A "Normal" Part of Life?

When it comes to someone dying, people often say that death is a normal part of life. I would like to challenge that thought for a moment. I recognize that all of us will die someday and since death comes to everyone, we say it is "normal". But I don't think in God's big scheme of things that He ever meant death to be "normal" in the life of humans. In fact, one of His first directives to Adam & Eve was to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God said if they did, they would die. Instead, God tried to "persuade" them to eat from the tree of "life" but you know the rest of the story.

So because of one bad decision (influenced by Satan), we say that death is a normal part of life. But that is not how God intended life to be. The Bible says in John 10:10 that the thief (Satan) came to steal, kill, and destroy (not God). God's plan (through Jesus) is that people would be able to live and have an abundant life. The Bible also says that anyone who believes in Jesus would live forever!

The apostle Paul wrote that "not everyone would die, but would be changed". The dead in Christ would be resurrected to eternal life. He then asks the question, "Death o death, where is now your victory? Where is your sting?" When the Resurrection takes place, Paul says that "death will be swallowed up in victory". (see 1 Corinthians 15)

Then John writes in Revelation 20 that after the thousand years of Satan being bound, "Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire". No more death. It doesn't exist. Not even in our vocabulary. That is what is "normal" - that people would live (forever) and not die.

Thank God for eternal life made available through Jesus Christ and thank you God for the Resurrection and return of Your Son.