Death is feared by almost all.  Whether one is thinking about his own death or contemplating the death of someone to whom he is close, the thought of death is usually negative.  To be sure, death is one of our Lord’s enemies.  It is the last enemy He will conquer.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 (ESV)
²⁵  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The devil uses the fear of death to keep people in bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15).  Is death really something to be feared?  The answer to that question depends on the person to whom it is asked.

The sting of death is sin (1 Corinthians 15:56).  The one who lives in sin should be terrified to die.  To him, death is a gateway to a place of torment.

Luke 16:22-24 (ESV)
²²  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, ²³  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

Hades is the “region of departed spirits…” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).  It is actually separated into sections—one for those who die in favor with God (also called paradise or Abraham’s bosom), and the other for those who die in sin.  The rich man, in the passage above, went to the place where sinners go.  It is not a pleasant place, but, instead, it is a place of suffering and torment.  If you die in sin, your soul is taken immediately to this merciless place.

While Hades itself is a temporary abode, those who go to the place of torment will never escape damnation.  In the end, death and Hades will be cast into the lake of fire.  This is what the Bible calls the second death (Revelation 20:14).  This lake of fire is the place of eternal punishment.  While it is never the primary goal of the preacher to scare people into doing what is right, the truth is, the prospect of eternal damnation, the journey of which begins with death, is a frightening thought.  Yes, if you are in sin, you should fear death.

The Christian, however, has a different outlook when it comes to death.  We have no fear of death because it is merely a gateway to a better place…s place of comfort, rest, and peace that ultimately leads to an eternal home in heaven with God (Matthew 25:31-34, 46).  To us, death has no sting because by the grace of God, the sacrifice of our Savior, and our obedience to the gospel of Christ, we have overcome sin.  Now, death is a blessing.

Revelation 14:13 (ESV)
¹³  And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

When Paul asked the question, “O death, where is your sting?”, he did so with the resurrection in view.  The implied answer to his question is that death no longer has any sting.  It is no longer something to be feared, but this is only true if you are one of God’s children.  If you have not obeyed the gospel, you should be afraid because death is coming (Hebrews 9:27).  If you are a Christian, rest easy tonight.   

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.