our whole life. Impossible? For us, yes. But Jesus came to earth as a flesh and blood man, lived a perfect life, then died to pay the price—the entrance fee to heaven—for all men who come to Him in humility and repentance. He said, “…the one who come to Me I will certainly not cast out (John 6:37).” That’s a promise for anyone.
Believe it or not…
If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and you fear death, take time to ponder this post. Look up the scripture verses. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding and meditate on the following promises of God. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I Jn. 1:9 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” I Jn. 5:13
If you’re not sure about all this, it could be that you don’t know Jesus personally. We have a page, Steps to Salvation that goes into a more detailed explanation of how you can know for sure that you’ll go to heaven when you die. Once that question is settled, the fear of the future, the unknown and your final destination will be replaced with confidence and a joyous expectation of meeting Jesus face to face. Thanks for reading.