C.I.M. Outline #34 The Problem of Death and Resurrection I. Introduction A. Death, man's greatest enemy To a large extent how we view death determines our view of life. "The fundamental thing behind all motivation and activity is the constant struggle against annihilation and against death. It is absolutely stupefying in its terror, and it renders anyone's accomplishments meaningless." Woody Allen "...it's not only that he dies, or man dies, but that you struggle to do a work of art that will last and then realize that the universe itself is not going to exist after a period of time." Albert Camus "That Man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins--all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul's habitation be safely built." Bertrand Russell (One would love to ask Russell, if he were alive today, why he saw fit to capitalize "man" in this quotation! And why does he refer to truth, ie. "these truths" ?). B. Why? The meaning of life is tied to our view of death. Death can make life seem absurd. Death reminds us of our finitude. C. Job's ancient question: "If a man die shall he live again?" Job 14:14. D. Examples in Literature, Art, and Music 1. Perhaps the most haunting treatment of death in American literature is the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe. 2. In music, see the compositions of the 20th century composer Gustav Mahler. Heavy stuff! 3. In painting there are many examples. The one by Gauguin entitled "What? Whence? Wither?" is interesting. 4. The most important contemporary writers on the subject of death are the existentialists. See: Sartre, Camus and others. The existentialists thought the most important philosophical issue was suicide. If life is meaningless and absurd, why not commit suicide! See THE MYTH OF SYSYPHUS by A. Camus. II. Definitions In general, when we think of death we think of cessation, or the end of life. In the Bible, often the meaning of death has to do with broken relationships or the idea of separation. A. Physical death: When bodily and physical function ceases. We become a non-being except in memories of survivors. B. Spiritual death: Separation from God. Gen. 2:17; I Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5:12;6:23. C. Eternal Death: It makes spiritual death final. Heb. 9:27; Rev. 2:11; 20:11-15. D. Medical death: When does physical life end? No vital signs; brain death, i.e., flat E.E.G. III. Causes of Death A. Theological: mortality is due to sin of Adam. Rom. 5:12. B. Physical: cellular, accidents, immune system failure, suicide, etc. IV. Solutions to Man's Mortality A. Humanist: There are no solutions. Life extension perhaps, but no Eternal life. To the humanist, Life is like a feast. You come to the table of life, you eat, you leave. You live as though life has meaning. This is humanism's great charade. B. Eastern: Re-incarnation, ultimately oneness with the Universal consciousness. How is this different from nothingness? C. Survival: Found in many religions. "You" survive, that is your consciousness and memory bank survives the death of the brain (the instrument of the mind or soul). V. Problems Related to the Survival of Death A. Personal Identity. What is the real you? If personal identities Depend on memories which must be stored in the brain then survival ends with the death of the brain. B. Mind-Body Problem. How can that which is physical (the brain) Interact with that which is non-physical (the mind or soul)? C. Evidence for survival. What would constitute evidence? VI. Evidence for Life After Death A. Near death experiences, are they valid evidence? It sounds too much Like occult or demonic manifestations. B. Physic phenomena. The evidence sounds tempting but is not conclusive. It could definitely be evidence for a spiritual dimension (Satan and his demons) but not survival. C. People returning from the dead, i.e. resuscitations. Six are mentioned in the Bible: 1. Woman's son, II Kings 4:18-37. 2. Man, II Kings 13:20-21. 3. Jarius' daughter, Mark 5:21-24, 35-43. 4. Widow's son, Lk. 7:11-15 5. Lazarus, Jn. 11. 6. Many holy people when the curtain was torn, Matt. 27:51-53. They all died again. Interestingly enough, there is nothing recorded about their experience after death! D. The Resurrection of Jesus What was the nature of His resurrection body? It was the same Jesus, but the body had differences. 1. The tomb was empty. The old body was transformed into an Immortal body. 2. It however, still had the wounds. Jn. 20:19ff. 3. It passed through walls, and disappeared. Lk. 24:30,36ff. Jn.20: 26. 4. It passed through time and distance. 5. He ate. Lk. 24:42-43. Jn. 21. Acts 1:4. 6. In appearance. Mk. 16:12? Jn. 20:13ff. Shone Matt. 28:3. Was not always recognized. His body is a prototype of our resurrection. I Cor. 15: 20; Phil. 3:21. VII. What happens after Death According to the Bible The questions: A. Is there immediate consciousness? Yes, "To be absent in the body Is to be present with Christ" IICor. 5:6. B. Where do the righteous go? Into the presence of Christ. IICor. 5:6 C. Where do the unrighteous go? After the last judgement--the Lake of Fire. Rev. 20:14,15. Where do the unrighteous dead go in the interim? No clear revelation. If they exist in a spiritual sense, then to use a spatial designation is contradictory. Not? D. Is there an intermediate state? Body? Some have purposed this but Scriptural proof is lacking. Those who propose an intermediate state find difficulty with a mind existing without a brain. True, but there is much we do not know about the spiritual dimension. E. What about infants who die, or the Pre-born from abortions, natural or caused? And those who have never heard? A Scriptural principle that comes to bear here is that you are judged according to light received. We must fall back on the justice of God. God will do what is just. VIII. Death is the Last Enemy A. Christ will return when the last enemy is put under His feet. The last enemy is death. See I Cor. 15:24-26. This great event is foreseen in Rev. 20. B. The Apostle Paul, anticipating the removal of the last enemy breaks Out in song: "Where O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" I Cor. 15:55. IX. For Further Study: Beottner, Loraine. IMMORTALITY. Cotterell, Peter. WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT DEATH. Helm, Paul. THE LAST THINGS. Hick, John H. DEATH AND ETERNAL LIFE. Christian Information Ministries is a non-profit ministry and is dependent on gifts from God's people in order to operate. If you receive a benefit from our materials would you consider giving a tax-deductible gift to CIM. We suggest $25. a year minimum. Send to: Christian Information Ministries 2050 N. 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