Death Transformed: A Believer's Hope in Christ

 

Summary

In our time together, we explored the profound question: Why do Christians die if Christ has already conquered death? This inquiry leads us to delve into the rich insights of the Westminster Larger Catechism, which provides a biblical perspective on death for believers. The catechism reminds us that while death is indeed the wage of sin, Christians are delivered from its sting and curse through Christ. Although we still experience physical death, it is not a judicial sentence but rather a transition into a deeper communion with Christ.

The transformation of death for believers is twofold. First, Christ has removed the sting of death, which is sin, by fulfilling the law's demands on our behalf. This means that death no longer holds power over us as a master, and we are no longer enslaved by the fear of it. Second, Christ adds to death by making it an act of divine love. Through death, God frees us from sin and misery, allowing us to enter into a state of perfect holiness and communion with Him.

Death, though an enemy, is used by God for our ultimate good. It frees us from the presence and influence of sin and brings us into a glorious communion with Christ. This understanding helps us face the fears associated with death, such as readiness, loss, and pain. We are reminded that our acceptance before God is based on Christ's righteousness, not our own. Our sovereign God appoints the time of our death, and we can trust Him with our loved ones and unfinished work. Even in the face of pain, we are assured of Christ's presence and intercession.

To confront these fears, we are encouraged to think more about death, viewing it through the lens of the gospel. By familiarizing ourselves with death, we can appreciate the gain it brings—leaving behind sin and entering into glory. Ultimately, our focus should be on Christ, our faithful friend and Savior, who awaits us in the life to come. Death becomes a homecoming, an invitation to be with the One we love.

Key Takeaways:

- Death's Transformation for Believers: Christ has transformed death by removing its sting and curse, making it a transition into deeper communion with Him. Death is no longer a judicial sentence but an act of divine love, freeing us from sin and misery. [05:10]

- The Good in Death: While death is an enemy, God uses it for our ultimate good. It frees us from the presence and influence of sin and brings us into a glorious communion with Christ. This understanding helps us face the fears associated with death. [09:22]

- Facing Fears of Death: Common fears include readiness, loss, and pain. We are reminded that our acceptance before God is based on Christ's righteousness, not our own. Our sovereign God appoints the time of our death, and we can trust Him with our loved ones and unfinished work. [15:23]

- Thinking on Death: We are encouraged to think more about death, viewing it through the lens of the gospel. By familiarizing ourselves with death, we can appreciate the gain it brings—leaving behind sin and entering into glory. [20:36]

- Focusing on Christ: Our focus should be on Christ, our faithful friend and Savior, who awaits us in the life to come. Death becomes a homecoming, an invitation to be with the One we love. [22:15]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:36] - Why Do Christians Die?
- [01:25] - Insights from the Westminster Catechism
- [02:21] - Two Biblical Convictions
- [03:15] - Forgiveness and Death
- [04:08] - Trusting God's Justice
- [05:10] - Christ's Transformation of Death
- [06:04] - Deliverance from Death's State
- [06:54] - The Sting of Death Removed
- [07:41] - God's Love in Death
- [08:31] - Death for Our Good
- [09:22] - Freed from Sin and Misery
- [10:27] - Communion with Christ in Glory
- [11:27] - The Hope of Being with Christ
- [12:26] - The Sweetness of Heaven
- [13:23] - Facing Fear in Death
- [14:28] - Christian Duty in Facing Fear
- [15:23] - Fears of Readiness, Loss, and Pain
- [18:01] - Trusting God's Sovereignty
- [18:54] - Pain and the Christian Experience
- [19:43] - Strategies for Facing Fear
- [20:36] - Thinking on Death
- [21:21] - The Believer's Last Day
- [22:15] - Focusing on Christ
- [23:03] - Christ's Invitation to Come Home
- [23:44] - Resting in Our Savior

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
2. Romans 8:28
3. Ecclesiastes 7:1

