DEATH REVISITED

DEATH REVISITED

 

 

“Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”  1 Cor. 3:21-23

Why is death a victory for the Christian, when all around fear it?

Death. They have an interest, a property even in death, usually regarded as a calamity and a curse. But it is theirs,

(1.) Because they shall have peace and support in the dying hour.

(2.) Because it has no terrors for them. It shall take away nothing which they are not willing to resign.

(3.) Because it is the avenue which leads to their rest; and it is theirs just in the same sense in which we say that "this is our road" when we have been long absent, and are inquiring the way to our homes.

(4.) Because they shall triumph over it. It is subdued by their Captain, and the grave has been subjected to a triumph by his rising from its chills and darkness.

(5.) Because death is the means--the occasion of introducing them to their rest. It is the advantageous circumstance in their history, by which they are removed from a world of ills, and translated to a world of glory. It is to them a source of inexpressible advantage, as it translates them to a world of light and eternal felicity; and it may truly be called theirs.

Or things present, or things to come. Events which are now happening and all that can possibly occur to us. (Rom. 8:38). All the calamities, trials, persecutions--all the prosperity, advantages, privileges of the present time, and all that shall yet take place, shall tend to promote our welfare, and advance the interests of our souls, and promote our salvation.

All are your's. All shall tend to promote your comfort and salvation.

Death - That solemn hour, so dreadful to the wicked; and so hateful to those who live without God: that is yours. Death is your servant; he comes a special messenger from God for you; he comes to undo a knot that now connects body and soul, which it would be unlawful for yourselves to untie; he comes to take your souls to glory; and he cannot come before his due time to those who are waiting for the salvation of God. A saint wishes to live only to glorify God; and he who wishes to live longer than he can get and do good, is not worthy of life.

world . . . life . . . death . . . things present . . . things to come--Not only shall they not "separate you from the love of God in Christ" (Rom. 8:38-39), but they "all are yours," that is, are for you (Rom. 8:28), and belong to you, as they belong to Christ your Head (Heb. 1:2).

To the saint "death is gain" [Phil. 1:21].

All mentioned are your servants, for your advantage, all a part of your inheritance. “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”  2 Cor. 4:15-17