Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter

To die in the LORD is to die while a person is a believer in the Christ. Some may interpret this type of death as one which God must have permitted to occur. This is theologically true of God's saints as well because no child of God can die without God's permissive will. God did not permit Job to die when Satan tried to take his life (Job 1:7). He allowed the harshest trial to come his way, yet he overcame. 

Moses, the LORD'S servant, died in the Lord in the mountains of Moab because God did not permit him to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:7-12). However, there is no doubt that Moses went to be with the Lord (Matthew 17). It does not matter if a believer dies in what may appear to be tragic circumstances in which people question God's protection. The truth is that their souls of God's people who die are with the Lord and are forever secure in His divine redemption. 

To die in the LORD is therefore where a believer in Christ encounters death while their faith is firmly held in Christ. Such a believer leaves a testimony of faithfulness, courage and perseverance even in sickness that ultimately leads to his death. He never recanted his faith even in pain but firmly placed his hope in the Lord. Many Christians have been tortured and killed for their faith in countries where the Christian faith is outlawed. These saints are with the Lord awaiting the resurrection. They died in the Lord. 

The Bible declares in Psalm 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints". At first glance, this scripture may appear insensitive and contradictory to God's loving nature. However, when we remember that God has accounted days for every person on earth, we discover that death is not the end of the road for a believer, but simply the means by which his soul is ushered into the presence of God. 

Paul teaches in Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Believers are useful to God while they live because they serve His purposes on earth. When the believer dies die, we can declare like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he has fought a good fight and has finished his course and had kept the faith: 2 Timothy 4:8 speaks of the glory that awaits those who successfully finish with Christ. We should all desire to finish as Paul did.

January 04 2015 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Carlos Molina Supporter

So, to die in the Lord is getting consumed by His love, Glory, and mercy. It starts when you simply get overwhelmed in his presence that you realize He is everything. So, everything you used to do that wasn't right in his holy eyes you begin to strive to get rid of it daily, little by little. 

You begin to slowly die to yourself and pick up your cross every day (Matthew 10). You stop doing a lot of what you use to do not because you hate it, but because you find Jesus more lovely and more fulfilling. The psalm verse "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires" will come to life for you. So, remember what the apostle, Paul, wrote: "To live is Christ, and to die is gain"!

January 04 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Lynda Hickman Supporter Homemaker, plumber, carpenter, all around gearhead

Very simply, if a person is truly born-again, washed in the blood of the Lamb, justified by His grace, all sin has been forgiven, and as one of my favorite verses says, "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12, then that person is "in Christ" Rom. 6:11 & 23; Rom. 8:1.
And as Paul said in 2 Cor. 5, "to be absent from the body and be present with the LORD." Hallelujah & Amen!

January 05 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report