Desert Springs Community Church

What is Death?

Death does not mean to cease to exist

Biblically, death means separation

At death, your soul separates from your body, but you continue to exist

Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
Luke 16:22

In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
Luke 16:23-24

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die…
John 11:25-26

What Happens at the Death of a Believer?

The context of 2 Corinthians 5 is about suffering and facing death

Paul uses 2 pictures to describe death: 1) trading tents/buildings/ dwelling places; 2) changing clothes

Paul suggests that this change of dwelling/clothing is immediate

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;
Revelation 7:9

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation”
Revelation 7:13-14

Is this new body a temporary body? Don’t we have to wait till the resurrection to get the permanent one?

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:14

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16

Our new body with be different than our current bodies, yet have similarities - 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, 49

Applications for Today

Believers should not fear death; it will be a great day!

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

God doesn’t need this current body to make the new one – cremation, burial are both ok biblically

We are embodied souls, so we should take care of the body we have

Grieving death is a gift from God, it is important

If you don’t know Jesus, you too are going to live forever, separated from Him in the lake of fire

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16