Expected To Die

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. [2 Corinthians 1.8-9]

Now, here is a popular Christian memory verse! NOT!

Paul refers here to the persecution he and his companions suffered in Asia (I believe this would be focused around Ephesus). Things escalated quickly there and Paul's life was literally in physical danger. Paul said above that he fully expected he would die... And it is here, I wish to focus my thoughts today.

Jesus said:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [John 15.13]

Doesn't it make sense that, if love is the greatest thing (I Corinthians 13.13), and Jesus said the greatest love is laying down one's life for his friends, that, if we intend to love with our greatest capacity, that we, like Paul, should fully expect to die?

Oh, it's getting weird, isn't it?

But, that's not actually the point of this writing... The point is, Paul said, that in his expectation of death, he finally stopped relying on himself and learned to rely on God (Who, by the way, raises the dead). Is that not exactly the kind of faith that Abraham, the Father of Faith, demonstrated even in that same wording?

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. [Hebrews 11.17-19]

Abraham's confidence is seen in context in his statement to the other servants:

“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” [Genesis 22.5]

Here is what we must get through our heads about death: it is not final! Until we have this firmly established in our hearts, our lives will never reach full potential. We serve the God Who "raises the dead" and our lives should reflect that on all fronts. As far as we are concerned, it matters not whether we are raised back to life on earth or life in eternity with Him. In fact, for a life laid down in love for others to raise to life again in heaven is supremely ideal.

The bottom line benefit of a "God raises the dead" attitude about death, is that we STOP relying on the resources of mankind (including our own reasoning) to stay alive. Think of all the hoopla that modern man goes through just to stay alive today (medicine, insurance, security, etc.). Any person of "faith" should be genuinely embarrassed by this (not to mention have a dreaded fear of being called a faithless servant when it matters).

Paul's attitude about death became well-defined in the subject passage of this writing. People were watching. When faced with suffering (whether from persecution or Deuteronomy 28 curses), shouldn't our lives reflect the same "God raises the dead" mindset of faith? People are watching - we "talk" about faith but "live" by our medicine, insurance, and security measures. That is why we get all defensive when someone says they are going to just trust God for their health and we remind them, "God uses medicine!"

Here's the deal: When we are not firmly settled on the matter of death (and by that I mean that "God raises the dead"), we are subject to our own resources to stay alive, no different than any other unbeliever. But, when we ARE settled on the matter of death, what on earth do we have to fear or worry about? Nothing.

Paul learned through his resignation to death that God was his "raiser from the dead." This is seen later in the book of Acts when Paul responds to being warned not to go to Rome.

Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” [Acts 21.10-13]

Wow.

On a side note: If we fully expect to die every day, how much more thankful will we be for every day we are given?

Father, forgive me for being so death-averse in my approach to life. Thank You, God Who raises the dead, for being my God and receiving me in Christ Jesus. May my life reflect a genuine 'disregard for death' (i.e. faith) so that a fullness of Your glory might be on display in me for all to see.