DEATH AND LIFE AFTER DEATH

DEATH AND LIFE AFTER DEATH

Our neighbours of other faiths often arrange costly funeral rituals and give alms to increase the merit of someone who has died. In comparison, Christian funeral rites may look austere and give the impression that Christians dishonour their dead.

This is not true. The funerals described in the Bible include elaborate rituals much like those in South Asian culture. The body was washed and anointed with perfume (John 19:39-40; Acts 9:37); there was mourning and weeping (Gen 23:2; 50:1; 2 Sam 18:33-19:4; John 11:33-35); laments were composed (2 Chr 35:25); and the dead person’s virtues were recited (Acts 9:39). Family burial plots were considered significant (Gen 23:29; 25:9; 49:31; 50:13, 25).

The differences that exist between Christian funerals and other funerals are rooted in the Christian view of death, which for believers is seen as opening the door to a blessed life. The sting of death has been taken away through the death and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:51-58).

Like all religions, Christianity addresses the issue of facing the consequences of one’s actions after death (Gal 6:7). The Bible and the Qur’an explain this in terms of judgement following a single earthly life for each individual (Heb 9:27). Both speak of two possible destinies: heaven and hell. In the Bible, while one’s works are a criterion for judgement (Eccl 12:14; Matt 25:31-46), the main determining factor is one’s response to the work of Christ (John 3:36).

The Qur’an puts the emphasis on both God’s mercy and one’s works (Sura 23:104-5).

Other South Asian religions – like Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism – see the consequences of one’s actions being worked out through karma and reincarnation (or rebirth in orthodox Buddhism), whereby one’s spirit (or the net effect of one’s karma in orthodox Buddhism) takes on a new body in a new life. The quality of this new life is determined by one’s behaviour in previous lives. The only hope that such religions hold out is that after a seemingly endless cycle of reincarnations/rebirths one may finally achieve a state in which all desire that causes suffering and frustration is extinguished. Liberated from the cycle of rebirth and attachment to the material world, the spirit will then be absorbed into the divine (Brahman). Buddhists differ on whether this is a state of extinction (Theravada Buddhism) or somewhat heaven-like (Mahayana Buddhism).

Many prefer the idea of an endless cycle of reincarnation/ rebirth to the Christian concept of salvation through grace. They want to be responsible for their own destiny – the same desire that lay behind the basic sin that brought death to humans (Gen 3). But the Bible teaches that we cannot save ourselves and have no grounds for boasting (Eph 2:8-9).

Christians are promised eternal life, which is essentially a personal relationship with God (John 17:3) that begins on earth and is consummated after death (John 5:24; 17:3; Phil 1:21-23; 1 Thess 4:17). This afterlife will be one of rich blessings (Rom 8:24) in a new heaven and a new earth that have many of the same features as the present earth but are untainted by sin. This final state will arrive after the second coming of Christ (Rev 21–22). We will retain our identity after death, recognise others and know that we are experiencing the consequences of our life on earth (Luke 16:22-25). This seems fairer than having to suffer repeatedly for behaviour in past lives that one cannot even remember.

The Bible is not totally clear about the details of the new heaven and the new earth or the sequence of events before they arrive. Thus there are differences of opinion on matters such as the intermediate state between death and the resurrection and the final judgement. But the Bible is clear on the matter of people’s eternal destinies. Those who reject God have to face his wrath (Rom 2:8; Eph 5:6; 1 Thess 2:16). They will be consigned to hell (Matt 5:29-30; Rev. 20:15; 21:8), which is a place of torment (Luke 16:23, 28; Rev 14:9-11). The Bible speaks of degrees of punishment in the afterlife (Matt 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48; Heb 10:26-29), but gives no details about this. However, Jesus asserts that there is no moving out of hell once one is there (Luke 16:26).

The prospect of future judgement is presented in the Bible as an incentive to discipleship (Mark 8:31-38), to holiness (Mark 9:43-48) and to involvement in mission (Matt 10:28).