2 Timothy 1:10,
"...our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel."
Collins Concise Dictionary defines the
verb abolish as: to do away with
(laws, regulations, customs etc.). It comes from a Latin word abolere to destroy. The Greek word katargeo also has these meanings to
cease, deliver, do away, become of no effect, bring to nought, vanish away and
make void.
OK, you may say if Christ has abolished
death, how come people die every day?
What is death? Collins Concise
Dictionary defines death as the
permanent end of all functions of life in an organism. We know this is a true
definition because death happens in our world every single day.
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
"Now may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be
preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." We are
made up of spirit - soul - body. When a person dies it is only that person's
body that remains on Earth. The spirit and soul go back to God.
Ecclesiastes 12:7,
"Then the dust will return to the
earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." Physical
death is the cessation of physical life; but the spirit and soul go back to God.
"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans
6:23). So then death is the due reward of sinning.
The latter part of 2 Timothy 1:10
gives us very important information we need in order to answer this question
about death. Jesus Christ has "...brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel."
Christ has brought "life and immortality to light" This can't mean our
normal physical life as our physical bodies die. This life must be eternal
life! Immortality means you cannot die! Therefore there must be eternal life in
a body which cannot die!
That's why Christ came - to give us
eternal life and a spiritual body which is suitable for us to spend eternity in
heaven with Him. For those that are His, He has abolished death [physical
death]. He makes it of no effect!
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17,
"(16) For the Lord Himself will
descend with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord."
1 Corinthians 15:53-55,
"(53) For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this
corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written; 'Death is swallowed
up in victory. (55) O Death where is your sting? O Hades, where is your
victory? ' "
Physical death and its consequences are
abolished for those who belong to Christ.
Do you belong to Christ? Heaven, in an
immortal, spiritual body is your home!
The alternative for those who do not
belong to Christ is physical death, hell, the resurrection of condemnation, the
Great White Throne judgement and then the Lake of Fire; which is the second and
final death.
Where are you headed? Where will you
spend eternity?
Jon Peasey
Ebooks
author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey
[All
Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted.
Word enclosed in [ ] are inserted
for clarity. Words in bold type
emphasise a point]
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