I think it is helpful from time to time to think about the occasion and circumstances of our death. Let a man conjecture, and consider, yes PONDER, what his future will be. He will in due time, under the instruction of experience, come to be almost mute on the matter! But there is one certainty that we all must face, one thing which we may discuss. Our lives WILL end. Whatever opinions, or thoughts, on matters which have defined our lives will be buried, with us, in our graves. We often think of death in the negative; ’What will death take?” Surely this is an appropriate response, for death is unnatural. Certainly it is Sin’s Robbery, the great heist! But there is a positive to this negative after which our natures inquire, “What will death bring?” The answer to the negative is obvious, but this last question, is strangely more intriguing. The Atheist will say it brings nothing, robbery is death’s only trade. The agnostic says, …well we must excuse him for an ever-present cat has hold of his tongue. As I have thought about this, in light of the biblical teaching, it seems that death brings quite a bit. It brings with it a great contrast. Death for the Christian is the exit from all their troubles and all their sufferings. It is an entrance to their greatest joy and rest. Death for the unbeliever is the exit from all their joy and rest. It is the entrance to their greatest troubles and sufferings. Atheist, consider that you can expect no more joy and rest than what you find in this life. This is so, by both your principles and mine, on this we are agreed! Christian, consider that you can expect no more trouble or sufferings, than what you find in this life. Does, the atheist face death, with the bravery and boldness with which he faces life? Can he tame it? Will he suspend IT with his disbelief? Reader, I ask you, what will your death be like? Yes, it is appropriately called YOUR death. Just as there has been a life for you, there is also a death. It’s time and circumstances have all been set, and if you are sensible you may read the signs of death’s approach easily enough. Show me the man who can face death (our common certainty) with boldness, and that is the man I will follow!
It is often said, “You take nothing with you when you die!” I understand the sentiment and it is almost true. There is precious little that we take beyond the grave. But there is something, which death will not erase, which will not cease with time! It is the state of our souls. Revelation 22:11 says, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy“So, in this sense death will be very much like this life. Only, then you will not be hearing of a future judgement, or an invisible Judge. But you will be presently before Him. Then there will be no after atonement, you will not have man nor angels pleading with you to repent and believe. There will be no time to amend your life, when once you have the motivation. Have you hated, and denyed Christ in this life, well then you will hate and deny Christ in Death. Christian, have you loved God in this life, are you holy by the merits of Christ and the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit in this life. Then you will be fixed in this state by death! Let us determine who was wise (though made so solely by grace) by examining our respective deaths. About our lives who can tell? What will we achieve? Whom shall we love? What will be the trials and difficulties which we must face? In all these things, the christian is as the non-christian. Our lives are full of uncertainties, our deaths remove every doubt! What will death bring? “To live is Christ, to die is Gain.”
