Two Mystic Bodies
Many people fear death because it means a loss of earthly blessings and hopes that they have in this material world. Why should they not be afraid of death? Because, if we are in communion with Jesus Christ, we know that by our faith, God gave everlasting life to our souls, and when we die, only the flesh dies and not our spirits. When we are saved and we die, there is a release from many miserable earthly things in this life. Every Christian certainly believes in this liberation, and those who don’t simply keep following the world’s value system such as greed for money, power, pleasures, popularity etc.
“For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17 ESV)
A mystical, or supernatural, point of view would say that there are two bodies. One is the body of sin under Satan’s leadership which is lived out through unbelievers, and the body of Christ that is in us or whoever believes in Christ. When we are in communion with Christ and we are all at one, it means that the Holy Spirit gives us all the energy we need and lift us up.
“But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:46-29 ESV)
When we received Christ, we were born again. So, we can say, with Paul, “For me to live in Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 ESV)
This is the reason we aren’t afraid to die. Thanks to our faith in Christ, death will be the last shadow before the dawn in heaven with Jesus.
We are in the world to enjoy our lives, but not in the way that Satan wants. We will better enjoy this world if we are serving God in the same way that Jesus instructed us to. The church is the body of Christ and our goal is to live according to the truths revealed in the Gospel. It needs to be a committed life, no matter how difficult life may be. Our behavior needs to be a paradigm or model that builds a solid prestige before.
Don’t forget that salvation is unique because it comes only from God and not from ourselves. It comes from our faith in God and His grace which assures us of eternal life.
“For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith, apart from works, is dead.” (James 2:26 ESV)
There is a reason why we should not fear death.
May God bless you.
