11. The Fear of Death

The fear of death is human and therefore an absolute natural and self-evident matter.

In the face of the approaching of death - either imminent or occuring after a certain time - everyone comes over an uneasy feeling of fear.
In general this is a strong feeling that could evolve unto the worst deadly fear.

However much these emotional states and worries may even be, these could be attended by a beneficial certainty, namely the assurance given to man by Jesus Christ:

”25 ... I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die ...”

(John 11.25,26)

There are being transmitted here to us two important concepts: the resurrection and the life.
The first one, the resurrection, signifies the bringing back to life of the died person.
The second one, the life, is the antonym or the opposite of death.

The apostle Paul made also following astonishing announcement:

”51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

(1 Corinthians 15.51-54)

From the analogy existing between these two revelations we find that these draw a clear distinction between two groups of people:
The ones who died (whose body is corruptible) and the ones who are alive (whose body is mortal).

The ones who died - and who believed in Jesus - will live:

”I am the resurrection, and the life ...”
” ... he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”
” ... the dead shall be raised incorruptible ...”
” ... this corruptible must put on incorruption ...”

This group applies to the concept of ”the resurrection”.

The ones who will be alive at the last trump - and who believed in Jesus - will live:

”I am the resurrection, and the life ...”
”... whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die ...”
”... and we shall be changed.”
”... this mortal must put on immortality ...”

This second group applies to the concept of ”the life” (it is about the eternal, immortal life).

Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, in many accounts telling of someone’s death, the Bible refers to this state as that of a ”sleep”, the dead being the ones who ”are asleep”.

There is a question that arises, which is:
When will the last trumpet sound?

The Bible gives us following answer:

”14 ... if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

(1 Thessalonians 4.14-17)

This event of the resurrection of the dead ”in Christ” along with the change of the living will happen at the return of Jesus Christ.

The faithful people, who will live at that time, will instantly rejoice in the eternal life, with other words they ”shall never die”.
This will however not occur before ”the dead in Christ” have risen.

All of this is beyond the reasonable common sense, for which this description is hardly apprehensible.
That is why Jesus assures us in plain words, that are for everyone’s understanding, of the truthfulness of this great forthcomimg event:

”24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

(John 5.24-29)

After His ascention, Jesus has called Paul to be the apostle of all other nations, in other words to witness and to bring forth to all the peoples of the world the awareness of Him, Jesus Christ, and the faith in Him.
As the faithful of Corinth began to raise doubts about the resurrection of the dead, he told them:

“12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.“

(1 Corinthians 15.12-26)

All these clear statements have been written not only to the Corinthians, but also to anyone who sometimes raises doubts, in whatever age he or she lives or has lived. 

Jesus assures the believer that He will raise him up at ”the last day”:

”38 ... I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(John 6.38-40)

The coming of Jesus and His acts on earth fulfil also the purpose to
”15 ... deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

(Hebrews 2.15)

Until His coming people lived in a ”state of bondage” induced by the fear of death and its sombre prospects.
Through the truths revealed to man in the New Testament everyone could now be fully informed with regard to death and resurrection, being thus veritably ”freed” from the fear of death.
Now we know: the future of the one with the faith in Christ is ETERNAL LIFE!