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, what are the two biblical convictions we must hold regarding death? [02:21]
2. How does the Westminster Larger Catechism describe the transformation of death for believers? [01:25]
3. What does 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 say about the sting of death and how it has been removed for believers? [06:54]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of God's love in the experience of death for believers? [07:41]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the removal of the sting of death change a believer's perspective on dying, according to the sermon? [06:54]
2. In what ways does Romans 8:28 provide comfort regarding the purpose of death in a believer's life? [09:22]
3. How does the sermon suggest believers should confront the fear of death, and what role does Christ play in this process? [14:28]
4. What does Ecclesiastes 7:1 imply about the believer's perspective on life and death, and how does this align with the sermon's message? [21:21]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you feared death. How can the understanding that death is a transition into deeper communion with Christ change your perspective? [05:10]
2. How can you remind yourself daily that your acceptance before God is based on Christ's righteousness and not your own? [16:18]
3. What practical steps can you take to trust God with your loved ones and unfinished work, knowing that He appoints the time of your death? [18:01]
4. How can you familiarize yourself with the concept of death in a healthy way, as suggested by Martin Luther, to appreciate the gain it brings? [20:36]
5. Identify a specific fear you have about death. How can focusing on Christ as your faithful friend and Savior help alleviate that fear? [22:15]
6. How can you cultivate a mindset that views death as a homecoming to be with Christ, rather than an end? [23:03]
7. What is one way you can prepare yourself spiritually for the day of your death, ensuring you are ready to meet Christ? [15:23]

Devotional

Day 1: Death as a Transition to Deeper Communion
Christians experience death not as a punishment but as a transition into a deeper communion with Christ. The Westminster Larger Catechism provides a biblical perspective, explaining that while death is the wage of sin, believers are delivered from its sting and curse through Christ. This transformation means that death is no longer a judicial sentence but an act of divine love. Through death, God frees us from sin and misery, allowing us to enter into a state of perfect holiness and communion with Him. This understanding helps us face the fears associated with death, such as readiness, loss, and pain, with the assurance that our acceptance before God is based on Christ's righteousness, not our own. [05:10]

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." (Philippians 1:21-23, ESV)

Reflection: How does viewing death as a transition into deeper communion with Christ change your perspective on your own mortality today?


Day 2: God's Goodness in Death
While death is an enemy, God uses it for our ultimate good. It frees us from the presence and influence of sin and brings us into a glorious communion with Christ. This understanding helps us face the fears associated with death. By recognizing that God uses death to free us from sin and misery, we can appreciate the gain it brings—leaving behind sin and entering into glory. This perspective encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty and His plan for our lives, even in the face of death. [09:22]

"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Corinthians 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you see God's goodness in the concept of death, and how does this understanding help you trust Him more today?


Day 3: Trusting God's Sovereignty Over Death
Common fears about death include readiness, loss, and pain. We are reminded that our acceptance before God is based on Christ's righteousness, not our own. Our sovereign God appoints the time of our death, and we can trust Him with our loved ones and unfinished work. Even in the face of pain, we are assured of Christ's presence and intercession. This trust in God's sovereignty allows us to face the fears of death with confidence, knowing that He is in control and that His plans for us are good. [15:23]

"Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." (Psalm 139:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's timing, and how can you surrender this to Him today?


Day 4: Embracing the Gospel Perspective on Death
We are encouraged to think more about death, viewing it through the lens of the gospel. By familiarizing ourselves with death, we can appreciate the gain it brings—leaving behind sin and entering into glory. This perspective helps us to live with an eternal mindset, focusing on the hope and promise of being with Christ in the life to come. By embracing the gospel perspective on death, we can live with greater purpose and intentionality, knowing that our ultimate home is with Christ. [20:36]

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." (Hebrews 13:14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate an eternal perspective into your daily life, and what changes might this bring to your priorities and actions today?


Day 5: Focusing on Christ, Our Faithful Friend and Savior
Our focus should be on Christ, our faithful friend and Savior, who awaits us in the life to come. Death becomes a homecoming, an invitation to be with the One we love. By keeping our eyes fixed on Christ, we can face the uncertainties of life and death with confidence and hope. This focus on Christ reminds us of His love and faithfulness, encouraging us to live in a way that honors Him and reflects His character to the world around us. [22:15]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to keep your focus on Christ, and how might this impact your relationship with Him and others?

