THE BLESSINGS OF DYING IN THE LORD

Someday we must all face death. The Hebrew writer said: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews. 9:27). When we die we will either die “In the Lord” or “outside of Christ.” The choice of whom we serve and the state in which we die is ours and ours alone. Jesus said: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew. 6:24), Let’s look for a moment at why dying in the Lord is so blessed.

What Must We Do To Die In The Lord?

Before we can die “In the Lord” there is something that we must first do. In Galatians 3:26-27 the apostle Paul explains how one can get INTO Christ. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We must be baptized into Christ to get INTO HIM. Therefore, before you can die “In the Lord” you must be buried with Him in baptism while you yet live (Romans. 6:3-4). We can also see from John 15:4 and I John 2:24 that we MUST abide IN CHRIST before we can die “In the Lord.” Let’s look at what both of these passages say to us: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide, in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John 15:4). “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father” (1 John 2:24). We need to understand from these passages that we must continue to abide in the teaching of Jesus as long as we live here on this earth (Revelation. 2:10). If we do, then we will have the blessings which come from “dying in the Lord”!

Why Is It Blessed To Die In The Lord?

There are so many wonderful blessings that can be mentioned on why it is good to die “In the Lord.” First of all, there is no condemnation for those that do. Paul says in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” There is a blessing and a promise from God our Father. That right there should give us the zeal we need to want to follow after Christ, living for Him everyday so that in so doing, we will not be condemned, but will have a life eternal with Him and the Father!

Those that are “In the Lord” are saved individuals (2 Timothy 2:10). We also have the light as is stated in Ephesians 5:8: “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light:” Most of us can understand where we were before we became Christians. Our world was dark and filled with despair. But now, after believing in Jesus and being buried with Him in baptism, we are filled with the light, and as a result, we now walk in the light of God’s Word.

We that “die in the Lord” are the ones that have the blessed promises of our Father (Ephesians 3:6). It is we that have the hope of eternal salvation (1 Corinthians 15:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:3). In addition those of us that “die in the Lord” have peace (1 Peter 5:14), rest (Matthew 11:28-29; Revelation 14:13), joy (Philippians. 3:1), eternal life (1 John 5:11), and glory (2 Timothy 2:11).

There is a mansion in heaven waiting ONLY for those that “die in the Lord”. Each and every Christian should pause and think of all the blessings that God gives to those that CHOOSE to follow Him. Have you chosen the blessings of Christ so that you will have the blessedness of dying “In the Lord”?