“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For Christ must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-26*, the bold font is ours)
The news we hear and read lately might be frightening. The world seems to be shaking both outside and inside. Bulgaria is not isolated, it is not a saving island where we can remain safe. These three sentences will be the last such that concern the present reality. However, what we need more is the truth, and the truth of God’s word. There is often a significant discrepancy between what we feel, think, hear, and the Truth itself.
With this weekly message, we would like to address the most terrifying thing in the eyes of a human – death. This is a topic that is either avoided or hangs untouched, because the confrontation with it inevitably raises questions that at first glance leave the human mind in nowhere. Why is death inevitable, is there a God who decides how and when we will leave, what happens afterward? For us believers, these questions may not seem like a challenge. Alas, in the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, he speaks to believers, to Christians. Paul reminds them that everything becomes meaningless if they think and live like the rest of this world, believing that death is the end: "But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies!” (1 Corinthians 15:35-36*, the bold font is ours)
What is the end of? Why do we fear dangers, natural disasters, pandemics, wars? Do we believe that human life truly begins and unfolds fully only after death? Here are some reasons to fear death for which there is a suitable passage in God’s word.
- fear of the unknown
“Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18*)
- fear due to pain and weakness
"The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11*, the bold font is ours)
- fear due to loss
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35-37*, the bold font is ours)
Challenge of the week: Wash your hands thoroughly – the outer side, between the fingers, and up to the wrists. Wash your mind well too – every time you encounter feelings of fear and anxiety, when you read or hear something that makes you fear physical danger or death, recall this verse: “He preserves our lives and does not let our feet slip.” (Psalm 66:9*)
*The biblical quotes are according to the text of Bible, New Translation from Original Languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013.
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