“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13)
For the Christian, death is a matter of falling asleep in this life and waking in the next. It is the process of being freed from this body of sin and death (Rom. 7:24) and being transformed into a new body. It is the point at which a child of the kingdom moves into the house of the Father (2 Cor. 5:8), and when we see our Savior face to face (1 Cor. 13:12).
Lewis Bayly rightly said, “Consider that there are three things that can make death fearful to you: the loss you have by death, the pain of death, and the terrible effects of death afterward. For the Christian, all these are causeless fears.”
Whatever goods we accumulate in this life cannot compare with the treasures that await us in heaven. These earthly “treasures” are merely lent to us anyway. We are their stewards. Losing our earthly possessions and comfortable homes at death only means that we will be exchanging them for a kingly inheritance and a mansion of brilliant glory that Christ prepared particularly for us (John 14:2). Further, this heavenly inheritance can never be taken away (Matt. 6:19-20).
Another reason the prospect of death can elicit fear is because it often follows a protracted and painful illness. But no matter how much we may suffer before we die, God promises to never leave His own. He promises that in our weakness He will perfect His strength (2 Cor. 12:9). And He promises never to put more on us than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13).
In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 Paul tells of his experience with an unnamed and ongoing struggle, most likely some tormenting illness from which he was expected to die. And yet God gave Him grace to accept it and manage it (2 Cor. 12:9).
Sometimes God gives us grace to bear through such times and sometimes He allows them to run their course and take us home to be with Him. Either way, we Christians can set the anchor of our hope on the firm ground of the Word of God and His promises, knowing that in His time God will turn all our temporary pain into His eternal joy.
We may also have concerns about the sorrow and grief that those left behind experience after our passing. But in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Paul says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Paul explains that believers who pass this life merely go to “asleep.” In other words, any current separation from our Christian loved ones is only temporary. We will be with them again one day in a place where there is no more dying, no more pain, and no more tears of grief.
And even in our sorrow we have hope, for by His resurrection, Christ removed the sting of death for the Christian (Rom. 8:1; John 5:24). Christ paid the sin debt for those who believe, thereby removing its associated consequence – eternal death in the lake of fire. Those who believe are not condemned to this death but are transformed to eternal life. In Christ there is no true death (Isa. 25:8), because whoever lives and believes in Christ shall never [really] die (John 11:26).
As believers, let us remember that when this life is over we will be ushered into the tangible Kingdom of God where we will have rest with the saints in heaven for eternity. If we truly believe what God says about death, how can we then fear it? Death has no power over us. The resurrected Christ, by His victory over death, secured our own victory over the same (1 Cor. 15:20).
For everyone who believes in Christ as Savior, death is nothing more than the portal that translates us into His kingdom and life everlasting. For to be absent here is to be present there. “…to be absent from the body [is] to be present with the Lord,” (2 Cor. 5:8).
- Lord, Your Holy Spirit says, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; from henceforth they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.” If I am faithful before You, I can be sure that death is swallowed up in victory, and the sting of death, which is sin and its punishment, is taken away by Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:54).
- Lord, I find it interesting that in Scripture death is referred to as sleep and rest (1 Thess. 4:13; Isa. 26; Rev. 14). Death is the journey where my soul leaves this body of dust and goes to live with my heavenly Father (Luke 2:29; 2 Cor. 5; Phil. 1:23). How can I respond, but “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!”
- There is much pain in this world. We experience pain from our aging bodies, emotional pain from trauma, etc. Pain is a serious consideration in thinking about death, and yet any pain I experience is but temporary travails that will bring forth eternal life in me. There is nothing after death that I need to fear. I do not fear my sins, because Christ paid my ransom. I do not fear You as a Judge, for You are my heavenly Father and Christ is my loving brother. I do not fear the grave, for You conquered death. I do not fear hell, because there is no condemnation due me. I do not fear the devil, for Your holy angels set their tents about me, and they will not leave me until they bring me to heaven. I am never nearer to eternal life than I am in this life as a Christian who is ready to die, for I know that means I will merely go to sleep here and wake to see Your face.
- Help me to glorify You, Lord Jesus, by a blessed death. Help me to say cheerfully, “Come, Lord Jesus, for Your servant is willing and ready to come to You. Lord, help me in my weakness.”
Further References for 1 Thess. 4:13
Eph. 2:12; Dan. 12:2; Rom. 1:13; Job 11:16; Ps. 138:7
