Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– George Macdonald
The Soul and Body
The soul and the body are not the same thing, any more than my thoughts are not the grey matter in my brain. Jesus once warned, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28), so obviously, the body can be destroyed but the soul lives on in one of only two places (Rev 20:12-15; 21:8; Rev 22). We who have trusted in Christ need not fear death…it is only a beginning and one without end.
Eternal Life
When Jesus said that whoever would believe in Him would have eternal life (John 3:16), I don’t think He meant a temporary life you could lose. If Jesus gives you eternal life and you lose it, was it really eternal? I don’t think Jesus would give eternal life and then take it back again. That is contrary to biblical doctrine (John 6:37, 39; 10:28-29). The Scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) and not, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, unless they blow it.”
No Separation
The Bible says that we who believe have peace with God because the condemnation has been lifted (Rom 5:1, 8:1), so now we can ask, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword” (Rom 8:35)? Nope, in fact, “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39).
The Coming Glory
I cannot wait to see the resplendent, Shekinah glory of Jesus Christ, and I’m sure you can’t wait either. Paul writes to the Roman Christians who were suffering from severe persecution and trying to encourage them by writing, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18). We’re not the only ones eagerly waiting this day as “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19) and we are they; the sons and daughters of God!
Conclusion
Why fear death? For the believer we have nothing to fear because it’s only going to be better…off the charts better. For those who have never been brought to repentance and faith in Christ, they should fear death for if they refuse to repent and believe, they have the wrath of God abiding on them (John 3:36b), so I plead with those who are not saved, make today your day of salvation to trust in Christ, because tomorrow may never come for you.
