What Does the Bible Say About…Death?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23; ESV)

Purgatory

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a 1,000 times; what are the only two guarantees in life? Death and taxes! The only difference between the two is that taxes can be (either legally or illegally) evaded and avoided, but death comes to everyone. Try as we may to ignore death and delay our appointment with the Grim Reaper, all our efforts are ultimately in vain.

Some choose to look at death in a more ‘positive’ light by suggesting that death is simply a natural part of life (ignoring the obvious oxymoron in that statement). Those who hold a quasi-spiritual, non-Christian outlook see death as a passage into the ‘great unknown.’ Others, typically atheists, see in death simply the complete cessation of all life; like a light bulb that burns out. There is no after-life; there is only the here and now. Still others see death as part of a never ending cycle as in reincarnation. In this view, death is just a means to repeat the cycle of life as the spirits of the dead come to life as other people. Finally, there are those of a theistic (primarily monotheistic) bent who see death as entrance into either eternal bliss or eternal punishment. In all of these scenarios, death is natural, even necessary.

I wish to challenge the conventional wisdom that sees death as a natural part of life. I think if you’re a Christian who takes the Bible seriously, you must conclude that death is not a natural part of life. Death is seen as an enemy – the last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Death is an intrusion into God’s very good creation in which there was no death, no pain, and no sorrow. The apostle Paul writes that death came into the world through the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12). Furthermore, because of that sin, death became a part of life for all people born since. This event – the fall of mankind – is recorded in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 2:17, you have the condition for life in Eden, and the result of Adam’s disobedience in found in Genesis 3.

It is commonly taught that Adam and Eve ‘died’ the moment they ate of the forbidden fruit. The death they experienced was a spiritual death, as evidenced by their expulsion from the garden and their broken communion with God. They also eventually experienced physical death, but by far the greater of the two is spiritual death. The effects of this spiritual death are described in some detail in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The state of being “dead in trespasses and sins” (i.e., spiritually dead) is equated to the natural state of mankind. Spiritual death is a pervading sense of worldliness enslaved to our passions and desires all the while storing up God’s wrath for our sins. Spiritually dead people do not, and cannot, respond favorably to the things of God. In fact, the spiritually dead person sees the things of God as foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14) and rejects them in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18).

The only way to beat spiritual death is to be spiritually ‘made alive. Paul continues in Ephesians:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

We are made alive with Christ. The resurrection of Christ was an event of cosmic proportions. Not only did the resurrection indicate that God accepted the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the sins of the world, but it also introduced a whole new ‘world order.’ The age to come that Israel set its hopes on has been inaugurated. The resurrection of Christ is the first fruits of a bountiful harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God.

The apostle John speaks on this issue when he says no one can enter the Kingdom unless he is “born again” (or “born from above”; taken from John 3:3). Other terms for this phenomenon are regeneration or spiritual re-birth. The point being that due to the sin of Adam, the human race is born in sin. It takes a work of God’s Holy Spirit to be re-born, or born again. Our first birth is physical; our second birth is spiritual.

This raises the question why are Christians, who have been spiritually re-born, still subject to physical death? I think the best way to answer this is to consider the two-age model of eschatology. Unlike Classic Dispensationalism with its seven dispensations, or Pre- and Post-Millennialism with its chiliastic outlook(*), the Bible breaks down redemptive history into two ages: This age and the age to come. This age is characterized this present “evil age” (Galatians 1:4), whereas the age to come is finalized when Christ returns in glory. Between the two advents of Christ, we have an intersection of this age and the age to come, which is expressed in the “already/not yet” tension of the Christian life. In Christ, we are saved and enjoy all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3), yet we are still pilgrims and sojourners in this world (Philippians 3:20). As a result, while we are born again spiritually, we are still in unredeemed bodies. Death will not be defeated until Christ returns (1 Corinthians 15:22-26). Until that time, we are still subject to disease, decay and death. The effects of Adam’s sin are still felt in this present age; even by Christians.

