The Reign of Death

Today I will be officiating the funeral for the daughter of a man whose wife's funeral I officiated just a couple of weeks ago.  That woman had attended the funeral of a daughter and grandson.  This woman had attended the funeral of her own son.  The husband, my friend and fellow minister of the Gospel, has attended the funerals of each of them.

Wife, daughte, grandchild - how does one continue to face such loss?  How does a preacher reconcile the loss he has as a child of God?  He has a wonderful spirit about him, he accepts the loses with quiet grace and dignity, but how?

I believe there are two basic principles upon which he stands that have allowed him to deal with losses of this magnitude.  First, there is the principle of the reign of death itself.  We live in a fallen world in which by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man" (Rom 5:17).    "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people" (Rom 5:12).  Death is not a peculiar occurrence that visits a particular few, death visits us all, "For it is appointed man once to die and then the judgment" (Heb 9:27).  Death is the one common denominator of us all.  It is to be expected and prepared for, not feared and decried.

The second principle is found in the same passages of Scripture as the first: Life wins out over death in Christ.  "Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace reigns through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:21).  And, in the Hebrew passage that says we are appointed to die (9:27), it says also that "we are appointed once to die."  We will die or be separated from this physical world but we do not have to die a second death and be separated from God for "the one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death" (Rev 2:11).

My friend is saddened by the great losses he has suffered but he is not defeated because he knows that he will one day soon be rejoined with his loved ones who have passed on and be delivered from this world of death into the Kingdom of Life.  The reign of death ends at the grave but the reign of the Giver of Life transcends the grave and all time into eternity.  The reign of death is short lived while the reign of life is never ending.

My friend endures the reign of this world's death because he knows that his Lord has checked this reign, encouraging us all by revealing, "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have over come the world" (Jn 16:33).  The reign of death dies when we accept life in the Son.  Jus' Say'n.