I know, I know–there’s a certain level of irony when you provide “bullet points” on death. Nevertheless, here are five important things that the Bible tells us about death.
1. Death is the result of sin
Genesis 2:17 — “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Romans 6:23a — ‘For the wages of sin is death”
2. Death is an evil intruder into the world
1 Corinthians 15:26 —”The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
3. Death is followed by judgment
Hebrews 9:27 — “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”
Revelation 20:12 — “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”
4. Death for unbelievers is the entrance into eternal and terrible punishment
Matthew 25:41, 46 — “Then [the Son of Man] will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. … And these will go away into eternal punishment …”
Luke 13:28 — “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.”
5. Death for believers is the doorway to eternal life and joy with God
1 Corinthians 15:52, 54-55 — “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. … then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’”
Revelation 21:4 — “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Philippians 1:21, 23 — “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. … My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
