As Christians, Scripture is to inform… guide… and help us in every life event (2 Pet 1:3-4). From my view, after many years of ministry, one of the most important things a believer can do is prepare themselves… AND THEIR FAMILY… for end of life issues. With that in mind, here are a few things to consider…
Get yourself ready NOW for end of life issues from a Biblical perspective. Drive the Biblical perspective of death deep into your heart AND communicate it to your family often (This will help them prepare for your death). You may want to write out (Longhand) what you want them to know after you have passed into glory. Death is not to be feared or cause anxiety for believers (1 Cor 15:50-57), when understood properly it is a time to be celebrated.
Paul wrote, “To live is Christ, to die is gain” (Phil 1:21), AND “To be absent from the body is to be present WITH THE LORD” (2 Cor 5:8). Believe this! Embrace it! Look forward to it! When a believer dies, they are ushered into God’s presence by at least two heavenly angels. This is the reason believers “walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil… because God is with them” (Through the presence of angels).
Paul also wrote regarding the death of others, that we should have a clear Biblical perspective of sorrowful HOPE (1 Thess 4:13-18). When our loved ones in Christ die, that is a good thing! God Himself is glad they have come home! They are comforted in God’s presence by the God of all comfort. At the same time… as a believer in Christ… you will be comforted as you go through the death event of your own loved one.
Another thing that will help you… and your loved ones… prepare for death is to meditate, and talk about, heaven regularly. In fact, longing for… thinking about… and talking about heaven (Jesus’ return) is an affirmation of a genuine conversion! There is in each Christian a longing… a desire… a hopeful expectation of what death brings about, to be IN GOD’S PRESENCE. Consider…
Ro 8:23 We ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
2 Tim 4:8 There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved (“Look forward to”) his appearing.
2 Cor 5:2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling…
Physically… in this life… the death event is less than a “sting.” We experience the “sting event,” but Paul questions… “Oh death where is your sting?” Death for a believer is the ultimate birth event! As a baby experiences the trauma of transition from the womb to life… how much greater the believer experiences the “trauma” of death to fullness of eternal life in God’s presence!
Honestly, I look forward to the day I die because I will be ushered by at least two angels into God’s presence. He will be glad to see me. All the junk of this life will be over… FOREVER. No more hardship or frustration or fear or anxiety or weeping. Only absolute joy, peace, happiness, love, and contentment. This life will be nothing more than a bad dream that is quickly forgotten. I will see Jesus! He will give me a crown! I will be given a new name that no one else has. Then I will hear from God Himself (Hopefully): “Well done good and faithful servant…”
This is a beautiful way to approach death for all of us as Christians. It is not to be feared but to be embraced. I find this very informative and encouraging, Br. Ron and will add this to my keeper file. I look forward to the follow up article. Thank you.