Seven Facts About Death
"Brief and powerless is man's life. On him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark.... One by one as they '-, march, our comrades vanish from our sight, . seized by the silent orders of omnipotent death."—Bertrand Russell, "Mysticism and Logic" page 56.
1. THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH
• Powerless to prevent. Ecclesiastes 8:8. ,
• The lot of all. Hebrews 9:27.
• It levels all ranks. Job 3:17-19.
• It strips of earthly possessions. 1 Timothy 6:7.
2. THE CAUSE OF DEATH—"WHY"
• Primary—disobedience. Rom. 5:19 (Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-24).
• A consequence of sin. Rom. 6:23; 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22.
3. A DEFINITION OF DEATH—"WHAT"
• Christ referred to death as a "sleep." John 11:11-14.
• Paul describes the dead as "asleep." 1 Thess. 4:13: 1 Cor. 15:20.
• David taught the same. Psalm 13:3. (Cemetery means "sleeping place.")
4. THE PLACE OF THE DEAD— "WHERE is he?" Job 14:10
• In the dust of the earth. Daniel 12:2.
• In the grave. Job 17:13; 30:23.
• Righteous and wicked go to the same place. Ecclesiastes 3:20.
• Even David, Acts 2:34 (Psalm 17:15).
• At the resurrection will come out of grave. Matthew 27:52; John 5:28, 29.
5. THE STATE OF THE DEAD—"HOW?"
• Totally unconscious. Ecclesiastes 9:5,6.
• No mental, emotional, or physical activity. Psalm 146:3,4; 88:10-12; 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isa. 38:18; Job 3:17,18.
• Cannot praise Creator. Psalm 115:17.
6. THE FUTURE OF THE DEAD— "SHALL he live again?" Job 16:14
• The dead are not forgotten. Psalm 139:15, 16; Acts 26:8.
• Jesus'promise. John 11:25.
• Christ's resurrection guarantees the resurrection of the saints. 1 Corinthians 15:13, 1-1,16-22.
• When? At the second advent. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 2 Timothy 4:1 1 Corinthians 15:52.
• Immortality then bestowed. 1 Corinthians 15:53, 54; John 6:40.
7. ATTITUDE TO DEATH
• Confidence. God values. Job 13:15 (Revelation 14:13).
• Not to sorrow. 1 Thess. 4:13; Rom. 8:37-39.
"THY DEAD SHALL LIVE."
Isaiah 26:19, R.S.V.
Seven Facts About Immortality
"The doctrine of the immortality of the soul and the name are alike unknown in the Bible."—Herman Olshausen, Biblical Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. 4, page 381.
1. THE NATURE OF MAN IS "MORTAL"
• "Mortal" means subject to death.
• The word occurs six times in the Bible and in every instance it refers to man. Job 4:17; Rom. 6:12; 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:53, 54; 2 Cor. 4:11.
2. THE NATURE OF GOD IS "IMMORTAL"
• The only reference to this word applies it to God. 1 Timothy 1:17.
• "Immortality" is an exclusive attribute of God. 1 Timothy 6:16.
3. MAN WAS NOT CREATED IMMORTAL
• The continuation of life was dependent upon his obedience to the requirements of God. Genesis 2:17.
• Sin deprived man of eternal life. Genesis 3:18-24; Romans 6:23.
4. NO PART OF MAN IS IMMORTAL— Genesis 2:1
a. The "living soul" is not immortal.
• Animals are called "living souls." Genesis 1:20, 21, 24, 30 (margin).
• The souls of sinners die. Ezekiel 18:20 (even "living souls" Revelation 16:3).
• A "SOUL" is not a conscious entity which survives physical death. The word soul has three usages in the Bible:
(1) It may refer to the entire person. 1 Peter 3:20; Acts 27:37.
(2) It may refer to the natural life of a man. Job 12:12 (margin); Luke 12:20.
(3) It may denote the functions of the mind Psalm 139:14. Therefore man possesses a "soul" only in so far as he IS one.
b. The "breath of life" is not immortal.
• Every living thing possesses it. Genesis 7:21, 22 (Ecclesiastes 3:19).
