Never say “DIE”

Last month, I learned that my pancreatic cancer had returned. My oncologist’s first words were, “you must start treatment immediately.” Considering how quickly the cancer had advanced since my last treatments, I said 'no.' But more to the point, I have God's perfect peace about “going home,” an event some refer to as death.

But John says we “in” Christ have already “passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14), and will never die. As Jesus’ death is in the “past,” ours too. And as He lives, we too.

“Passed” (not “past”) means to move beyond. As long as we are on earth, there are things in the “past” we cannot seem to get “passed”—things that still affect us, even if only indirectly. In light of this, think again of Paul’s declaration, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new person. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Admittedly, this proclamation is somewhat elusive while we are bound by time and space. But after we “pass” out of time into eternity, our newness will be profoundly palpable.