when death becomes gain

8/14/2019 When Death Becomes Gain

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WHEN DEATH BECOMES GAIN

Introduction:

I will be considering when death becomes gain in this sermon. Let me quickly

try to define the word death. One of the church fathers, Tertullian, defineddeath as the disunion of the soul and the body. This separation is total and

permanent and it occurs when the body ceases to have motion and feelings due

to its destruction. At this point the body becomes useless to the soul, which

leaves such body and get ready to account for how it has fared while in the

body.

Let us consider these four basic facts about death:

1. Death is but once (Hebrews 9:27) "And as it is appointed unto men once

to die, but after this the judgment KJV2. Death is certain (Job 14: 1-2) Man born of woman is of few days and

full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a

fleeting shadow, he does not endure NIV

3. Time of death uncertain (Prov 27:1) Boast not thyself of to morrow; for

thou knowest not what a day may bring forth KJV

4. Death is to all men (Gen 3:19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat

bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for

dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return KJV

If then, death is to all men, why do we fear death? The fear of death is a source

of anxiety and alarm to many. All men want to go to heaven and yet nobody

wants to die. Man is so engrossed with living that he dreads the thought of

dying. Even when there is nothing for a man to cheer about in life, he still

doesnt want to die. He continues to nurse the hope of a better tomorrow and

will see death as an unnecessary part of growth. Sometimes, when death comes

to a person, those left behind may begin to question God and may in fact regard

Him as wicked. If suddenly, the sound of a gun shot is heard in this sanctuary, I

wonder how many people will be found on their seats a minute after the soundis heard.

However, the fear of death is for the wicked, and to a man with guilty

conscience the thought of death may indeed be terrible. But to a good man the

thought of death is gain by the consideration that death is the termination of

every trouble; that it puts him beyond the reach of sin and temptation.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul stated in Chapter 1, verse 21 For to me to

live is Christ, and to die is gain. KJV Paul wrote this letter from prison in

Rome and was facing a charge that carries a death sentence. Though he

nurtured the hope of being released from prison, yet when he considered both


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living and dying, he desired to die and be united with Christ. He regarded it

better than to live.

If Paul sees it that way, then why are we not seeing death as a gain? If truly

death is a termination of every trouble, why do we not desire it? After all, who

wants trouble? If death puts us beyond sin and temptation, why are we afraid ofdying?

One of the benefits of the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the taking

away of the sting of death. In 1 Cor. 15: 54 55, we are told that death is

swallowed up in victory and its sting taken away.

In the 4th verse of the hymn,Abide with me; fast falls the eventide (CH 44), we

are informed that one shall triumph over death if God abide with a person. God

can only abide with a man that abides in Him. Abiding in God is the hallmark of

a Christian as his life is lived for God, in God, and with God. A Christian whoabides in God will bear much fruit according to John 15: 4 5.

Therefore for a Christian, death is not a thing to be sad about. When a Christian

dies, the soul goes to sleep waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. At the

coming of Christ, the dead in Christ will rise even before those that are alive,

and meet Jesus in the air and be with him forever.

However, if you are not in Christ, i.e. you are not born again then you need to

be afraid of death because death can never be a gain for you. Instead, it becomes

a terrible experience for such person. Hear what is said in 2 Cor 5:10 For we

must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receivethe things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good

or bad. KJV

Those that have done bad and have not lived their life for Christ, will be

doomed and sent to the pit of Hell fire burning with sulphur, where there will be

weeping and gnashing of teeth. You must not die in your present state of

ungodliness. You must hear the gospel of salvation and accept Jesus Christ as

your personal Lord and Saviour.

If you have not heard the gospel of salvation before now or it is confusing toyou, then hear the gospel of salvation:

And yet no one has ever gone up to heaven, but there is One Who has comedown from heaven the Son of Man [Jesus Christ], who (dwells) in heaven.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], [so it isnecessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], In order thateveryone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on

Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever! For Godso greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only

begotten ( unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relieson) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, or be lost) but have eternal


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(everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge(to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might

find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. He who believes inHim [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in

Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, nocondemnation he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (doesnot cleave to, does not rely on, does not trust in Him) is judged already [he hasalready been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he hasnot believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He iscondemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] The [basis of the]

judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for thesentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have lovedthe darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were

evil. For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not comeout into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, hisconduct) be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth [who does whatis right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to bewhat they are wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help,in dependence upon Him]. (John 3: 13 21 AMP)

Dear brethren, what are you waiting for, why not bow your head and confess

your sins. Ask God to forgive you for those sins. Commit your life to Christ.

Ask him to come into your life. Pray for the Spirit of God to guide you how to

live your life for God. Thank Him for accepting you.My life time, I will give God my life time; 2ce

When I give God my lifetime, He will take care of me;

He will never ever let me down; I will give God my lifetime.

when death becomes gain

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