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NIV is used unless otherwise noted.



New Beginnings: Death


Jesus Christ,  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 
Philippians 3:20-21

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 
1 Corinthians 15:51



We are all afraid of dying.  No one has died and come back to share the experience with us.  We have to go to the Bible to learn what death is all about.  We are so attached to this world, the things and the people in it.  The here and now consumes our every thought.  We feel at home in this world, most of the time.


To many of us, losing loved ones has brought sadness and grieving into our lives.  That is natural.  We form relationships and physical death brings an abrupt halt to
those relationships.  Nothing feels natural about it, even though death comes to 100% of us. It just plain hurts and causes us pain.  We need to look at death from God's perspective.

God's word tells us that we are not citizens of earth if we are Christians; we are citizens of Heaven. This body that I pamper and take care of is not a permanent fixture.  For me, worn and weary that I am, that is a real blessing.  I am going to have a glorious body, transformed by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when I get it I am going to jump up and down like I have never been able to before, and run around and dance and celebrate.  That body will last forever. I will be like Jesus!

It is a mystery.  I cannot explain it, but if God says it, and He does, then I believe it. It gives me comfort to know that as Christians death here on earth is not the end of us, but ushers in the wonderful, eternal life with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Death gives us a new, wonderful beginning.

By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 1 Corinthians 6:14


Pat Eppler
                                                                                                                  

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