Human life passes through two sacred gates. These gates are birth and death. Although everyone goes through them, they both include something that mankind cannot understand. Both are essentially mysteries that demonstrate the insignificance of humans and the limitations of their understanding. In a sense, death is a more personal experience than birth, because while alive, humans are aware that death also applies to them and they can process it in their minds in advance.
Awareness of mortality and fear of death
Once, years ago, we were living the time of the Easter season and I explored Easter with our children. One day our daughter, who was very emotional even as a little girl, was crying in her room. I went to ask what was wrong with her. She said: “We’re not going to be killed or put to death or crucified, are we?” Like my daughter, many of us become aware of death as children. Especially when a loved one dies, it can come up. Handling grief is also important for children, and it is therefore good to discuss with them the fact that death is as natural a part of life as birth.
The fear of death is said to be a fear of the unknown, intensified by its inevitability. We have a need to try to control our lives and our existence, but death is one of the few things about ourselves over which we have no control. The fear of death can be triggered not only by the death of a loved one, but also by an accident or serious illness. So-called “near misses” can also trigger thoughts about what will happen to me if I die.
Some people prepare for death in concrete ways: building a coffin or urn, making a will or cataloguing their possessions. Working on temporal issues can also make the idea of death more familiar and easier to accept. Some people, such as the elderly or the terminally ill, approach death slowly, while others face it in the blink of an eye, without warning. But no matter how carefully you prepare, is it enough to bring balance and peace as death approaches?
What does the Bible teach about death?
The Bible recognizes several meanings for the word “death” or “to die.” There are many Greek expressions in the New Testament that mean death, and the Hebrew word “māwet” used in the Old Testament has multiple meanings. According to the Bible, there are three types of death.
1. Biological death
Medically speaking, death is the moment when life ends. It is the shutdown of vital functions and the departure of life from the body. Such “biological death” occurs numerous times in the Bible. For example, it is said of Abraham: “Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years” (Gen 25:8).
The Bible tells of a death which the dying person could have avoided if he had wanted to. I am, of course, talking about Jesus, who did not ‘lose his life’ but ‘gave’ it. John says: “He bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). And it is precisely because Jesus agreed to suffer and die that we can rejoice today, for he conquered death. Only on this basis do we have the opportunity to have our sins forgiven before God.
2. Eternal death
In the Bible, death is more than just biological death. The Book of Revelation tells of the second death, the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14, 14:11), which Jesus also refers to in Mark. 9:43. The second death refers to eternal, post-mortem death, which unbelievers will receive after the Last Judgment. In essence, the second death is eternal separation from God and the resulting suffering. It is also called darkness because it lacks the light of God.
Eternal death does not occur immediately after biological death, but biological death takes the soul to a kind of intermediate stage to await the day of resurrection. At the Last Judgment, all people will be divided into two groups: those who will go to eternal life with God and those who will be condemned to eternal death, or perdition (Matt. 25:31-56).
3. Spiritual death
Spiritual death can only occur while a person is alive, before the first and second death. Spiritual death means the departure of the Holy Spirit from a person’s innermost being while they are alive. In this, a person also loses their eternal share as an heir to Heaven. To the shepherd of the church in Sardis Jesus said, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1).
Spiritual death is always caused by unforgiven sins. Jesus’ brother James wrote: “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15). Sin separates man from God.
God gives living faith and the Holy Spirit to all people already in their mother’s womb. If a person, deceived by sin, later begins to act against his conscience and against God, his heart becomes hardened. Then his conscience stops warning him, and he no longer feels sorrow for his sins. Finally, the Holy Spirit departs from him. Unless he repents and finds forgiveness, he will lose his place among those whom Christ has reconciled in biological death. Therefore, man should primarily fear spiritual death and seek the kingdom of God in order to become its inhabitant and avoid eternal death.
“He’s asleep”
The “resurrection of the body” passage in the Creed is difficult for many. However, the Bible makes it clear that the resurrection of the dead is a basic concept of the doctrine (Hebrews 6:1-2). On the other hand, of what lies between biological death and resurrection, the Bible says little. In the Old Testament, this state is repeatedly referred to as ‘rest with the fathers’, where both believers and unbelievers go (e.g. 2 Kings 14:29). All the dead, therefore, “rest” until the day of resurrection.
The Son of God had the ability to see beyond biological death. The Bible tells of two instances where people were mourning the death of a loved one when Jesus arrived. Luke tells of the death of the daughter of a synagogue leader: “All the people were wailing and mourning for her. ‘Stop wailing’, Jesus said. ‘She is not dead but asleep’” (Luke 8:52).
Was Jesus mistaken? Another story shows that he was not: “He went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’ His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead’” (John 11:11-14). As the Son of God, Jesus knew that biological death is not final death. That is why it was possible for him to say: “He’s asleep”.
When Jesus raised the dead, it was not a resurrection, but a restoration of life to the old body. Jesus is still the first and only one to be resurrected, but the resurrection of all people, which he spoke of, will take place at the end of the world (e.g. John 6:44). As it happens, man will receive a spiritual body, the resurrection body, which Paul explains in great detail in 1 Corinthians 15. Among others, he says: “The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:46-47).
But not everyone in Corinth believed in the resurrection. To them Paul replied: “If it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? … For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins … Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
For believers, the morning of the resurrection is wonderful and the wait for it is short. My friend’s terminally ill son asked his father, “Dad, how long must I wait to see you again?” The father replied: “Just a blink of an eye”. This father was wise. He knew that after death there is no more time. Therefore, the resurrection will take place in the next moment after death. Jesus said to the man nailed to the cross beside him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
How to get rid of the fear of death?
The apostle Paul knew that he would soon face a violent death, but he wrote to his colleague Timothy: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing” (2 Tim 4:6-8). Paul had a living hope of resurrection as the fruit of his faith. But where can such peace be found?
The fear of death is a subconscious fear of punishment, of eternal death. Psalm 116 describes it as follows: “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Lord, save me!’”.
Hearing and believing words of forgiveness bring peace. Even in our time, I know that many people awaiting death have experienced horror as death approaches, but when a believer has preached to them forgiveness of sins in the name and blood of Jesus, a wonderful peace has descended upon the room. The author of the psalm continues: “… Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you … I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 116:3-9).
Even King David, who fell into many sins, mourned his sins (e.g. Psalms 6, 38 and 51). When his sins were forgiven, he sang: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion” (Psalm 103:2-4). For a believer, there is nothing frightening about death. A terminally ill friend of mine said in the midst of treatments: “I only have good choices: recovering and death”.
As I said, forgiveness brings peace to those who fear death. Therefore, “seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).
Jesus in turn said: “So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:19-21).
Author: Antti Halonen
Image: Credits: SRK