Another question that can be raised is what happens to us when we die? If the final resurrection doesn’t occur until the time of Christ’s return, what happens in the meantime? The doctrine of the Intermediate State answers this question. The Westminster Confession of Faith has this to say about the intermediate state:

The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Beside these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledges none. (WCF XXXII.1)

Basically the intermediate state is precisely that — intermediate. It is the state of people who die between the time of Christ’s first and second advent. The intermediate state is a sort of foretaste of what will happen in the eternal state. The righteous enjoy a state of blessedness in the presence of God and the wicked suffer punishment separated from God. Two points to be made before moving on. First, the ultimate end for mankind is a physical resurrection; the intermediate state is a temporary state until the return of Christ. Contrary to those who hold a somewhat dualistic view of things (spirit = good; matter = bad), the Christian view is one of a physical resurrection into a glorified state. Second, the WCF concludes by saying there are no other options other than that presented by the intermediate state. This would seem to rule out the doctrine of purgatory (which we will address later).

About that future resurrection, the WCF continues:

At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up, with the selfsame bodies, and none other (although with different qualities), which shall be united again to their souls forever. (WCF XXXII.2)

The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor: the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, unto honor; and be made conformable to His own glorious body. (WCF XXXII.3)

When Christ returns on the last day, one of the things on his agenda will be the resurrection of all people. Those who are still alive when Christ returns will be transformed into their final state; whereas those who are dead will be raised into their final state. The final state of the righteous and the wicked will be different. The righteous will be glorified. Their physical bodies will be free of sin and retain a continuity with their old bodies. The wicked will be raised in bodies fit for eternal judgment (whatever that entails).

The Bible clearly refutes any form of reincarnation as our glorified bodies are not completely different bodies, but retain a continuity with our previous bodies. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that when we are resurrected, we are the same people as before. Finally, the Bible teaches that there is no endless cycle death and life, but we are destined to die once and then face the judgment (Hebrews 9:28). The Bible also clearly refutes the atheistic notion of this life being all there is. Referring back to that Hebrews verse, we will face a judgment when we die. What we do in this life has consequences in the next. Judgment is real and the wicked should fear it. But as the verse quoted at the top of the article states: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. We will all die as a result of the sin of Adam, and our own sin further condemns us. However, Christ came so that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

Bottom Line: In conclusion, I would like to address two issues regarding death that, I believe, the Bible doesn’t teach: The Rapture and Purgatory.

Those who hold to a Dispensational viewpoint will ascent to the intermediate state, but they teach that when Christ returns, he will rapture the Church from the world. This will inaugurate the seven year period of Tribulation. At the conclusion of the Tribulation period, Christ will return to earth, this time with his saints (the ‘first’ second return was for his saints). Christ will initiate the first resurrection of the righteous and execute the Sheep-Goat judgment (cf. Matthew 25). At that point, the righteous will enter the kingdom period for 1,000 years. At the end of the Millennium, Christ will suppress another rebellion and begin the White Throne Judgment. There will be the resurrection of the wicked (the second resurrection) and finally the eternal state will commence.

This view unnecessarily complicates the end times. It posits two returns of Christ, two ‘final’ judgments, two ‘final’ rebellions, two resurrections, and an unnecessary 1,000 period between the return of Christ and the eternal state. All of this based on an unnecessary distinction between Israel and the Church. Because of all this baggage that dispensationalists bring to the text, they must posit that the Bible teaches a pre-tribulational rapture (or ‘secret’ return of Christ for his saints), and their proof text for this is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. However, this passage does nothing to forward the pre-tribulational view of the Rapture. All this passage teaches is that the return of Jesus will be preceded by a loud trumpet blast, a shout from an arch-angel, and a cry of command (hard to see how this would be secret). At that time, dead believers will rise and living believers will be transformed. That’s it! There is no talk of a seven year tribulation, etc. Dispensationalists read that into the text of Scripture by making a distinction between the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4) and the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5). I believe this to be an unnecessary distinction. The dispensational view of the Rapture is unbiblical and should be rejected.

