Dear Death,
I’m writing to clear the air on the relationship between you and me.
Put directly, we are DONE—I am through with your efforts to manipulate me and everyone I care about.
I know you’re going to go on that rant again about how no one escapes you, gloating about how you are “100% fatal,” and pointing out even the Bible is clear on that one: “…death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7.2).
Agreed—your impact is painfully real and universal. I also agree when you say that “I asked for it.” Indeed, as much as I am part of humanity, we were warned by our loving Father that if we disobeyed we “…would certainly die” (Genesis 2.17). But Adam and Eve, and every human being after them, including me, has chosen to sin anyway. In so doing, we have handed our destiny over to you. Romans 6.23 is clear that “…the wages of sin is death.”
But hold on a minute. While you revel in the pain, separation, fear, and despair you stir in so many billions of hearts–parading around boasting that no matter what, you win in the end–I want to point out that Romans 6.23 doesn’t close with your name; it ends with HIS name. “For the wages of sin is death, BUT (Yes, my emphasis!!!) the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Hear it from the source Himself—“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11.25-26).
I’m sure you’re all too familiar with Jesus, Death. After all, you had him there after the crucifixion—at least for three days. That’s all you could muster, though, because on Resurrection morning, He blew the doors off Grave’s prison and cast you off forever. In so doing, he opened the way to freedom from your grasp for all who believe. I love how He puts it in Revelation 1.18: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Thanks to Jesus, I’m as dead now as I will ever be—“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2.20). Even so, I can still enjoy a beautiful sunrise, a good meal, or an evening spent with friends and family.
Even better, when I die physically, I won’t die; I will be more alive than I have ever been—free from pain, sorrow, and the grip of brokenness, forever delighting in the presence of the One who set me free. A million years from now, I’ll be living in my 1 Corinthians 15 new and improved body, sharing and growing and celebrating with Jesus and with all who have chosen Him as their Savior.
Death, you lose; my Jesus has won, so I win! Deal with it: “’Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15.55-57).
I hope you like dust, Death, because dust is all you will ever have of me.
With that, I’ll close this letter and get back to sharing with others how Jesus can also free them from your grip forever.
More than a Conqueror in Christ,
Jeff