The meaning of Death

Xeno.of.athens · Nov 27, 2022

For human beings what does death mean? I have never died myself so I will not pretend to know what death means for the individual who dies. But I have experienced death, my parents have died, and some very close friends have died. One died recently; her funeral is scheduled for this coming Tuesday (Western Australian time). So, with this post I offer my thoughts about what the death of loved ones means to human beings, this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

When a friend dies one suffers loss.

Loss of the pleasant and familiar feeling one has when in the company of a friend,
loss of new memories made with that friend by conversation and shared experiences.,
loss by fading away of existing memories which slowly diminishes one's friend's place in your life.
It is like losing bits of life - one's own life - because the people that helped to shape one's life are gone.

One has the same feeling when one's parents die.

What is it that we say? Life goes on ...

BobRyan · Nov 27, 2022

Xeno.of.athens said:
For human beings what does heath mean? I have never died myself so I will not pretend to know what death means for the individual who dies. But I have experienced death, my parents have died, and some very close friends have died. One died recently, her funeral is scheduled for this coming Tuesday (Western Australian time). So, with this post I offer my thoughts about what the death of loved ones means to human beings, this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

Thank you for sharing that.

1 Thess 4:13-18 begins and ends with this advice regarding funeral services:

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. ...18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

Xeno.of.athens · Nov 27, 2022

BobRyan said:
Thank you for sharing that.

1 Thess 4:13-18 begins and ends with this advice regarding funeral services:

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. ...18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

A Requiem Mass' first reading is this:

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, to make sure that you do not grieve for them, as others do who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that in the same way God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. We can tell you this from the Lord's own teaching, that we who are still alive for the Lord's coming will not have any advantage over those who have fallen asleep. At the signal given by the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God, the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and only after that shall we who remain alive be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. This is the way we shall be with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these, then, you should encourage one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The gospel reading is this:

Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but even now I know that God will grant whatever you ask of him.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said, 'I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.' Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? 'Yes, Lord,' she said, 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.'

John 11:21-27

There is always hope and grace for Christians.

Jesus is my Superhero · Nov 27, 2022

What I like even more though is 1Cor 15: 42 onward. I find it very encouraging and inspiring.

Xeno.of.athens · Nov 29, 2022

The funeral had these readings,

The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 23:1-6

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;

that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:1-3

The Pastor (A Pentecostal gentleman that I have known since he was a teenager) spoke well and briefly.
It was quite lovely.

So, one lesson to take away is this:

we are all human beings, mortal, error prone, filled with faith, and true to what we believe with our hearts and confess with our mouths.

YahuahSaves · Nov 29, 2022

Xeno.of.athens said:
For human beings what does heath mean? I have never died myself so I will not pretend to know what death means for the individual who dies. But I have experienced death, my parents have died, and some very close friends have died. One died recently, her funeral is scheduled for this coming Tuesday (Western Australian time). So, with this post I offer my thoughts about what the death of loved ones means to human beings, this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

When a friend dies one suffers loss.

Loss of the pleasant and familiar feeling one has when in the company of a friend,

loss of new memories made with that friend by conversation and shared experiences.,

loss by fading away of existing memories which slowly diminishes one's friend's place in your life.

It is like losing bits of life - one's own life - because the people that helped to shape one's life are gone.

One has the same feeling when one's parents die.

What is it that we say? Life goes on ...

That's true, but unless someone loses someone very close to them, often the "life goes on" phrase is easier to quote.

As an example, I've lost family members who weren't very close and I've lost a friend who was so close she felt like a soul sister.
The effect of death of the latter was much different. The grief doesn't just pass, often times after years passed, the grief can come back with a memory and it can be like you lost the person yesterday. Of course, the process of healing and letting go is different for everyone.

Xeno.of.athens · Nov 29, 2022

Pipp@ said:
That's true, but unless someone loses someone very close to them, often the "life goes on" phrase is easier to quote.

As an example, I've lost family members who weren't very close and I've lost a friend who was so close she felt like a soul sister.
The effect of death of the latter was much different. The grief doesn't just pass, often times after years passed, the grief can come back with a memory and it can be like you lost the person yesterday. Of course, the process of healing and letting go is different for everyone.

Grief fades but it never goes away. The pain of loss remains, but time does seem to blunt it and the daily concerns of "life goes on ..." robs grief of some of its hurt. It also robs memory of some of its beauty, so with diminished hurt comes diminished sharpness of vision.

For me "life goes on ..." is a fact but not a flippant one nor a fully joyous one, In this world anyway.

There is hope in Christ, comfort in the resurrection, and blessing in faith that these things are so. So, what is one to say? Life goes on, indeed, but our eternal home calls and we long for it, as Saint Paul did when he said he was in a quandary about which to choose

To depart and be with Christ, which is by far the best, or
To remain and be of help to the Church, which is more necessary for those who remain on Earth.

