All humans, believers, and unbelievers are subject to death in this world. Biblically, the word “death” has more than one meaning and is significant for people to understand its various meaning of it.
Genesis chapters two and three detail how death entered the world because of sin. The creation of Adam and Eve, who became the first parents with the potential to live forever, disobeys God’s commandments. They came under the penalty of sin, which is death. Adam and Eve, at this point, became subject to physical death. Though they did not physically die on the day they ate, they did become subject to the law of judgment. Physical death is the material part of humanity separating from the immaterial. God had set the tree of life in the Garden of Eden so that by continually eating it, humans would never die.
Adam and Eve also died a moral death. God warned Adam in verse seventeen, of chapter two, in Genesis, that he would die if he ate the forbidden fruit. This warning came before Eve. Even though Adam and his wife did not die physically on that day, they did die morally because their nature became sinful. Ever since Adam and Eve, every person has been born of a sinful nature. The tendency to go their selfish way without concern for God or others.
Adam and Eve died a spiritual death when they disobeyed God. Their former intimate relationship with the Creator no longer existed. No more did Adam and Eve look forward to walking and talking with God in the garden. Instead, they hid from the presence of God. Biblically, apart from Christ, all are alienated from life in Him. Apart from salvation, we are all spiritually dead.
Finally, death as a result of sin is involved eternal death. Eternal life would have been the consequence of the obedience from Adam and Eve. Instead, the horrible state of eternal death has become operative. This kind of death is eternal condemnation and separation from God due to disobedience.
The only way to escape death in its multifaceted aspects is through Jesus Christ. By His death, He reconciled us to God. By reversing the spiritual separation and alienation as a result of sin.
The meaning of physical death for believers is we have the assurance of resurrection life. However, all human beings will go through the experience of it. Still, believers approach death differently than do unbelievers.
Death for a Christian is not the end of life but a new beginning. Rather than something to be feared, death is the point of transition to a fuller life as in First Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses fifty-five to fifty-seven. Death is a release from the troubles of this world and an earthly body to be clothed in heavenly life and glory.
Concerning the time between the believer’s death, and a person’s bodily resurrection, the scriptures at the end of this segment indicate the following. At the time of death, believers are into Christ’s presence. Christians exist in full consciousness and experience joy at the kindness and love shown by God. Heaven is like a home. A haven of rest and security and a place of community and fellowship with other believers. Activities in heaven will include worship and singing, assigned tasks, and eating and drinking. While waiting for bodily resurrection, believers are not invisible disembodied spirits but clothed with interim heavenly form. In heaven, believers maintain their identity. Furthermore, Christians who have passed on will continue to be concerned with God’s purposes on earth.
Even though much hope and joy await the believer at death, believers still grieve when a loved one dies.
Bible verses: Christ’s presence 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23
full consciousness Luke 16:19-31 Kindness/love by God Ephesians 2:7
Heaven like home Revelation 6:11 place of community John 14:2
Activities in Heaven Psalms 87, Revelation 14:2-3, 15:3
Assigned tasks Luke 19:17 eating and drinking Luke 14:15, 22:14-18, Rev. 22:2
Temporary heavenly form Luke 9:30-32, 2 Corinthians 5:1-4
Personal Identity Matthew 8:11, Luke 9:30-32 Purposes on earth revelation 6:9-11