DEATH, THE INTERMEDIATE STATE, THE RESURRECTION AND THE FINAL DESTINY — page 4

Reasons for the Death of a Believer

The death of a believer is called “sleep” in Scripture, and it refers to the body, because the soul does not sleep (2 Sam. 7:12; John 11:11; Acts 7:60, 13:36; 1 Cor. 11:30, 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess. 4:14, 5:10). Matthew 27:52 says distinctly: “Many bodies of saints who were sleeping were raised.” There are perhaps three main reasons for the death of a believer:

• In the first place, it may be to “glorify God” (John 11:4, 21:18-19; Phil. 1:20). He may be called to die as a martyr or for some other cause by which a testimony of the Lord is borne to those who witness that cause.

• In the second place, the believer dies because his work of service on Earth for the Lord is finished (Acts 13:36; 2 Tim. 4:7; 2 Pet. 1:14).

• In the third place, the believer may die under the correcting hand of God. It is possible for a Christian to behave so badly in this world as a testimony for the Lord that God takes him away from his place of testimony on Earth. He would be called home to heaven (John 15:2; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor. 5:2, 11:30, James 5:20; 1 John 5:16).

Christ’s Victory Over Death

Christ went into death and obtained a great victory over it for the children of God. Hebrews 2:14-15 says: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

Before the death and resurrection of Christ, Satan exercised “the power of death” (AIBB) over the consciences of men, leaving them afraid of what lies beyond life on Earth. He used the “king of terrors” (which is the fear of death) to his advantage, keeping men in captivity and fear (Job 18:14). “The power of death” is not the power to take a person’s life. Satan does not have the power to take a person’s life – only God has the power of life and death in His hands (Dan. 5:23; Job 2:6). It is the dread of death – its “fear factor.” Nor is “the power of death” Satan’s power to deceive Christians with his wiles. True believers can be, and often are, deceived by his “devices”1 (Eph. 6:11 – W. Kelly Translation), even though God has made ample provision for us in “the whole armor of God” against those devices.

Christ passed through death and took from the devil that power to terrify the believer with death. On the other side of death, the Lord now stands victorious. He has “the keys of death and of Hades” (TB) in His hand and is saying: “I am ... the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Rev. 1:17-18 – TB). Christ conquered death by delivering us from its “agonies [pains – JND or torments – W. Kelly]” (Acts 2:24). The “torments of death” are the fears one may have about what lies beyond death. Since Christ has eased the pains of death, the enlightened believer who faces death need not fear. Christ descended to the “dust of death” and annulled it (Ps. 22:15) and left only its “shadow” for the child of God to pass through (Ps. 23:4). We may be called to pass through the condition of death, but its “sting” or “pains” (the fear factor) are removed (1 Cor. 15:55). The wonderful news of this has been brought to us by the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10).

As mentioned, death is a condition of the body after the soul and spirit leave it. It is a temporary state, for all the dead will be raised – both the saved and the lost. Scripture says: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).

Now, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ “annulled” (2 Tim. 1:10 – JND) the dread of death for the believer. The believer’s body, however, is still subject to death and he will not have “victory” over physical death until the Lord comes (1 Cor. 15:54, 57). Even after the coming of the Lord, the last enemy (death) will still be in creation and will not be “annihilated” by the Lord until the end of the Millennium (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 20:14). Therefore, for the believer, death is annulled now and he is awaiting his victory over it; and afterward, there will be its complete destruction, in general.