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We humans think of people as being only what we see with our natural, physical eyes. When what we see with our natural eyes ceases to be animated or alive, then that person or thing is what we call dead.
For many people, death is a morbid subject which they don't even want to think about, and certainly not talk about. However, the Bible-informed Christian knows that death, although an enemy, has no sting, nor the grave any victory (1 Cor. 15:26, 55). In fact, the Bible refers to those Christians who have died as being asleep.

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13).

This statement, to me, is so very beautiful. If God does not want us, His children, to be ignorant, then the opposite of that would be that He wants us to be informed. Therefore, if we are ignorant, it's our fault—not God's. He wants us to have knowledge about the things that affect us spiritually; that's why He gave us the Bible.

Now there are those who, even though they have the Bible, are still ignorant, and that is a real tragedy. It is one thing not to have The Book and be ignorant, but to have it in your home and then be ignorant is a travesty of justice. It is, however, easy to understand why that would be the case, since most people by nature are followers rather than leaders.

If believers are not taught, if they are not spiritually informed, and if the importance of knowing and studying God's Word is not stressed to them, then they will go along with the flow of whatever is being taught at the time.

That's why there are multitudes of Christians who are ignorant of who they are in Christ, ignorant of what Christ has done for them, ignorant of what He is doing for them now, ignorant of what He wants for them, and ignorant of what He has actually provided for them through the covenant He has established with the Father God on our behalf.

From a careful study of God's Word, it is very clear that He does not want us to be ignorant about our spiritual life. Based on that fact, it is a presupposition that whatever it takes to nullify that ignorance is available to us. Otherwise, it would be pointless for God to want us to be spiritually informed and then not make available to us the tools necessary to do away with the ignorance that is keeping us spiritually blind.

I personally believe that I don't have to be ignorant of the things of God. You have to personalize this also. You have to go beyond your church, your minister, your spouse, your parents, your children, your girlfriend, boyfriend, fiancee, dog, cat, or whatever.

You have to go beyond everybody and decide for yourself that spiritual knowledge is for you; even if it's not for anyone else on this planet, it's for you. You have to make it personal, because God deals with each one of us on an individual basis. He also deals with us collectively, but in the end the bottom line is: "It's me and the Lord."

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thess. 4:14). The word "sleep" as used in verses thirteen and fourteen of this passage is synonym for the word "death." In other words, God views His children as being asleep when they die.

More Than What Meets the Eye
We humans think of people as being only what we see with our natural, physical eyes. When what we see with our natural eyes ceases to be animated or alive, then that person or thing is what we call dead. When a person dies, we think that individual has ceased to exist. However, God considers only the physical part of that person as being asleep.

There are several scriptures that give credence to this. In John 11:11 Jesus, talking about Lazarus, who had died, said, "I'm going to wake Lazarus out of his sleep." Again, in speaking of Jairus' twelve-year-old daughter, He said that she was not dead, but was asleep (Matt. 9:24).

Then we read in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

There are two important things relative to sleep which have no fear associated with them at all. Yet death, as it is portrayed in the world—primarily the western world—is a very traumatic event. To most people, death is a "tear-jerker." It is a heart-rending, mind-boggling, terrifying experience.

It should not be this way for us Christians—not if we have been properly taught what the Word of God says about it.

This is not to say that there will not be natural feelings of loss in the sense that the person known and loved will no longer be there for us to have personal, physical contact or fellowship with. There is a natural sense of loss because a separation has occurred; however, this separation should be like that which we experience when someone we love—perhaps a close relative or a very dear friend—has to leave after a wonderful, warm visit. Often that is a very emotionally upsetting moment for us, knowing that we won't see one another for a long time.

However, this is not a despairing kind of separation or discomfort. There is no sense of hopelessness, because it is not as if we will never see each other again. This is how the Christian should view the death of another believer. Yet, this is not the way most believers feel about death, and it is mainly because of not having been taught the Word concerning Christian death.

In fact, many believers have come to expect unbearable, emotional pain, just like that experienced by anybody else. God, however, says that when Christians die, they are asleep. When somebody is asleep, two great things are implied:
1) He is going to wake up, and
2) He should wake up rested

Sleep is designed to allow the body a chance to recuperate and to re-energize. We ought to think of death this way. As Jesus said, let these words be of comfort to you.

Source: Victory and Hope for the Dead in Christ by Frederick K.C. Price
Excerpt permission granted by Faith One Publishing

Author Biography

Frederick K.C. Price
Web site: Ever Increasing Faith Ministries
 
Dr. Frederick K. C. Price received an honorary diploma from the Rhema Bible Training Center in 1976 and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Oral Roberts University in 1982; both institutions are based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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