“All men by nature have a desire to know.”- Aristotle Metaphysics
The thought of death can, at times, be frightening. Many do not think about the idea of death or its surety, certainly much less the fact that it may come sooner than expected. And yet, is it something to be feared? For a Stoic, it was not, only because a Stoic gave in to the idea that death visits all and nothing can change it. Marcus Aurelius famously quipped: “It is not death that a man should fear, but rather he should fear never beginning to live.” The goal of a Stoic was the pursuit of virtue or virtuous living. To live a life of virtue required understanding that, one day, you will die, hence the term Memento Mori, “remember you will die.”
As a Christian, understanding death is (hopefully) more simple. It happens, but it is not the end of existence. It is the start of a more perfect existence (Revelation 21:1-8). And yet the idea of a virtuous life still resonates in order that the ones sanctified live such a life as to be pleasing to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2) and to be an example to those in the world (Matthew 5:13). In all this, the Christian must remember that truly one day he or she will die.
Remember Christian, your hope is not in this life. Your hope is in eternity and everything you do should reflect this. How we live affects how we die, both in how we are remembered and in how we exist in Heaven.
In Western culture, we tend to shun death. It is a topic we do not talk about often. Even in TV shows and movies that show violence and death, things are not typically focused on the eternal ramifications of death as a point of departure and arrival simultaneously. In the Ancient Near East, death was common and everyday people were constantly surrounded by it.
Epictetus says, “No, I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it- or do I have to die moaning and groaning too?” (Discourses Book 1 Chapter 27). Epictetus is pushing back against the idea that death, though inevitable, brings nothing beyond it. Yet he did not have Christ to show that beyond death is life in the fullest.
“Oh God! Pity me, Charmion!- I am overburdened with the majesty of all things- of the unknown now known- of the speculative Future merged in the august and certain Present.” Eiros in The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion by Edgar Allen Poe
In this short story, Eiros describes the end of an age to Charmion. Yet the end is not glorious but filled with misery and suffering in the story. In Revelation 21, there is both glory for some and pain and suffering for others. In Matthew 8:12, Jesus describes Hell and judgment as a place of outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth. Remember, this fate will not fall upon Christians, but it will fall on unbelievers. Shall we be smug about it? Or shall we try to change that? Remember- we will die, but are we helping others to come to life? Should we fear death or embrace it, knowing that eternity is longer than today? Christian, fear not death, but fear the death of your neighbor. Remember, you will die, but remember you shall live.
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