Deliverance From Death
Dearly beloved, what happens at death? Is there a release from the state of death? Since God reveals all that is possible to know about death in His Word, let’s consider its testimony.
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
Man becomes a living soul with “the breath of life”. Living ones have “the breath of life”, but when they take their last breath they lose this life. Death is the loss of life. It is when man ceases to live, to cease to exist. Death is the opposite of living.
There is only corruption and decay in death. God originally formed Adam’s body from the elements found in the dust of the earth. At death, these elements return to their original state. The soul life expires. If a man is born of the spirit of God, the spirit returns to God who gave it. Everything returns to its original state.
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3:19
Adam, the whole man, was to return to the ground, not to heaven.
"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day, his thoughts perish." Psalms 146:4
When a man breathes his last breath, he dies. This is the natural end of every human being. Upon death, man decomposes and returns to the earth. This scripture also teaches that there is no mental activity in death.
"Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Psalms 6:4 and 5
The psalmist did not want to die. He asked God to deliver and save him from death. If salvation occurs at death, why would he pray for deliverance from it?
"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Ecclesiastes 9: 5, 6, 10
What do the dead know? They know nothing at all. In death, there is no reward. Love, hatred and envy belong to the living – not the dead. There is nothing that the dead have in common with the living. There is “. . . no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave. . .” There is no mental or physical activity of any kind in death.
This contrasts two categories: the living and the dead. “The living know”, while “the dead know not anything”.
The grave is not a place of torment, nor is it the entrance into eternal life. The grave is where one corrupts and decays.
The popular religious belief is that death is the entrance to eternal life and that it is a welcomed friend.
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
I Corinthians 15:26
God reveals to us that death is an enemy. He also tells us that death is the last enemy that will be destroyed.
"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." I Corinthians 15:50
The Word of God teaches us that corruption does not inherit incorruption. Corruption takes place when one dies. Using the figure of speech, metonymy, “corruption” is put for “death” in this verse, painting a much more vivid picture of death than the literal truth itself.
The figure of speech, metonymy, is founded on relation. The figure makes a change for the noun “death” and instead uses a word that concerns the effect of death, which is “corruption”.
“Incorruption” is stated by the same figure of speech. Instead of saying resurrection life, the figure features the effect of that life – “incorruption”.
Corruption or death does not automatically inherit incorruption or resurrection life. Death is not the entrance into glory, but to corruption and decay. The state of death brings man into a worse state.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3: 3-7
Jesus Christ taught that one must be born again if he is to enter the Kingdom of God. No one who is only flesh and blood can inherit God’s Kingdom, nor does death automatically inherit resurrection life upon death. This is not a matter of opinion or theory – this is God’s revelation on the subject.
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming." I Corinthians 15:22 and 23
There is no release from the grave without the coming and presence of Christ.
The question is when will, “all that are Christ’s”, be made alive? God gives us the answer so that we do not need to guess about it. They will be made alive “at his coming”, not by our going to him upon death.
We ought to believe the revelation of the Word of Truth, dearly beloved. There are no answers in this field that we can trust outside of the revelation of God's Word. He gave it for our believing, dearly beloved..