Life and Death According to the Bible: Difference and Meaning

Did you know that life and death are mentioned many times in the Bible? Did you know that the Christian religion has a very particular position on these two concepts? Life and death are concepts that are very closely associated. The Bible speaks of them in several passages.

In this article, we will see:

• Life and death: opposing and complementary concepts
• Life According to the Bible
• What does the Bible say about death?

Without further ado, let's find out everything you need to know about life and death according to the Bible.

Life and death: two opposing and complementary concepts

Defining life accurately is not an easy task, even though it may seem obvious enough. Definitions can vary greatly. From a biological perspective, life is defined as carbon and water-based beings. Humans, animals, and plants are the most obvious manifestations of this. From a spiritual perspective, life can be thought of as a world where all beings of the same level evolve together. There are dozens of concepts related to life. Different cultures and religions around the world all have their own way of understanding this idea.

But life only has real meaning when it is placed in context. In essence, a life must necessarily begin somewhere and end somewhere. Death is often described as the opposite of life. But it would be more appropriate to define it as the end of life. Indeed, death only concerns beings who have known life. Those who have never been able to enjoy a breath of life are not concerned.

Death is therefore what makes life so precious. It marks the end of this state of enjoyment. It also demonstrates that life only has real meaning because of death. These two notions complement each other. A life that has no end cannot be considered as such. This is how our world evolves. New lives will never be able to take place if those that preceded them did not end. If all the people who have populated this world were still alive, this earth would no longer be viable today. Death is a necessary evil if we wish to fully enjoy life. It is in this sense that these two notions are complementary.

Life According to the Bible

Many biblical passages speak about life . Believers agree that life is a gift from God. In the book of Genesis, we can indeed find the following passage: "The Lord formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being " (Genesis 2:7).

For men, God is the "Living One." He was, He is, and He will be forever. The living God saves and delivers. This is how he is described in the Bible (Daniel 6:27).

In the book of Genesis, we can see the process of creation of life and the world . Plants, animals and human beings are those that appeared on the last day of Creation. God completed his work with the creation of man. Life is therefore a blessing. In the Old Testament, it has never ceased to be praised. For most of us, the ideal life would be long and peaceful. We can refer to Genesis 25:8 which speaks of the case of Abraham (a life that ends in a happy old age, old and full of days).

But life is also a fragile thing. God has forbidden murder. Life is precious and must be protected. In the New Testament, we can even find words that speak of the importance of life. In Mark 3:4, it is said that saving a life is much more important than respecting the Sabbath. These words come directly from the mouth of Christ. To reinforce his words, he adds, because " God is not the God of the dead but of the living " (Mark 12:27).

Jesus healed the sick. He restored his friend Lazarus to life after he had died. Jesus himself is the way of life and truth. At his last supper, he left a particularly powerful message to his disciples: " Greater love has no one than this, that he lays down his life for those he loves " (John 15:3).

Let us also remember that Jesus Christ gave himself as a sacrifice to reveal all the love that God has for us. Subsequently, he showed us that life was stronger than death by resurrecting three days later. We are called to taste true life, that of God through eternal life .

What does the Bible say about death?

There are also many passages in the Bible that deal with death . But the important thing to remember is that death is a necessary step in order to enjoy eternal life. All those who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven must go through it. To reassure us, Jesus reminds us that he has already conquered death. All those who have accepted him as savior will be able to sit at God's side for eternity.

In the Bible, we can also find references to the second death (Revelation 21:8; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:14-15). This second death results in a distancing from God and therefore the impossibility of sitting at his side for eternity. It concerns all those who have not accepted Christ as their savior.

Death is thus an obligatory passage. But it can also become an end. The Bible constantly reminds us of the importance of living with God throughout our existence on Earth, but also well after.

Now you know how life and death are viewed in the Bible . You know that these are concepts that always go hand in hand and that the Bible has a very particular way of understanding these two concepts.