[1]<\/a> At death, the soul is separated from the body. As Christians we recognize that this isn\u2019t normal. It\u2019s not good for that which God joined together for human life to be torn apart. This is why we believe and confess a bodily resurrection. Without it, we would be less than what God created us to be; living, breathing, feeling, creatures who are at the same time rational and spiritual. Without this reuniting of soul and body, we would still be dead and unable to taste the fruits of Christ\u2019s redemption of creation. Nevertheless, we don\u2019t have to be scared about the conditions of our souls when we die. Having finally been set free from the weakness and corruption that infects our bodies through death (Rom. 6:7), our souls are comforted with Jesus (Luke 23:43) and the rest of the saints.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSee what happens to Lazarus. Though he suffered terrible bodily afflictions and the hatred of others in this life, in death his soul is \u201ccarried by the angels to Abraham\u2019s side.\u201d Since we share in Lazarus\u2019 faith, since we also hear and believe Moses, the prophets, and Jesus\u2019 apostles, then we take comfort from the fact that our souls will not be in anguish, nor will they wink out into nonexistence, as they wait to be reunited with our bodies. So, as a summary, at the time of death, our souls are separated from our bodies, attended by the angels into heaven, comforted, and wait for the resurrection. Your soul can\u2019t get lost and end up in hell. Neither will the souls who are not forgiven and justified by faith find their way into heaven. While there\u2019s still time in this life, let\u2019s listen to Moses and the prophets as they warn us against sin. Let\u2019s listen to Jesus\u2019 voice of mercy and forgiveness because this is our spiritual life and comfort after death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luke 8:49-56<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n49 <\/em><\/strong>While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, \u201cYour daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.\u201d<\/em>50 <\/em><\/strong>But Jesus on hearing this answered him, \u201cDo not fear; only believe, and she will be well.\u201d <\/em>51 <\/em><\/strong>And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. <\/em>52 <\/em><\/strong>And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, \u201cDo not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.\u201d <\/em>53 <\/em><\/strong>And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. <\/em>54 <\/em><\/strong>But taking her by the hand he called, saying, \u201cChild, arise.\u201d <\/em>55 <\/em><\/strong>And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. <\/em>56 <\/em><\/strong>And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nDeath isn\u2019t the oblivion of destruction and decay that it is to the world. For the Christian, it is like sleep. In the same way as you go to bed at night and anticipate waking up in the morning, so also do you lay yourself down in death. You confess to the world that you will open your eyes again. Just like Jairus\u2019 young daughter, Jesus voice will wake you up from death. You\u2019ll get up and walk. This Resurrection hope was confessed by Job when he says that he\u2019ll behold his Redeemer\u2019s face, \u201cwhom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me\u201d (Job 19:27). And for this reason, St. Paul repeats Jesus and says that the saints who have died have \u201cfallen asleep\u201d (1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 20; 1 Thess. 4:14, 15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next time you\u2019re at a Christian funeral, don\u2019t be modest or shy about our resurrection hope. Say it as Jesus and St. Paul said it. \u201cYou\u2019re loved one is sleeping. She\u2019ll open her eyes and see her Redeemer\u2019s face. Just like with Lazarus and Jairus\u2019 daughter, she\u2019ll get up and walk.\u201d Memorize this verse and speak it. \u201cFor since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep\u201d (1 Thess. 4:14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Revelation 6:9-11<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n9 <\/em><\/strong>When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. <\/em>10 <\/em><\/strong>They cried out with a loud voice, \u201cO Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?\u201d <\/em>11 <\/em><\/strong>Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe book of Revelation isn\u2019t as scary or cryptic as the millenialists have led many to believe. It\u2019s not about secret messages and codes to decipher that will tell us when the end will come. Jesus said that only the Father knows the day and hour (Matt. 24:36). The book tells us about the spiritual struggles and victory of the church in this time as we wait for Jesus to return in glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose who had been slain for the word\u201d are the martyrs. They died because of their Christian confession. Though they, like Lazarus in Jesus\u2019 above parable, are not in torment, they are eager for Jesus to bring to completion the work he began and secured on the cross and through his own resurrection. They cry out with a loud voice imploring him to put his enemies under his feet and avenge their good deaths. Their cries are answered. The Lord gives them white robes symbolizing their purity which came from faith and tells them to rest in peace. They must wait \u201cuntil the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete.\u201d They\u2019re waiting for the gospel to run its full course. Their waiting for your baptism. Their waiting for the forgiveness of sins to reach across the continents and centuries until that moment when Jesus\u2019 brings this era of mercy to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice that the holy martyrs aren\u2019t depicted as hearing our prayers or being able to see our struggles. Instead, what\u2019s shown is that they know that their blood has yet to be avenged. Jesus has yet to return in glory. Until that time, Jesus comforts them and assures them that everything will happen in its appointed time. This is the worship and state of souls before the resurrection. They desire to be reunited with their bodies. They desire Jesus\u2019 to reveal his glory to everyone\u2019s eyes, just as we\u2019ve perceived his glory now by faith in the Word. They pray for the fulfillment of hope. Jesus comforts them. The text, ending as it does on a note of reassurance, gives us the joy of knowing that their hope and comfort will not abandon the martyr\u2019s souls until the Last Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next time you\u2019re at graveside. Don\u2019t be tempted to say things like, \u2018I\u2019m sure that she sees us.\u2019 Say instead, \u2018I\u2019m sure that she sees Jesus and is at peace. I\u2019m sure that she\u2019s eager for the resurrection to come quickly.\u2019 Dear saints, let\u2019s join our voices and prayers to the dearly departed who have preceded us in death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus says, \u201cBehold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates\u201d (Rev. 22:12-14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your robes are washed and made white in Baptism. The gates are Jesus\u2019 Word and Sacrament. The tree of life is his cross from which he gives forgiveness, righteousness, and peace. Dying in this justifying faith, you are saved. Death is but sleep that gives way to resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s learn to pray with all the saints in heaven and on earth, \u201cCome, Lord Jesus\u201d (Rev. 22:20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus says, \u201cSurely I am coming soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-Pr. A. Brian Flamme<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[1]<\/a> Though there is some debate as to whether biblical anthropology teaches a tripartite distinction between soul, spirit, and body verses a soul, body distinction, we\u2019ll leave that out of this discussion and acknowledge the soul or spirit as that immaterial part of ourselves that survives death and is reunited with out bodies on the day of resurrection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"St. Paul says that we do not grieve \u201cas others do who have no hope\u201d (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Our Lord lives. Death and grave, our old enemies that used to devour everything, have been put under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). The nature of our hope and what we can say about our Christian friends […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-teach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":321,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320\/revisions\/321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/church.immanuelroswell.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}