What about purgatory? Purgatory can be simply defined as “the condition or process of purification in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven.” According to Roman Catholic dogma, it is necessary to purge any unconfessed venial (i.e., forgivable) sins. Roman Catholic teaching distinguishes between venial sins and mortal sins (sins that forfeit divine saving grace). The sacrament of baptism infuses saving grace into the one baptized and the sacrament of penance maintains that saving grace in the commission of venial sins. However, if one should die with unconfessed venial sins, one must spend time in purgatory to atone for those sins, and thereby make expiation of their sin to God.

Purgatory is a long held dogma of the Roman Catholic Church and enjoys support all the way back to some of the earliest church fathers. With the Protestant Reformation and Sola Scriptura, the doctrine of purgatory has been called into question. Almost to a man Protestants deny this doctrine because it cannot be found in Scripture. However, like the doctrine of the Trinity, Roman Catholics would contend that even though one cannot find explicit reference to purgatory in Scripture, it can be inferred. The two main passages that Roman Catholics turn to in support of this doctrine are 2 Maccabees 12:38-46 and 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

The first passage (2 Maccabees 12:38-46) comes from the apocrypha, and is therefore not considered canonical in the Protestant churches. Regarding the apocrypha, Jerome, the early church father who translated the Bible into Latin, had this to say: “The Church reads Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabees, but does not admit them among the canonical Scriptures.” Furthermore, he says that they are read “for the edification of the people, not to give authority to the doctrines of the Church.” Be that as it may, even if we accept the apocrypha as authoritative, this passage does not support the doctrine of purgatory and even proves more than it intends. From the website Just For Catholics (www.justforcatholics.org):

After a certain battle, it was discovered that the dead Jewish soldiers had idols hidden under their clothes. The Jewish general, Judas Maccabeus, sent money to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices for them. In doing this, Judas was not following the Scriptures because among the many precepts of the Law of Moses, there was no sacrifice intended for the dead. In all the Scriptures there is no example of Jews or Christians offering sacrifices or praying for the departed. Moreover, this passage proves too much for the Catholic for these soldiers were guilty of idolatry, a mortal sin, and therefore they were damned to eternal, rather than temporal, punishment in Hell.

The second passage that is used in support of the doctrine of purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 quoted below:

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

According to the Catholic Catechism, the ‘fire’ is interpreted as the fires of purgatory; the cleansing and purifying fires. However, is that what this passage is intending to teach? Are the fires the cleansing and purifying fires of purgatory or the fires of judgment meant to test the works in our temporal lives? The context of this passage is not the judgment of our sins, but of our works of Christian ministry. To make this passage in some way support the doctrine of purgatory is to take this passage out of context.

The final question that needs to be asked regarding purgatory is what does this doctrine say about the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work to not only propitiate God’s wrath, but to expiate our sin? If purgatory is necessary to purge sinners prior to their entrance into heaven, then what you have done is made the claim that the death of Christ was necessary for our atonement, but not sufficient. I can’t think of a more blasphemous thing to say. The writer of Hebrews goes to great lengths to prove that the sacrifice of Christ was a “once for all time” sacrifice — no other sacrifice is needed (cf. Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:10). With that in mind we can reject the doctrine of purgatory as unbiblical too.

Death is a fact of life. Death is a result of sin. However, death has been defeated by Christ and that victory has been extended to all those who are in Christ. As the Apostle Paul closes the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians: “‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

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(*) Chiliasm is the belief that prior to the Eternal State (or New Heavens and New Earth) there will be a period of 1,000 years (either literal or figurative) of peace and bliss on the earth. Depending on whether or not you’re Pre- or Post-Millennial in your outlook essentially determines whether or not you see Christ as reigning on earth during this period or returning to earth after this period. I hold to an Amillennial view which sees this current period as the Millennium spoken of in Revelation 20:1-6. When Christ returns, he will accomplish three things: 1) The resurrection of all people; 2) The final judgment of the righteous and the wicked; 3) Ushering in the Eternal State, or the consummation of the Kingdom. Read Cornelis P. Venema’s book The Promise of the Future (Banner of Truth, 2000) for an in-depth critique of both Pre- and Post-Millennial views and a great defense of Reformed Amillennialism.