Are You Afraid to Die?

When I was a child, I was afraid to look at a dead person’s body or even a sight of a coffin lest of going to a wake of a dead relative. Much more, I was afraid to die. I remember asking my mother if I could still breathe when put inside a coffin or buried under the grave. She told me the answer and of course you know what that answer was. Yet, I said to myself, “I still don’t want to die and I don’t want to be put inside the coffin. I can’t breathe there.”

When I started my own family, this misconception about dying hasn’t change. In fact, my anxieties grew even more because my worry of who will provide or take care of my family’s needs when I die compounded my fear of dying. However, this misconception about dying changed when I started to read the Bible.

There are two kinds of death-the cessation of life here on earth, and the missed opportunity to live in heaven with God forever. To die physically is to leave our earthly body and our place in the earthly community. To die spiritually, eternally, is to miss eternal residence in heaven with God and his people, to be separated from God forever. When we die physically, we can be even more alive as we take up our residence in God’s eternal home with him and with his people. It is not pleasant to think of dying physically. But it is devastating to think of missing heaven forever. Death is no respecter of persons. It is the great equalizer here on earth. Rich, poor, wise, foolish, great, simple – all will die. But there is a way to have something waiting for you when you get to heaven – eternal life. You can’t take anything with you when you die, but there is a way to receive much when you arrive in heaven, for God rewards those who have been faithful to him and leave behind a legacy of goodness.

A person who accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior who dies will meet God and live with him forever. A person who doesn’t believe in Him will be condemned to eternal punishment. Religion or simply abiding on the teachings alone cannot save us but a complete acceptance of Christ Jesus as our personal Savior. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except though Him. There are lots of gospels in the Bible that would show the true salvation, it’s only through Christ Jesus.

Fear of the unknown is natural, and fear of death can be healthy if it draws us to know more about God. It is helpful to think of death as a beginning, not an end. It is our entrance into eternal life with God. A fear of death may be an indication of a weak relationship with God. You must be ready to die and be at peace with yourself in order to appreciate life fully.

Now I understand how happy it is living for Christ and dying is even better especially if you are assured of a place in heaven.