Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

DYING, THOU SHALT SURELY DIE

The phrase, “Dying, thou shalt surely die” is a literal translation of the Hebrew words denoting the penalty for eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis 2:17. The serpent capitalized on the words, assuring Mother Eve that she would not immediately fall down dead from eating of the forbidden fruit. Additionally, on the tree was good food to be had and knowledge to be gained. Of course, he purposely did not reveal that unlike God, she would not be able to choose the good and shun the evil. What subtlety was in his lies!

So, having sin incorporated into the basic makeup of the species, it is universally, by heredity, appointed unto men once to die. Hebrews 9:27. Is there anyone who could successfully argue against this consistent process? Every hospital testifies that men get sick and die. Every cemetery shouts that it is appointed unto men once to die. Every undertaking establishment says that it is appointed unto men once to die. Old age, and the loss of mental acumen bears witness that it is appointed unto men once to die, so death reigns on planet Earth without respect for persons. The Bible is plain in declaring that the last enemy of mankind to be destroyed will be death. 1 Cor. 15:26.

But GOOD NEWS! For those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, death has indeed been destroyed as the common enemy. Jesus soundly defeated it on the cross long, long ago. He not only defeated it, He made it to lay down at our feet and patiently wait for the nod of God to become our transport from the terrestrial to the celestial.

Consequently, there is no fear of the grim reaper in the eternally young heart of the redeemed. Neither is it waited upon with dread. Conversely, the Father of Spirits is fellowshipped in increasing intensity in the full realization that should the Lord Jesus not appear bodily in His glorious second coming, the hideous monster of death will become a limousine to carry us over into the higher dimension in style to the shout of throngs of awaiting saints, constituting the grandest welcoming committee imaginable. Moreover, in their midst is the blessed Son of God by whose Word, Work, and Authority we enter that heavenly home.

But until then, sin continues to raise its ugly head, and we do what we would not. Thus does the reality of its penalty exercise itself in all of us: “Dying, thou shalt surely die.”

FOR THOUGHT: How important it is to understand the triune composition of every person. It is the spirit of a person that is initially saved by faith in Christ Jesus. The mind is saved by being renewed through the Word. But the body will not experience salvation until the rapture and resurrection. Until then, it must die, but death is often a natural process.