Is it a sin to fear death?

[Ddavid from NC]

People pray hard and we solicit prayer feverishly when we or someone we know is facing a health crisis that could lead to death. It seems that some are praying motivated from a fear of death or desire to avoid the cessation of physical life. Is it a sin to respond in this way? Certainly, faith in God that is required prays for holiness or separation from this sinful world. Scriptures say that we are supposed to yearn for the Redemption of our souls. Is this something to pray Lord stall or Lord hasten that day according to you will?

[Sir Gareth]

I do not think it is a sin to pray for healing of those with terminal illness.

In the Gospels Jesus healed many with leoprosy and other terminal diseases, he also raised many people from the dead.

When he went to raise Lazarus from the dead he even wept, showing he was sad when someone he cared for died. We are urged to act as much like Christ as humanly possible in the epistles and if Christ can mourn and heal diseases and raise people from the dead then I don't see why he would be upset with us for praying for similar things.

[Ddavid from NC]

I do not think it is a sin to pray for healing of those with terminal illness.

In the Gospels Jesus healed many with leoprosy and other terminal diseases, he also raised many people from the dead.

When he went to raise Lazarus from the dead he even wept, showing he was sad when someone he cared for died. We are urged to act as much like Christ as humanly possible in the epistles and if Christ can mourn and heal diseases and raise people from the dead then I don't see why he would be upset with us for praying for similar things.

We are probably starting another thread with this comment. But did Jesus weep because of grief related to death or unbelief of those who doubted Him and the Sovereignty of God. Afterall, He delayed His arrival and announced why. The content of His prayer IMO reveals the emotion that brought tears. Paraphrase: Father show these people who you are and who I am...

[Deepblue]

People pray hard and we solicit prayer feverishly when we or someone we know is facing a health crisis that could lead to death. It seems that some are praying motivated from a fear of death or desire to avoid the cessation of physical life. Is it a sin to respond in this way? Certainly, faith in God that is required prays for holiness or separation from this sinful world. Scriptures say that we are supposed to yearn for the Redemption of our souls. Is this something to pray Lord stall or Lord hasten that day according to you will?

I don't see how it is at all wrong to pray and ask the one and only Person who has the ability to save one from physical death if someone is dying of an illness. It isn't wrong at all. I guess you are saying that some people ignore God but when a crisis arrives they begin to pray like never before. Perhaps situations like these can serve as a wake up call to start relying on God more. Each person and each situation is unique.

[traveller]

This is a good subject.

I think that many times when a person prays for the recovery of a terminal person it is out of not wanting to be seperated from them. If it is out of fear of death, then that person has an incomplete vision of death, or of God's will in our lives.

I recently lost my dear dear friend and uncle to brain cancer. We all knew he was dying and simply spent time with him making his last days comfortable and enjoyable. We (he and I) discussed things of God, of life and family, of the afterlife. He knew that we were not praying for his recovery, but were praying for his comfort and for strength for the family to let him go home.

In the end, I thanked the Lord for equipping my uncle with the desire and the strength to remain in the race until the end.

Dying is not to be feared. It is our beginning, a glorious adventure that we should anticipate with hope.

Phl 1:21 For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain.

We all have a fear of the unknown, I suppose, but we are not ignorant of who our God is. This is His plan, and we should place our faith in the One who has it all prepared for us.

[Ddavid from NC]

People pray hard and we solicit prayer feverishly when we or someone we know is facing a health crisis that could lead to death. It seems that some are praying motivated from a fear of death or desire to avoid the cessation of physical life. Is it a sin to respond in this way? Certainly, faith in God that is required prays for holiness or separation from this sinful world. Scriptures say that we are supposed to yearn for the Redemption of our souls. Is this something to pray Lord stall or Lord hasten that day according to you will?

I don't see how it is at all wrong to pray and ask the one and only Person who has the ability to save one from physical death if someone is dying of an illness. It isn't wrong at all. I guess you are saying that some people ignore God but when a crisis arrives they begin to pray like never before. Perhaps situations like these can serve as a wake up call to start relying on God more. Each person and each situation is unique.

I see nothing wrong about praying for the sick or the dying or requesting that God heal someone. My topic is an examination of what motivates the prayers. I believe a person can pray for healing and their motivation is not fear but a desire to finish a divine assignment of some sort. So my line of questioning is not a fatalistic approach to sickness and death where you just accept it, but an examination of desperation prayers because you don't want to die (fear).

[Believer1997]

Good subject and great question. I think we should pray for God's Will to be done. If that is to heal or to bring Home. I always try to pray for His Will to be accomplished - it's one of the hardest lessons I've had to learn in being a Christian - but it's all about Trusting God, I think.

[O'Dannyboy]

I would not say I am afraid of death but I certainly am afraid of being in such pain that I would wish for death.

[nebula]

People pray hard and we solicit prayer feverishly when we or someone we know is facing a health crisis that could lead to death.

Jesus healed people who were sick and who were dying.

It seems that some are praying motivated from a fear of death or desire to avoid the cessation of physical life. Is it a sin to respond in this way?

No.

There's a verse about the death of the Lord's saints is precioius to Him. And there's a verse about Him holidng our tears in a bottle.

Death is a doorway to the spirit-realm. It is vry powerful, and very moving. It also tears you apart to lose someone you love to death.

The Lord does use death for His purposes, but you will see in Scripture that "death" is called an enemy and will one day be destroyed.

Certainly, faith in God that is required prays for holiness or separation from this sinful world. Scriptures say that we are supposed to yearn for the Redemption of our souls. Is this something to pray Lord stall or Lord hasten that day according to you will?

Actually, you can't make a blanket statement to answer individual cases. In everything we pray concerning, we need to seek the Lord' direction, to seek His will on how we should pray.

I know of people who pray over people and people are healed who will testify that sometimes the Lord tells them to pray for something different than the healing they were initially praying for.

If we are praying for an unsaved person, of course we need to pray for the redemption of their souls. But, what if the unsaved person has a receptive heart and being healed will be the touch they need to let go of their lives and give it over to the Lord?

[EricH]

There is probably no single answer to this question. It would depend on what the object of the fear is.