The death of a believer in Christ Jesus

 

The death of a believer in Christ Jesus

What happens when a believer dies?

Falling Asleep

This is a term that is used frequently in the Bible to describe the death of a saint. You'll find it used by Jesus and the apostles. Let us consider a few scriptures which bring tremendous hope to everyone who believes in Jesus. The Bible clearly tells us that believers don't die but go home to be with the Lord. Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There are numerous examples of saints who have died physically but are alive in heaven. We shall see this in the study below.

Lazarus raised

John 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

John 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 

Our verse of concern is the underlined one above. In it our Lord tells us that those who are alive and believe in Him shall never die. The word never here is actually a double negative - as in, never, ever die.

What in the world does this mean yet believers have been 'dying' ever since time began?

Previously, before Jesus came to raise Lazarus He had told His disciples that Lazarus was asleep but He was going to wake him up.

John 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 

The disciples didn't understand that when the Lord said Lazarus was asleep, He meant that he had departed from this world. So He told them that Lazarus was literally dead. Here He refers to Lazarus as being dead physically but not spiritually. Remember that He told Martha that anyone who believes in Him though he were dead shall live.

Old Testament saints are alive

In yet another portion of Scripture, Jesus speaks of the saints who have gone before us as being alive.

Mat 22:31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 

Mat 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Clearly the Lord was telling them that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive and not dead. God is still their God even today!

The thief on the cross

Luke 23:39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 

Luke 23:40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

Luke 23:41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 

Luke 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

Luke 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. 

Note that our Lord assures the man that he shall be with Him in paradise that same day! Do  you see what happens when a believer dies?

The rich man and Lazarus Luke 16:19-31

The Lord told us the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Here He mentions an interaction between Abraham and the rich man. There is a lot that we can learn from this story but what is relevant to us is the fact that Abraham is alive and so is Lazarus.

Luke 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 

Luke 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 

Luke 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 

Luke 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 

Luke 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 

Luke 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 

Luke 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 

Luke 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 

The fact that Abraham is mentioned in this story tells us that it is a true story. When this beggar called Lazarus died, he was taken to the place where Abraham was and was comforted.  Clearly you can see that both Abraham and he were very much alive. Remember that we have seen previously that Jesus told us Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are alive as God is not the God of the dead but of the living.

The transfiguration

Another confirmation that believers do not die but simply transition into eternity is the transfiguration account.

Mat 17:1  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Mat 17:2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 

Mat 17:3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 

Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus on the mountain. Some may say that Elijah didn't die but we know that Moses did. Yet here he was talking with Jesus! We are even told in the book of Jude that the devil was contending with the Angel Michael over the body of Moses.

Jud 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 

Even though Moses shed his physical shell, he is still very much alive today!

Tribulation saints in Revelation 7:9-17

In the midst of the tribulation period, right after the seal judgements and before the trumpet judgements, we are introduced to a multitude of saints from all nations.

One of the elders told John that these were the saints who came out of the great tribulation. The word translated as "came" is used in perfect and imperfect cases only. Revelation is a sequential book and this occurs before the trumpet judgements, which tells us that the tribulation is ongoing. Therefore the word here should be translated as "coming" as the tribulation is still ongoing.

The point here is that as soon as they depart from the world in "death", they are in heaven with God.

The Holy Spirit’s message to the church through Paul

With this information we can then understand what the Holy Spirit through Paul meant when he wrote in Thessalonians that we should not mourn brethren as those who have no hope.

1Thes 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Thes 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Remember how our Lord Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus was asleep? The same is said of believers who have departed in the above verses. We have hope because even though our physical shell sleeps we are alive forevermore with Christ.

Acts 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

We have the assurance that even though we die, we still live because our Lord defeated death. It has no power over us anymore! Even though we "die", yet we still live! Hallelujah! Take heart if you have lost a loved one who believes in Jesus. They are very much alive today. God bless you.

For salvation simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and the fact that He paid for your sins when He died on the cross. Read John 3:16, Romans 3:21-22.