Death – It sounds so final. But for the Christian it’s just a part of our eternal passage through time. As a Christian I am excited that God has shown me that our existence can be broken down into five time periods and the last time period is just out of this world.
The first time period is that we existed before time began in the mind of God. The second time period is at conception where the foreknowledge of God became the reality of life. The third time dimension is at birth, nine months after conception, when we make our way into the world and live our earthly existence. The fourth time dimension is physical death when we leave our earthly bodies. And the fifth and last dimension is eternal life with Jesus in heaven – and this dimension will last forever!
While no one likes to talk about the fourth time dimension, physical death, I believe that a little reflection will show us that death for the Christian should not be a time of distress, but of great joy. Charles Spurgeon said it so well: “Death is no punishment to the believer: it is the gate of endless joy.”1
I pray that the following quotes on death will help you prepare for this very special time when absent from the body is present with the Lord!2
“Death to the Christian is the funeral of all his sorrows and evils, and the resurrection, of all his joys.” – James H. Aughey
“For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.” – William Penn
“Take care of your life and the Lord will take care of your death.” – George Whitefield
“Never fear dying, beloved. Dying is the last, but the least matter that a Christian has to be anxious about. Fear living – that is a hard battle to fight, a stern discipline to endure, a rough voyage to undergo.” – Charles Spurgeon
“Where sin has been removed death can only interrupt the earthly life and usher in the heavenly.” – John MacArthur
“Death may be the King of terrors… but Jesus is the King of kings!” – Dwight L. Moody
“A human being does not cease to exist at death. It is change, not destruction, which takes place.” – Florence Nightingale
“The only difference in death between a Christian and one who is not is that the Christian is ready to meet Jesus. A Christian is dead already – dead to the world, but alive to Christ. Death for you as a child of God is to fall asleep in His arms and awake in the other world, alive forever beyond the power of pain, safe forever from all sickness and suffering.” – Winkie Pratney
“Let your hope of heaven master your fear of death.” – William Gurnall
“The hope of dying is the only thing that keeps me alive.” – Vance Havner
“When you leave this world, will you be known as one who accumulated treasures on earth that you couldn’t keep? Or will you be recognized as one who invested treasures in heaven that you couldn’t lose?” – Randy Alcorn
“For the child of God, death is not the end but merely the door into a higher and more exalted life of intimate contact with Christ. Death is but the dark valley opening out into an eternity of delight with God. It is not something to fear, but an experience through which one passes on the path to a more perfect life.” – Phillip Keller
“Death is the Chariot our heavenly Father sends to bring us to Himself.” – Erwin Lutzer
“If you want to glorify Christ in your dying, you must experience death as gain. Which means Christ must be your prize, your treasure, your joy. He must be a satisfaction so deep that when death rakes away everything you love – but gives you more of Christ – you count it gain. When you are satisfied with Christ in dying, He is gloried in your dying.” – John Piper
“The day may come when after a long fight with disease, we shall feel that medicine can do no more, and that nothing remains but to die. Friends will be standing by, unable to help us. Hearing, eyesight, even the power of praying, will be fast failing us. The world and its shadows will be melting beneath our feet. Eternity, with its realities, will be looming large before our minds. What shall support us in that trying hour? What shall enable us to feel, “I fear no evil”? (Psalm 23:4). Nothing, nothing can do it but close communion with Christ. Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith. Christ putting His right arm under our heads. Christ felt to be sitting by our side. Christ can alone give us the complete victory in the last struggle.” – J. C. Ryle
“The best moment of a Christian’s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven. And then it is that he begins to strike the keynote of the song which he shall sing to all eternity.” – Charles Spurgeon
“I am ready to meet God face to face tonight and look into those eyes of infinite holiness, for all my sins are covered by the atoning blood.” – R. A. Torrey
“He whose head is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave.” – Matthew Henry
“At death we cross from one territory to another, but we’ll have no trouble with visas. Our representative is already there, preparing for our arrival. As citizens of heaven, our entrance is incontestable.” – Erwin Lutzer
“We’ll say good night here, and good morning up there.” – John R. Rice
“Death is only a grim porter to let us into a stately palace.” – Richard Sibbes
“I don’t so much pray that my death will be without pain, but that it will be without doubt.” – John Piper
1 Death is no punishment to the believer: it is the gate of… (libquotes.com)
2 All of the following quotes are from the websites below:
130 Quotes About Death | ChristianQuotes.info