• The "breath of life" is not a conscious entity, but merely the "spirit of God" or the life-giving activity of God. Job 27:3.
Equation of LIFE:
BODY of DUST + BREATH of LIFE = A LIVING SOUL. (Man was not given a "soul," he was made one.)
5. NO CONSCIOUS PART OF MAN LEAVES HIM AT DEATH
• Death is the reverse of what took place at creation. Ecclesiastes 11:7.
a. Man dissolves back into dust. Genesis 3:19.
b. Breath or spirit returns to the One who originally breathed vitality into Adam. Ps. 146:4.
Equation of DEATH:
BODY of DUST - BREATH of LIFE = A DEAD SOUL.
6. MAN CAN OBTAIN IMMORTALITY THROUGH CHRIST
• Through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10; (1 Corinthians 15:22).
• We are urged to "seek" for it. Romans 2:7.
• Those who accept and obey Jesus can have eternal life now. 1 John 5:11,12.
7. IMMORTALITY BESTOWED ON BELIEVERS AT THE SECOND COMING
• 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ("put on").
Equation of ETERNAL LIFE:
ESURRECTED BODY of DUST + BREATH of LIFE = IMMORTAL LIFE.
"Man is not immortal by nature or by right; but he is capable of immortality and there is offered to him resurrection from the dead and life eternal if he will receive it from God and on God's terms."—Dr. William Temple, Nature, Man and God, page 472.
Seven Facts About Resurrection
"O glory of the lighted mind,
How dead I'd been, how dumb, now blind!
The station brook, to my new eyes.
Was battling out of paradise;
The water's rushing from the rain
Was saying Christ is risen again.
I thought all earthly creatures knelt
From rapture of the joy felt"
—John Masefield
1. BIBLE PROPHECY FORETOLD CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
• Prophecy of David (Psalm 16:9, 10; Acts 2:24-27)
• Prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 53:10): "He shall prolong His days" implies that the Messiah must live after His sacrificial death.
2. CHRIST HIMSELF PREDICTED HIS RESURRECTION.John 2:19-21
• He told the disciples. Matthew 16:21; 20:19.
• The Jews knew of His prediction. Matthew 27:62, 63.
3. THE POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES CONFIRMED IT.
The Testimony of Witnesses:
• Mary Magdalene. Mark 16:9.
• To women. Matthew 28:9.
• To the Apostle, Simon Peter. Luke 24:34.
• The two disciples on the Emmaus road. Mark 16:12; Luke 24:15.
• Appearance to the assembled disciples. Mark 16:14.
• And again to the assembled disciples, one week later. John 20:26-29.
• Appearance to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. John 21:1-22.
• To the 500 brethren and disciples. 1 Corinthians 15:5,6.
• Appearance to James. 1 Corinthians 15:7.
• And to eleven disciples at the Ascension. Luke 21:50-52.
• The testimony of the angels. Luke 21:6-8.
• The testimony of heaven. Acts 7:56.
4. THE RESURRECTION WAS THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH OF APOSTOLIC PREACHING. Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:10; 10:39,40; 17:18,31;25:18. 19.
• The resurrection was the principal argument used by the apostles in support of Christianity. Acts 1:22. "The Church of Christ came into existence as the result of a belief in the resurrection of Christ"
—Griffith Thomas.
5. THE RESURRECTION WAS VITAL TO THE REDEMPTION OF MAN.
Without it there would be:
• No point in preaching the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:14.
• No forgiveness of sin. Verse 17.
• No resurrection from the grave. Verse 18.
• No hope for us of a hereafter. Verse 19.
6. THE RESURRECTION DISCLOSED NEW POWERS AND A NEW LIFE AVAILABLE IN THE LIVING CHRIST.
Romans 6:4-11; Philippians 3:10.
7. THE RESURRECTION ELEVATED CHRIST AS THE SUPREME CONQUEROR.
John 16:33; Acts 2:24; Revelation 1:18.
"The resurrection of Christ is the basis of the Christian hope and the guarantee of the resurrection of all those who are in Christ." —Professor E. Y. Mullins.
Rex D. Edwards, D. Min., is the director for continuing education of the General Conference Ministerial Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
