‘Christians should not fear death’
MAY PEN, Clarendon: CHRISTIANS SHOULDN’T fear death, instead they should embrace it if the scripture in Philippians 1:21 which says, ‘For me to live is Christ and to die is gain’ is anything to go by.
The Apostle Paul in the portion of readings from Philippians 1:21-24, was saying that he is so confident in the God that he serves in both life and death, that the life he’s living on earth doesn’t mean much to him. As it relates to his faith in Christ, he’s simply saying that if I should die today, I wouldn’t lose much, instead I’ll stand to gain a better body, a better home and rest from earthly labour.
Family and Religion reached out to Pastor Devon Johnson who ministers at the Power of Faith Deliverance Ministries in May Pen, Clarendon.
“For me to live is Christ, that’s my whole determination, to live and please Christ and if I die I still win because I will gain much more than this earth will ever have to offer,” he said.
“In Revelation 14:13, he said blessed are the dead who die in the Lord for they gain rest from their labour. 1Corinthians 15:5158, Paul also talked about the transfigured body saying if you die in Christ there is going to be a transformation where you will move from one body to another body, from one spirit to another spirit and you will now become a being that is not subjected to sickness, pain, sorrows or death anymore for these things are passed away.”
Pastor Johnson further explained that as a child of God, when you die you gain a better home. “In John 14:1-3, Jesus said to his disciples, let not your heart be troubled for in my Father’s house there are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, but I will go to prepare a place for you so where you are I will be also. So you gain a new home, in heaven which is not subjected to corruption, storm or disasters,” he said
BETTER INHERITANCE
According to Pastor Johnson, a person who dies in Christ stands to gain in a better inheritance in death. Matthew 6:19-21, says ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures in earth where moth and rust destroy, but lay your treasures up in heaven for where your treasure is, that is where your heart is also’.
“We will gain a place where there will be no misunderstanding or other problems of earthly life, but when you get to that place called Heaven, all things will be over. So it is important for a person to be so hopeful and those who trust God should have the hope that there is a brighter side where a better life awaits us.”
Pastor Johnson wants people to understand that it is far better to serve the Lord and be with Him when He comes than to live a life in this world and when He comes we are lost to eternal damnation.
“Although not everyone will agree, we should not be afraid of dying because to be absent from this body is be present with the Lord on the other side. There is hope in our circumstances and Jesus is that only hope. A life with Jesus is a life worth living.”