When we fear death

We might as well face it: the reason why some Christians pursue medical treatment beyond the point of reason and sense is that they fear death. In part, this fear is the outworking of a God-given instinct for life. We were created to live, not to die. But this fear can also be rooted in a lingering sense of the guilt of sin. We know that we are sinners and deserve nothing but God’s wrath and curse and that death is the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23). Death presents itself as a scorpion with a deadly sting in his tail, which he claims to have the right to use on all who have sinned against God. Satan is thus able to use the fear of death as a whip to drive us onward in a desperate bid to escape our inevitable doom. He is pleased to remind us of the righteous sentence of God’s law: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20). This fear, then, can expose a lack of faith in God’s promises to us in Christ.

We are assailed with doubts: How can God be just, and be the justifier of the ungodly? Does the blood of Christ truly wash away all sin? Are my sins forgiven? Is there no condemnation awaiting me in the judgment to come? Though “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26), it is still possible for Christians to persevere in faith and overcome this fear, because Jesus removed death’s sting (v. 56; cf. Rom. 5:12–21), depriving death of its power to hurt us, and one day will destroy death finally and forever. “Fear not,” said our glorious and victorious Physician, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:17–18).

The above except can be difficult to understand when one is suffering from any disease, especially when young. I advise that in this case one seek the elders and ask them to pray for healing as per this prayer of faith: James 5: 13-16 ESV: Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.