What is Death to a Believer?

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Heb. 2:14-15 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Deep down, all of us are actually afraid of death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a prince or a pauper, everyone is reduced to the same level at the end of their life. This is because our bodies would not let us that it should die. Even our Lord Jesus, while praying in the Garden and facing His own death, was in great agony since the will of His flesh would not let Him suffer on the cross. But then He conquers death. And therefore all of us also who are in Him should not fear death.

Consider these following contrast between the unbelievers and the believers facing their own deaths:

UNBELIEVERS:

1. “I am abandoned by God and man! Doctor, I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months’ life. I shall go to hell!’ (VOLTAIRE)

2. “What blood, what murders, what evil counsels have I followed! I am lost; I see it well!” (CHARLES IX)

3. “I would give worlds, if I had them, if the Age of Reason had never been published. O Lord, help me! Christ, help me! It is hell to be left alone!” (TOM PAYNE)

4. “Oh, that I were to lie upon the fire that never is quenched a thousand years, to purchase the favor of God and be reunited to Him again! … Oh, eternity, eternity! forever and forever! Oh, the insufferable pangs of hell!” (SIR FRANCIS NEWPORT)

5. “The science to which I pinned my faith is bankrupt. Its counsels which should have established the millennium, led, instead, directly to the suicide of Europe. I believed them once. In their name I helped to destroy the faith of millions of worshippers in the temples of a thousand creeds. And now they look at me and witness the great tragedy of an atheist who has lost his faith.’ (GEORGE BERNARD SHAW)

BELIEVERS:

1. “How bright the room! How full of angels!” (MARTHA McCRACKEN)

2. “The sun is setting; mine is rising. I go from this bed to a crown. Farewell.” (S. B. BANGS)

3. “Can this be death? Why, it is better than living! Tell them I die happy in Jesus.” (JOHN ARTHUR LYTH)

4. “Oh, that I could tell you what joy I possess! I am full of rapture. The Lord doth shine with such power upon my soul. He is come! He is come!” (Mrs. MARY FRANCES)

5. And my favorite…the death bed words of the great Christian, D.L Moody.

“Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!” His son who was standing by his bedside said, “No, no father, you are dreaming.” “No,” said Mr. Moody, “I am not dreaming; I have been within the gates; I have seen the children’s faces.” A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle, he spoke again: “This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!” (D.L.MOODY)