Scott Kamps
* Final in a 3-part series
A well-loved Easter song in my household proclaims: “Buddha is dead, Mohammed is dead, Ghandi and Haile Selassie are dead; Elijah Mohammed is dead – however, Jesus is alive!”
This might sound too polemic for modern ears conditioned by pluralism and relativism, but the song speaks truth – and what glorious truth!
The reality is the bodies of every historical leader “can be found six feet under," except Jesus! He rose from the dead with an imperishable body and ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. Because He rose, all believers will rise in like manner when He returns.
This is the foundation of Christian hope – why we sing, “There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come, no more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye; all is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore, what a day, glorious day that will be!”
Thomas Watson wrote, “We are more sure to arise out of our graves than out of our beds.” I’m not promised tomorrow on earth, but I am promised eternity with my Savior! This certainty transforms death and grief/mourning.
Death, no longer the unnatural enemy believers fear, has been transformed into friend. It’s not a friend in and of itself, but it’s become a doorway to rest/relief – in the presence of Christ Himself. Outside of Christ, death’s a “bitter-tasting poison” (pain leading to destruction); but for the Christian, death’s a “bitter-tasting medicine” (pain leading to restoration).
Some unbelievers scoff that Christianity is “too heavenly minded to be any earthly good,” but – ironically – rejecting, or even being indifferent toward, the truth of Christ’s resurrection leads to tunnel vision ignoring the weightier things of life.
Centuries ago, Pascal wrote, “Being unable to cure death, wretchedness, and ignorance, men have decided, in order to be happy, not to think about such things.”
How much more do moderns major on trivialities while neglecting inevitable realities of life? Contrast that with Christians, singing of death in hymns/songs weekly on the Lord’s Day – the day we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection.
Mourning, too, is transformed for the Christian – we can mourn in good cheer, knowing a day of peace is coming. God desires believers not to “…grieve as others do who have no hope.” Christians truly do mourn, but their grief ought to be different from those who are not connected to Jesus and “have no hope.” Those who bury their hopes in the grave are truly in a most pitiable position.
These truths shaped my intense grief in losing my daughter; I wish everyone had the same hope in loss. Her death deeply hurts, but I know she’s in the presence of Jesus now, under His care/protection. While her absence is still felt everywhere, it’s a great comfort to know by dying young – after trusting Christ – she’s escaped future sufferings on earth. She’s at rest in her eternal home now; I’ll see and talk to her again.
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.