Precious death

Published in Pasugo, Sept 2005



“A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.” (Psalms 49:20, New King James Version)

THE SAD THING about life here on earth, however enjoyable we may have lived it, is that it has an end. And when its end comes, which is death, nothing in this world, not even all its combined wealth and riches, not even all of man’s wisdom and knowledge can stop it. Moreover, no one knows exactly when it comes. At any moment, death can strike and take us to our graves with nary a warning and any discrimination at that. Whatever our situation in life is, we cannot avoid and escape death. Its grim specter looms in a serious illness, in a fatal accident, in a disaster – either natural or man-made – and in old age. Indeed, death lies in wait every single moment in our life. One minute a person is well and alive, the next, he is being eulogized and his name placed in obituaries. Alas, no man can stave off death and no one has the capacity to keep himself from dying. The Bible states, thus:

“No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. …” (Eccles. 8:8, New International Version)

Moreover, as if death itself is not enough scourge already, when man is finally taken down to his resting place, he cannot bring with him anything he has worked for during his lifetime. As eloquently pointed out in the Holy Scriptures:

“We leave this world just as we entered it – with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us.” (Eccles. 5:15, Today’s English Version)

The bright side
Although death, certain as it is, is the saddest, its onset the most unceremonious of all of life’s circumstances, there is a bright side to it. There is that death which is precious in the sight of God, the Giver and Taker of life (Deut. 32:39, Contemporary English Version). The Bible enlightens us on this regard:

“Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” (Ps. 116:15, New King James Version)

There is, after all, a death that is not supposed to bring so much pain and so much sadness to people – both to the dying and to those whom they would be leaving behind – a death that is not a loss and is not in vain, for it has worth in the sight of God. And inasmuch as death, sad as it may be, is an inevitable occurrence, we might as well opt for and welcome the death that is precious to God. Why? Is there another kind of death that is different from the death that is precious in God’s sight? In Psalms, this is recorded:

“Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light. A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.” (Ps. 49:16-20, Ibid.)

There is the kind of death that is likened to that of the beasts. And such death cannot be said to be on account of one’s being poor and lowly in life. The aforecited man whose death is likened to that of the beasts has even attained riches, honor, and glory. Yet, he perishes like the beasts because he “does not understand.” What he does not understand is explained by the Bible, thus:

“The Lord says, ‘Wise men should not boast of their wisdom, nor strong men of their strength, nor rich men of their wealth. If anyone wants to boast, he should that he knows and understands me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right. These are the things that please me. I, the Lord, have spoken’.” (Jer. 9:23-24, TEV)

Whatever is man’s station in life, be he rich or poor, wise or fool, if he does not know and understand God, he would only die like a beast. Hence, one should not be content just to be alive, pursuing earthly knowledge, accumulating material wealth to improve one’s lot or simply earning a living to survive. What is of utmost importance is to understand and know God, our Creator, for this is the very reason God created us. God does not expect animals to understand and know Him. Which is why the death of even the wisest and the richest man on earth will only be like that of the beasts if he doesn’t know and understand God.

Knowing and understanding God
Given the religiosity and spirituality of many people today, they will readily say that they understand and know God. They show as proof the worship and service that they render to God. However, just because people sincerely believe and are fully convinced that they recognize and render God genuine worship and service does not mean that they truly know Him. Apostle Paul points out why:

“They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” (Titus 1:16, NKJV)

Apostle Paul speaks here of people who merely profess to know God. Merely professing to know God is not truly knowing Him. Apostle John delineates the distinction between those who merely profess or pretend to know God and those who genuinely know and understand Him:

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him’, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (I John 2:3-4, NIV)

Those who say they know God, even if they are fully convinced that they indeed do, but do not do what He commands are called liars. Their profession of faith is but an empty claim, for the truth is not in them. The correct and proper way to know God is to obey His biddings. One does not truly know God but merely pretends to do so if he refuses or fails to obey His will.

The will of God
The Bible points out that the death of those who do not know and understand God by refusing or failing to do His will for one reason or another is like that of the beasts. On the other hand, the death of God’s saints – those who truly know God because they follow His teachings or His will – is precious in His sight. They are called the saints of God because they have been sanctified, according to God’s will, through the offering of Christ’s body. The inspired writer of the letter to the Hebrews states:

“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. 10:10, NKJV)

The offering of Christ’s body sanctifies man because His shed blood has the power to cleanse man’s conscience from acts that lead to his death, or from sins. In Hebrews, this is stated further:

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Heb. 9:14, NIV)

To be among those whom God recognizes as His saints, one must be sanctified first by the blood of Christ and his conscience must be purged of all impurities or sins. Aside from this, there is no other way in which man can be cleansed of his sins for “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22, Ibid.). And contrary to what many people believe, the works of righteousness man has done by himself cannot sanctify him to make him worthy of salvation, for “according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6, NKJV). Hence, man’s own works, even if he considers them righteous by his standards, cannot sanctify and save him. It is according to God’s mercy and grace that man is saved through the redemptive act of our Lord Jesus Christ. This does not mean, however, that when Christ was crucified and died on the cross, all men were forgiven of their sins and benefited from His sacrificial death. The Bible testifies that it is the Church of Christ that was redeemed or purchased by the precious blood of Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

Hence, in order to be embraced by Christ’s redemption, one needs to be a member of the Church of Christ. This is the way, according to God’s will, that man is sanctified and counted among His saints. This is the way in which he is made worthy to serve God and to receive His blessings.

Blessed are the redeemed
The fortune of becoming a member of the Church of Christ, which means being redeemed from sins through the sacrificial death of Christ, cannot be overstated. The Bible testifies to the blessedness of being redeemed or forgiven of one’s sins, thus:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” (Rom. 4:7-8, NKJV)

Indeed, those whose sins have been forgiven by virtue of Christ’s redemption of the Church of Christ have received an exceedingly great blessing. From their former condition of being sinners and separated from God, they have been sanctified and are now counted among His saints. Should they die patiently keeping the commandments of God, their death will be a precious one in His sight. The Bible testifies to this:

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life …” (John 55:28-29, Ibid.)

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes’, says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’.” (Rev. 14:12-13, Ibid.)

Their rest will be in the Holy City, where all the sad and unpleasant things they experience in this life will be ended, for “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; There shall no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4, Ibid.).

And to be assured of such a great fortune, they strive to follow the Lord’s bidding: “be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10, Ibid.)