Quotes

"The Westminster Larger Catechism has a number of often unearthed gems. One of those gems is an answer to this very question. Let me read the question and answer. 'Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ? Answer: The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it; so that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love, to free them perfectly from sin and misery, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon.'" [00:01:17]

"The catechism's question and answer tells us as we think about this question, 'Why do Christians die?' we need to hold onto and not let go two biblical convictions. The first of these is that death is the wage of sin. That is what death is. It is what we are owed for sin. And the second conviction that we hold on to with equal firmness is that all of the sins of the righteous are forgiven in Christ. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have been counted righteous in Christ." [00:02:37]

"The Scripture tells us enough, so that we can rest confidently in the truth, the justice, the goodness of our God, and in the sufficiency of what Christ has done for us to save us. As often with difficulties in Scripture, Scripture doesn't answer every question that we may have, but it gives us enough so that we can trust our God fully and confidently and walk with Him and before Him. And what the Scripture does is to make one basic point about death for the believer, and that is that Christ has transformed death for the believer in two basic ways." [00:04:20]

"The sting and curse of death have been removed for every believer. This is how Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 15 at verse 55. '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.' So, in Christ, death's sting is gone, because Christ has paid our debts, He has met the demands of the law for us, and so there is no more sting to death." [00:06:54]

"In the first place, and our catechism question and answer so helpfully reminds us, that when the believer dies, this is out of the love of God for the believer. God never ceases to be our heavenly Father who loves us with an everlasting love, and that is true no less in death. So, we should not think of death as the just penalty that God sends against us for our sin, because Christ has paid the penalty for our sins and God in love sent His Son into the world to do just that." [00:08:05]

"Death is something that God appoints for our good. Do you remember how Paul puts it in Romans 8? 'All things work together for good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.' Death is among those 'all things.' Paul doesn't say that death is good, only that it is for our good. So, what good thing is God doing through this evil thing, death? We could think about that along a couple of lines. In the first place, at death, God frees us from sin and misery." [00:09:15]

"We are freed from the presence and the influence of sin that affects us at every point and turn, every waking moment of our lives. We are freed from the effects of sin, the experience of the curse, what sin has done to our relationships in our families, in our friendships. We are brought out of a world that is committed to sin. And so, there is a great good when God brings us out of that and into an environment and among an assembly where all is holy and without sin." [00:10:34]

"It was Paul's great hope that immediately upon death he would go to be with Christ which he pronounced better by far. Now, Paul had communed with Christ through faith all his life, and he was looking forward to a new phase of communing with his Savior in glory. He would go to be with the One whom he had known and loved and trusted and served all along. It would be the same One with whom he had fellowship, but that fellowship would be sweeter and better than anything he had experienced on this earth." [00:11:45]

"And it is for these reasons because of what God takes away and what God gives, we can say death is for the good of every believer. That is why we can say the words of the Revelation chapter 14, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit.' Now, this raises the question of fear, fear in the face of death. A wonderful recent hymn, In Christ Alone, teaches us to sing, 'No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me.'" [00:13:12]

"What are some fears that we may face? What are they and how can we speak to them according to the gospel? We can just mention three. One is the fear of readiness. What if I am not ready to meet Christ in the hour of my death? My sins are many. I am not as holy as I ought to be. How can I think of appearing before God immediately upon death? And this is where we remember the gospel of grace, that we are accepted, we are counted righteous, not because of our record, but because of the record of another." [00:15:38]

"The first may seem counterintuitive. We need to be thinking more of death and not less of death. Remember, we live in a world that is in denial, but the gospel teaches us to look at death for what it is in Christ. That is why Martin Luther told his congregation, 'We should familiarize ourselves with death during our lifetime, inviting death into our presence when it is still at a distance and not on the move. You must look at death while you are alive and see sin in the light of grace and hell in the light of heaven permitting nothing to divert you from that view.'" [00:20:26]

"And then, finally, think on Christ as you face fears in death. Thomas Boston told his congregation, 'We have a trusty good friend before us in the other world.' If you travel and you are anxious about those travels, often thinking about a friend or a loved one who will meet you, who will be there with you, goes a long way to ease those anxieties. And we have a faithful Savior and friend, Christ, who is waiting for us and who is with us now. He told His disciples, 'I have gone to prepare a place for you.'" [00:22:23]

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Transcript
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