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NASB | Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; |
Subject: Christians ambivalent about death? |
Bible Note: Greetings Aixen7z4, In regards to a funeral service, many Christians would favor a return to a simple service which emphasizes the Christian truth about dying. At the same time, those who do not know Christ insist on a "proper Christian burial", thinking that the more elaborate the funeral the more religiously impressive it is. They never stop to ask the question, "Whom are we trying to impress?" I agree with you that the death of the body is not a bad thing if you are a believer. :-) Death of the body and its resultant dissolution is offset by the knowledge that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). Man's soul does not die in the same sense as does his body, but rather enters everlasting reward or eternal punishment (Matt. 25:31-46). Also, the Christian confidently expects the resurrection, assured by Christ's resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20-23). Christian sorrow is very different from the sorrow of those who have no such hope (1 Thess. 4:13-18). However, the great importance given to the soul in Scripture does not mean that we should deny any importance to the body, since Scripture does not entirely dismiss the importance of the believer's body. After all, God has chosen the believer's body to be the temple of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19-20). And the Bible gives examples of God's saints being respectfully buried- Abraham (Gen. 25:7-10), Jacob (Gen. 50:1-14), Moses (Deut. 34:5-6). Since respect is in order, a funeral's purpose must then be defined. Since Biblical Christianity posits the absolute necessity of a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ, the funeral service could therefore help establish and strengthen that relationship by focusing on God Himself, His eternity, sovereignty and grace, enabling those who sorrow to face life again because such a gracious God rules both time and eternity. By giving that appropriate honor to a deceased Christian, the funeral service can remind each mourner of the Scriptural meaning of life and death. The funeral service should not deny death, but at the same time emphasize the resurrection assured by the deceased's faith in the risen Christ. Also, the service could help those attending to prepare to die, as did Peter in 2 Peter 1:12-15 and Paul in 2 Tim. 4:6-8. Preparing for death involves so much more than just writing up a will. Adequate preparation for death will also include a frank acceptance of the fact of death by both the individual and his loved ones, so that its occurrence will be an occasion of increased prayer, faith, and devotion to Christ, rather than simply a time of mourning and loss. Blessings to you, Makarios |