The Kingdom of God, Student Workbook, SW02

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T H E K I N G D O M O F G O D

C. What, then, are the effects of death?

1. For the unbeliever, death is a tragedy, a curse, and a penalty.

a. It is a tragedy, because all hope of salvation is lost.

b. It is a curse, because death is directly associated with the wages of sin.

c. It is a penalty, because a holy and infinite God will have his vengeance upon sin.

2. For the believer, however, all curses associated with death are gone.

a. Christ has become a curse for us, Gal. 3.13.

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b. Because of Christ’s kingdom work, the perishable will put on the imperishable, the mortal will put on immortality, and the sting of death will be overcome, 1 Cor. 15.54-55.

c. While physical death may be certain, to die as a Christian is to be placed into the presence of the Lord. (1) To be away from the body is to be at home (present) with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6-9. (2) For the Christian to live is Christ, and to die is actually gain, since death means instant transportation into the presence of Jesus, Phil. 1.20-23.