Morte
A morte é a realidade que todos enfrentam, mas para o cristão ela não é o fim. A Bíblia ensina que Cristo venceu a morte e nos dá a esperança da ressurreição e da vida eterna.
Cristo venceu a morte
Onde está, ó morte, o teu aguilhão? Cristo destruiu o poder da morte e nos deu a vitória pela ressurreição.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory; The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.56 But thanks be to God,57 who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
26 The last enemy that is destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as through Adam all die, even so through Christ shall all be made alive.
11 It is a faithful saying: if we are dead with him, we shall also live with him:
6 Happy and holy is he that hath a part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
A esperança da vida eterna
Jesus disse: 'Eu sou a ressurreição e a vida.' Quem crê nele não está morto, mas apenas adormecido — e um dia despertará para a glória.
25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho' he die, yet shall he live;26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever.
25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho' he die, yet shall he live;26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, may not perish, but have everlasting life.
13 Now we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.14 For if we believe, that Jesus died and rose again, so will God bring with him those also that sleep in Christ.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.17 Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord.
Não temas a morte
Não temas os que matam o corpo. Para o cristão, viver é Cristo e morrer é lucro. O vale da sombra da morte não assusta quem caminha com o Pastor.
28 And be not afraid of them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
25 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
23 For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, for it is far better.24 But to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
20 who mind earthly things) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 Who will transform our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, acccording to the mighty working, whereby he is able even to subject all things to himself.
8 Whether therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.
A eternidade nos aguarda
Deus enxugará toda lágrima. A morte será o último inimigo destruído. Para os salvos, a morte é a porta de entrada na presença eterna de Deus.
3 And I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he will dwell with them; and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.4 And he shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall sorrow, or crying, or pain, be any more; because the former things are gone away.
4 And he shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall sorrow, or crying, or pain, be any more; because the former things are gone away.
27 And as it is appointed for men once to die, and after this the judgment:
38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,39 nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
7 Now one will scarce die for a just man: yet perhaps for the good man one would even dare to die.8 But God recommendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
17 For if through one man's offence death reigned by one, they who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall much more reign in life, by one, even Jesus Christ.
23 For death is the wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
A morte na perspectiva bíblica
Há tempo de nascer e tempo de morrer. A morte é realidade humana, mas Deus é Senhor tanto dos vivos quanto dos mortos.
46 And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he expired.
23 And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom.24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
15 Then desire having conceived, bringeth forth sin; and sin being perfected, bringeth forth death.