DEATH: HOW CAN WE OVERCOME IT?

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Death is one of the most profound fears that humanity has faced since the beginning of time. Deep down, all of us have this fear, an instinctive aversion to the idea that one day we, too, will pass away. People spend much of their lives trying to avoid, delay, or deny the inevitability of death. The desire for immortality is woven into our cultures, stories, and even technological advancements. Yet, despite all human efforts, death comes to both the prince and the pauper alike. Why? Because our physical bodies are programmed to die. But the Bible also tells us that not every one of us will die (1 Cor. 15:51). Some of us will not experience death (1 The. 4:15-17). And this is the Truth.

But the question remains: why do we instinctively resist death? Why do we mourn so deeply when a loved one dies, and why did even the Lord Jesus, while praying in Gethsemane, express anguish over His impending death? These feelings point us to this profound truth: death was never a part of God’s original design of us. We were created for life, not for death.

In 1 Corinthians 15:26, Paul calls death “the last enemy to be destroyed.” This reveals something crucial: death is not a part of God’s plan. It is an enemy. It is an enemy of God. It is our enemy. It is not in the original attribute of humanity; rather, it is an invader, an enemy of God’s eternal purposes. Death is not part of the Truth.

God is eternal, and anything that is not part of Him is temporary. Death, therefore, is temporary. It is a temporary enemy, destined to be destroyed. Therefore, death is not a creation of God, rather, it is the absence of Life. Just as darkness is the absence of light, death on the other hand, is the absence of Life.

So, what is death? If it is not part of God’s plan, and if it is not eternal, how should we understand it? In simple words, DEATH IS A SEPARATION.

We see the first instance of death in the Bible not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual. Revelation 12:9-12 and Jude 1:6 describe how Satan and a third of the angels were cast out of heaven. They were cut away from heaven. They were separated from heaven. The fallen angels that were originally created from heaven, were separated from it. This was a form of death for them, a separation from the presence and life of God. They were alive but spiritually dead, unable to live in the fullness of God’s eternal life. This spiritual death is the root of all forms of death that followed.

The Bible describes three types of death:

1. Spiritual Death: This is a separation of Man’s spirit from God. Just as the Spirit of God could leave Old Testament saints (Psalm 51:11), spiritual death is the absence of God’s life-giving Spirit from our spirit. This is why the spirit of Man died during the fall. The Spirit of Man was separated from fellowship with the Spirit of God. And therefore, Man’s spirit died.

Ephesians 2:1 states, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.” This doesn’t mean people are physically dead, but that they are spiritually disconnected from God. This separation is the essence of death.

2. Physical Death: This is the separation of the spirit and the soul from our body, which leads to the body’s decay. This is also called “natural death.”

3. Death of the Soul (Second Death): This is the final and complete separation from God in eternity. This is the annihilation of the soul in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15).

REMEMBER THIS: IN THE SPIRITUAL SENSE, ONLY A DEAD PERSON CAN DIE IN HELL, BUT A LIVE PERSON WHO HAS ETERNAL LIFE, CANNOT GO TO HELL TO BE ANNHILATED. Adam died when he sinned because he had no Eternal Life in him. His spirit died. If in the beginning Adam and Eve have already Eternal Life, then they cannot die because the Life that’s in them is Eternal (without end). If Adam and Eve have life in them in the beginning and that life was cut off because of the fall, then that life that they have is not Eternal Life. Because Eternal Life cannot be cut off. What they have is soul-life (Greek: Psuche).

In the Garden of Eden when they are created, Adam and Eve have no Eternal Life. They have life but it is not Eternal Life. That life that they have was sustained through their fellowship with God. They were spiritually alive because God regularly fellowshipped with them. When they sinned, they were spiritually separated from God, resulting in the death of their spirits.

The only way Adam and Eve could have sustained eternal life was through the Tree of Life. However, they were first indwelt by sin, and death entered in them.

Paul echoes this sentiment in Romans 7:24 when he laments, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul recognized that sin was the root cause of his struggle and that he could not save himself. If we are the problem, we cannot also be the solution.

The story of Lazarus in John 11 illustrates how Jesus sees death and life. When Lazarus became ill, Jesus told His disciples that “This sickness will not end in death” (John 11:4). Even though Lazarus physically died, Jesus knew that death was not the final word. His intentionally waiting for two more days before going to Lazarus’ tomb shows that He was in complete control over the situation. He has complete control over death.

In John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” This shows His deep compassion for humanity’s experience with death. He understands our sorrow and pain, but He also knows that death is not the end for those who trust in Him. Through Lazarus, Jesus demonstrated that physical death can be overcome by the power of God.

1. The Spirit of Life Overcomes the Law of Death

Romans 8:1-2 gives us the key to overcoming death: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” The law of life in Christ sets us free from the bondage of death. When we are indwelt by Christ, we are no longer under the curse of sin that leads to death. Death has no more hold in us.

2. EternaL Life in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:1-4 teaches us that when this earthly tent (our physical body) is destroyed, we have a building from God, eternal in the heavens. Our mortal bodies will be swallowed up by life. This is the promise of immortality through the resurrection.

3. Victory Over Death

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 proclaims that death has been swallowed up in victory. Paul confidently declares, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Through Jesus Christ, death has been defeated, and the grave no longer has power over those who are in Him.

Even though we still face physical death, our hope is in the resurrection and the eternal life that Jesus gives. Psalm 73:26 reminds us: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Though our physical bodies may fail, we have the assurance that God is our eternal strength.

Death is not something we need to fear. In Christ, we are given the gift of eternal life. We overcome death by being connected to the source of life, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Physical death may come, but it is not the end. Our true victory lies in the eternal life that God offers through His Son.

When our Lord Jesus died and rose again, He destroyed the sting of death. Romans 5:10 reminds us that we are “saved by His life.” His resurrection life is what sets us free from the grip of death, both spiritual and physical. In Him, we have eternal life, and death no longer has the final say.

Death is the last enemy, but it has already been defeated. Through the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have overcome death, and we can live with the confidence that, even though our bodies may fail, our spirits are alive and secure in Him forever.