The Bible never shies away from tough topics. Its pages contain answers to questions most people commonly ask throughout their lives, including ones related to life, death, sin and eternity.
The Bible’s honest and open nature offers true comfort and peace to people by giving them a trustworthy foundation to build their beliefs on (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Below we've included information and passages on the topic of death that seniors seeking more information may wish to add to their personal study times in their assisted living apartments here in Kearney.
The Bible's first recorded mention of death is in Genesis 2:16-17. These two verses contain the warning that God said not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The penalty given for disobeying this command was death.
The Bible tells us the first two humans, Adam and Eve, were tempted to eat the fruit from the tree after the Devil enticed them. Ultimately they disobeyed God and gave into this temptation, committing the first sin and bringing death into the world as a result.
Death was not in God’s design for the world and mankind. In the beginning, humans lived in a garden paradise with God. The state of this perfect world mirrored God’s character, which is both loving and just.
When Adam and Eve selfishly chose to disobey and eat the tree’s fruit for their own benefit, they went against God’s natural order of selflessness and righteousness. To maintain justice, God judged the pair and pronounced punishments upon them, including death (Genesis chapter 3).
While it’s natural to think of only the death of a person’s physical body, the Bible warns there is a second death. This death takes place at the end of the time when God calls everyone to account for their sins.
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Revelation 21:8 ESV
This second death is the judgment upon souls, which live on eternally once the physical body has passed away (Hebrews 9:27).
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
Sin and death were never in God’s design for mankind and the world, and he revealed a plan to end both of them while pronouncing the judgments in Genesis 3. By sending his son Jesus to die for the world’s sins, God satisfies the requirements for justice and saves people from punishment during the final judgment at the end of the world (Romans 6:23).
Because humans have free choice, God lets each individual decide whether to follow his plan of salvation through Christ and receive a pardon for their sins or pay for their sins themselves.
Though God ultimately leaves the choice up to them, the Bible reveals he doesn't wish anyone to perish (1 Timothy 2:4, Ezekiel 33:11). Instead, he patiently calls to people throughout their entire lives to repent so he can save them (2 Peter 3:9).
In Matthew 10:26-33, Jesus makes two powerful statements. He tells his listeners not to fear the body’s death but rather to fear God, who has the authority to judge the world. His second declaration is that believers don’t have to fear God or the second death because if they've accepted Jesus, he will accept them.
This comforting promise is echoed in Revelations 2:11 and 20:6, which go on to say the second death has no power over those who remain faithful to Christ and those believers will reign with Christ at the end of time.
While believers are urged not to fear death, their feelings are never belittled. During his time on earth, Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus (John 11:35) and comforted Mary and Martha in their grief.
During the resurrection of the widow’s son in Luke 7:13 ESV, Scripture states: And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
The New International Version paints a powerful picture of Christ's love by translating the text as Jesus' heart going out to her.
Psalms 23 tells believers that even in the valley of the shadow of death, God is with his children, protecting and comforting them every step of the way.
Here at Cambridge Court, we encourage our residents to talk about matters troubling them with our in-house chaplain and staff members. Seniors are welcome to request personal counseling or additional reading materials from our library.
