I spent part of last night watching one of God’s children slip closer to eternity. At this point the lady is still with us but her body is slowly failing. A clinical diagnosis would point to several ailments she has had lately along with her old age. The real cause of her death, however, is sin.

Death, that great enemy, that old intruder on life, that fruit of the fall creates a reality that will be experienced by every living thing. But for Christians death gives us tragic hope. The point when we can shed ourselves of sinful flesh. It says something about how pervasive sin is in our lives that it takes death to completely rip it from us. Sin is conquered but we still haul its corpse around and only death will remove the corpse from us.

This is why for the saints it is not death to die. That old enemy gives us hope of a life free from sin. Death is the curse of the fall but death is also promise for believers.

Sovereign Grace Music has a wonderful song called It Is Not Death to Die on their CD Come Weary Saints. The words of the song describe Christian death very well.

It is not death to die
To leave this weary road
And join the saints who dwell on high
Who’ve found their home with God

It is not death to close
The eyes long dimmed by tears
And wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered from our fears

O Jesus, conquering the grave
Your precious blood has power to save
Those who trust in You
Will in Your mercy find
That it is not death to die

It is not death to fling
Aside this earthly dust
And rise with strong and noble wing
To live among the just

It is not death to hear
The key unlock the door
That sets us free from mortal years
To praise You evermore
O Jesus, conquering the grave
Your precious blood has power to save
Those who trust in You
Will in Your mercy find
That it is not death to die