YahuahSaves · Nov 29, 2022

BobRyan said:
Thank you for sharing that.

1 Thess 4:13-18 begins and ends with this advice regarding funeral services:

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. ...18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

The problem with that is what happens to those who were not "in Jesus" before they died?
This is often a difficult part of the faith I cannot fathom. Some people "perished from a lack of knowledge" not everyone was taught the truth and died not knowing who Jesus really was/is.

What of them? Will God on judgement day not give those people a chance to get into heaven, because they didn't know of Jesus on earth?

Xeno.of.athens · Nov 29, 2022

Pipp@ said:
The problem with that is what happens to those who were not "in Jesus" before they died?
This is often a difficult part of the faith I cannot fathom. Some people "perished from a lack of knowledge" not everyone was taught the truth and died not knowing who Jesus really was/is.

What of them? Will God on judgement day not give those people a chance to get into heaven, because they didn't know of Jesus on earth?

Perhaps there is hope in John the Baptist's words:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

John 1:29-34

Since it is Advent Season for Catholic Christians, I feel like sharing some lovely advent hymns.

Jonaitis · Nov 29, 2022

Xeno.of.athens said:
For human beings what does death mean? I have never died myself so I will not pretend to know what death means for the individual who dies. But I have experienced death, my parents have died, and some very close friends have died. One died recently; her funeral is scheduled for this coming Tuesday (Western Australian time). So, with this post I offer my thoughts about what the death of loved ones means to human beings, this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

When a friend dies one suffers loss.

Loss of the pleasant and familiar feeling one has when in the company of a friend,

loss of new memories made with that friend by conversation and shared experiences.,

loss by fading away of existing memories which slowly diminishes one's friend's place in your life.

It is like losing bits of life - one's own life - because the people that helped to shape one's life are gone.

One has the same feeling when one's parents die.

What is it that we say? Life goes on ...

Death is a reminder that our time here is short, and concludes the direction our life. It is very sobering, though unpleasant.

BobRyan · Nov 29, 2022

Pipp@ said:
The problem with that is what happens to those who were not "in Jesus" before they died?
This is often a difficult part of the faith I cannot fathom. Some people "perished from a lack of knowledge" not everyone was taught the truth and died not knowing who Jesus really was/is.

What of them? Will God on judgement day not give those people a chance to get into heaven, because they didn't know of Jesus on earth?

Romans 2 addresses it this way.

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.

26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.

YahuahSaves · Nov 29, 2022

BobRyan said:
Romans 2 addresses it this way.

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.

26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.

Thanks.. I know what the scripture says.
I guess I was questioning the character of God according to the bible, it seems contradictory.

I'm still trying to reconcile my past and current view I guess.

My friend who died grew up catholic (her parents were Italian heritage). She had a bible she read from time to time, but looking back I don't think she was taught (like me) or understood the true meaning of the cross.
She was a beautiful person, always doing for others, I find it hard to believe God would allow truly loving people to not "get into heaven" or whatever, because they weren't officially "saved". It just doesn't make sense.

BobRyan · Nov 30, 2022

Pipp@ said:
Thanks.. I know what the scripture says.
I guess I was questioning the character of God according to the bible, it seems contradictory.

Those texts in Rom 2 show God saving people who have no access to scripture at all.

That is inline with "God so loved the WORLD that He gave" in John 3
And inline with "Jesus is the Atoning sacrifice for our sins and not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world" in 1 John 2:2
And in line with 1 John 4:14 "God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world"

The fact that "the many" still go to hell as Matt 7 states is because of free will - not because of some arbitrary selection on the part of God.

Pipp@ said:
I'm still trying to reconcile my past and current view I guess.

My friend who died grew up catholic (her parents were Italian heritage). She had a bible she read from time to time, but looking back I don't think she was taught (like me) or understood the true meaning of the cross.
She was a beautiful person, always doing for others, I find it hard to believe God would allow truly loving people to not "get into heaven" or whatever, because they weren't officially "saved". It just doesn't make sense.

As the Romans 2 text points out above - some folks with no access to the Bible "show the law written on the heart" which is "new covenant"
15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.

That action of writing the law on the heart - is the work of the Holy Spirit for the saved.

29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.

So on the one hand - keeping someone in darkness does lead them down the wrong road. But on the other hand - God "draws ALL mankind" to Himself John 12:32 even those on the wrong road.

I don't need to judge the soul of another - but I do need to know that the Gospel is "life" and sharing the Gospel matters.

The meaning of Death

I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

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I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

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I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

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I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria

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