God's Gift of Death

[wyguy]

I was reading a wonderful book by Erwin Lutzer last night called "One Minute After You Die" (1997 Moody Press) and I came across something about death that I never considered before - death as a GIFT from God!

Quote:

"The Bible presents an entirely different picture of death that should give us hope. After Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually as well as physically. Sending them out of the garden, far from being an act of cruelty, was actually proof of God's kindness. We read, " ' Lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever' - therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken" (Genesis 3:22-23).

If Adam and Eve had eaten of the other special tree of the garden - the tree of life - they would have been immortalized in their sinful condition. They never would have qualified for the heaven that God wanted them to enjoy, Imagine living forever as sinners, with no possibility of redemption and permanent transformation. Although they would never have had to face the finality of death, they would have been condemned to a pitiful existence.

Thus God prevented Adam and Eve from eternal sinfulness by giving them the gift of death, the ability to exit this life and arrive safely in the wonderous life to come. Death, though it would appear to be man's greatest enemy, would in the end, prove to be his greatest friend. Only through death can we go to God (unless, of course, we are still living when Christ returns).

That is why Paul classified death as one of the possessions of the Christian. "For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God" (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). We should not be surprised that death is listed as one of the gifts that belongs to us. Only death can give us the gift of eternity." (chapter 3, pages 44-45)

How awesome is that?

[~candice~]

That is God's act of mercy. Delaying judgement until His perfect plan for redemption was revealed to us.

Praise the living God!

[sunnier]

Only when we die will we really begin to live our best life!! How wonderful it is to not be afraid of death. How wonderful indeed.

[wyguy]

Only when we die will we really begin to live our best life!! How wonderful it is to not be afraid of death. How wonderful indeed.

I don't fear death per se, but the process of dying is something I rather dread.

[Ascot Preston]

Only when we die will we really begin to live our best life!! How wonderful it is to not be afraid of death. How wonderful indeed.

I don't fear death per se, but the process of dying is something I rather dread.

If you mean by 'dying' physical aging, I agree.

Well, I do not really fear physical aging, but I do not like it either, it certainly is most unpleasant.

Speaking from experience here

As for the process of actually leaving this mortal body.

The pain is bearable, the process rather quick for most people....

unless some 'well meaning' medicos pull you back into this mortal realm

[wyguy]

Only when we die will we really begin to live our best life!! How wonderful it is to not be afraid of death. How wonderful indeed.

I don't fear death per se, but the process of dying is something I rather dread.

If you mean by 'dying' physical aging, I agree.

Well, I do not really fear physical aging, but I do not like it either, it certainly is most unpleasant.

Speaking from experience here

As for the process of actually leaving this mortal body.

The pain is bearable, the process rather quick for most people....

unless some 'well meaning' medicos pull you back into this mortal realm

I mean the actual act of dying.

I'm hoping to die quickly by getting a giant iron safe dropped on my head accidently by a coyote chasing a road runner.

[EricH]

Thats a very interesting concept. Death is bittersweet. It is the final result of living in a sinful and fallend world. But God also uses the experience of death to completely sanctify us and fully join us to Christ. For those who have not trusted in Jesus there is no sweet side to death.