The story is told of a man who decided to move to a warmer climate because of poor health. Wanting to make sure he would choose the area best suited to his needs, he visited several Western State locations. While in Arizona, he asked a man about the average temperature, humidity, and the number of days the sun shined. When he asked about the death rate, the man answered, “Same as where you come from, friend — one death for every birth.”Despite all of the medical progress we’ve seen in prolonging life and improving its quality, the death rate remains virtually unchanged. The Hebrew writer tells us, “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27), because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
It is essential that we understand the progression — that death follows life, and that after death comes the judgment. Everyone who is “in Christ” (Galations 3:26-27), will come forth from the grave “to the resurrection of life” .... but everyone who rejects Him will “come forth …. to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:29).
For non-Christians, death seals their eternal doom (Romans 2:4-5,8-9) — a state where there is no reprieve. But for faithful Christians, death leads to glory, honor, peace, and immortality (Romans 2:7,10). Wise is the person who faces up to the certainty of death. And wiser still is the one who "prepares" for it (Matthew 25:1-13).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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