The Death of a Saint

The Death of a Saint

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." (Ps. 116:15)

When Jesus was told that Lazarus, on whom He loved, was ill, His first response was this: “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)  But Lazarus would die – what did Jesus mean?

There are two deaths mentioned in Scripture. Mankind is destined for the first death, when our frail flesh expires. The saints are told by Jesus, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more (Luke 12:4). People naturally cling to temporal life, that being their only known existence. Those in Christ are told to not be controlled by fear of the death of our body – carefully noting that bodily death is not the end. He goes on to declare the One who should be feared - Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death.

The sisters of Lazarus were grieving over the bodily death of their brother, each of whom Jesus loved. Because He loved them, He stayed two more days before He got up to the tomb. His disciples and the two sisters did not yet understand what was going on. He told them, “I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.” (John 11:15) Jesus was more concerned that His disciples believe on Him than have happy circumstances. When they arrived, many people were there; some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying? ” (vs 37). Their focus was on preventing bodily death; His focus was on the glory of His Father.

By this time, 4 days had passed and John records this for emphasis: “Remove the stone,” Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told Him, “Lord, he’s already decaying. It’s been four days.” (vs 39) The man was dead. He was dead four days. His body was seeing decay. In the ancient near east, medical science did not have a precise way of determining if someone was dead. The medical standard was that a body that seemed dead for three days was considered dead. Lazarus was a day beyond that – no doubt at all that he was dead. Jesus could have prevented his death – the people knew this. The stumbling block for natural man is the resurrection from the dead. Many Jews believed in a general resurrection at the end of the age, but Jesus was explaining to them that He was the resurrection and the life.

Some time earlier, Jesus had taught this mind-blowing truth: “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24) This reality of being united with Christ for eternal life was a foundational truth to the kingdom He had been announcing. When a sinner comes to saving faith in Christ, he is no longer subject to the wrath of God or the second death – he has passed from (spiritual) death to (spiritual) life. This is the first resurrection for mortal man, the beginning of eternal life.

When a redeemed person dies, he is no longer entangled by the sin that he battled with while in the flesh. The peace we enter when we are saved is more complete when the sinful flesh is left in the grave. It will be fulfilled and fully complete on that great day when the Lord Jesus returns to judge the nations, gather His people, and make all things new.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (HCSB) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Those who are asleep, have died the first death; we who are still here grieve that loss, realizing such is temporary and the sure hope we have is eternal. When our Lord returns, we will be gathered together with Him and dwell with Him on the new earth forever. The death of a beloved saint is not the end. It is the next step in our being conformed to Christ. This world is passing away and those who are in Christ will be taken up to be glorified by the Lord of Glory Himself. And we all will be full of unrestrained joy as we sing praises to Christ without end. Therefore encourage one another with these words.