All humans, no matter what they believe, will face death. the word "death" in the Bible, however has more than one meaning. It is important to understand how the different meanings relate to those who have a personal relationship with the true God.

Job 19:25-26

I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God

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Death As A Result Of Sin

Genesis 2-3 teaches that death entered the world because of sin. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created with the ability to live forever; but when they rejected God's instruction, they lost the benefits of life as God intended. in fact, by disobeying god's direct command, they came under the penalty and curse of sin, which is death. This penalty indicated several results.
(1) Adam and Eve became subject to physical death. God had put the three of life in the Garden of Eden so that by continually eating from it, humans would never die. But from the beginning, God equipped humans with the ability and opportunity to choose whether to accept His instructions and follow Him. Adam and Eve took advantage of that choice and use it to defy God. After Adam and Eve ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God pronounced these words; "for dust you are and to dust you will return" (Genesis 3:19). Though they did not physically die on the day they ate, they did become subject to the law of death as a result of God's curse.

(2) Adam and Eve also suffered a moral death. God warned Adam that when he ate of the forbidden fruit, he would certainly die (Genesis 2:17). This was a serious warning. Though Adam and Eve's physical death did not come instantly after they sinned, their moral death started instantly as their human nature became corrupt, sinful and rebellious toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve's disobedience and change nature, every person has been born with that sinful nature (Romans 8:5-8), meaning that we all have an innate (i.e., spiritual inborn or inherited) desire to go our own selfish way without concern for God or others (Genesis 3:6; Colossians 2:13).

(3) Adam and Eve also suffered a spiritual death when they disobeyed God. That is, there deep and personal relationship to and with god was destroyed. No longer did they look forward to walking and talking with God in the garden; instead, they tried to hide from His presence (Genesis 3:8). The Bible teaches that apart from Christ, all people are alienated, or separated from God and from the ultimate life He offers (Ephesians 4:17-18). That is what it means to be spiritually dead.

(4) Finally, death as a result of sin involves eternal death. Eternal life would have been the end result of obedience if Adam and Eve had chosen to accept God's warning (Genesis 3:22). Instead, the principle of eternal death has become active. Eternal death refers to being spiritually condemned and separated from God forever; this death is the end result of rejecting God and disobeying His instructions. The Bible described this as being "punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord" (2Thessallonians 1:9).

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? - Romans 6:16

(5) The only way to gain victory over death in all the areas that related to it is through faith in Jesus Christ, who "destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light" (2Timothy 1:10). By His death, Jesus paid the complete penalty for sin and reconciled us with God (i.e., restored the opportunity for a personal relationship with Him), reversing the course of spiritual separation that resulted from sin. By His resurrection, He overcame and broke the power and control of satan, sin and physical death (1Corinthians 15:12-28; 1John 3:8). The fact that God's true followers will not suffer eternal death, but be resurrected to life with Him, was already part of the believe system of God's people in the old testament (Job 19: 25-26; Psalm 16:9-11).

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The Meaning Of Physical Death For Believers

Though Christ"s followers have the assurance of resurrection life (John 11:25-26), they may still go through the experience of physical death. But those who have entrusted their lives to Christ approach death differently than those who have not received Him. The following are some truths the Bible reveals about the death of one who knows and follows God.
(1) Death for the Christians is not the end of life, but a new beginning. Rather than something to be feared (1Corinthians 15:55-57), death is the point of transition to a fuller, more complete life. Death releases Christians from the troubles of these world (2Corinthians 4:17) and from an earthly body in order to be "clothed" with heavenly life and glory (2Corinthians 5:1-5). Paul speaks of physical death as sleep (1Corinthians 15:6, 18, 20; 1thessallonians 4:13-15), meaning that death is rest from earthly labor and suffering (Revelation 14:13). It means going to be with others who believed and who have already died. Physical death is a door into the presence of the living God.

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; - Philippians 1:23.

(2) The Bible also speaks of the death of believers in comforting terms. The death of the godly is "precious in the sight of the Lord" (Psalm 116:15). It is an entrance "into peace" (Isaiah 57:1-2) and "into glory" (Psalm 73:24); a going to "paradise" (Luke 23:43); a going to our Father's house, where there are "many rooms" (John 14:2); an anticipated departure in order to "be with Christ" (1Corinthians 15:18); a "gain...which is better by far" (Philippians 1:21, 23); and a time to receive the "crown of righteousness" (2Timothy 4:8).

(3) Concerning the time between a Christian's death and his or her bodily resurrection, the Bible teaches the following:
(a) At the time of death, Christ's followers are immediately "at home with the Lord" (2Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:2).
(b) Beleivers exist in full consciousness (Luke 1619-31) and experience joy because of God's kindness and love (Ephesians 2:7).
(c) Heaven is like a godly home-a place of rest and security (Revelation 6:11) and a place of Community and companionship with other believers.
(d) Activities in heaven will include worship, celebration and singing (Psalm 87; Revelation 14:2-3; 15:3), assigned tasks (Luke 19:17) and eating and drinking (Luke 14:15; 22:14-18; Revelation 22:2).
(e) While awaiting the bodily resurrection, God's people are not invisible spirits without bodies; but they have a temporary heavenly form (Luke 9:30-32; 2Corinthians 5:1-4).
(f) In heaven, believers continue to have their personal identity (Matthew 8:11; Luke 9:30-32).
(g) God's people who have passed from their earthly lives will continue to look to God, waiting still fo Him to completely fulfill His purposes on earth (Revelation 6:8-11).

(4) Even though God's people can look toward and look past death with great hope and joy, they still grief when people die, mainly when loves ones die. After Jacob's death, for example, Joseph mourned deeply for his father. his love and respect are a model for all God's people who experience the death of a loved one (Genesis 50:1).

Thanks for reading
Remain blessed.
Shalom.

[NIV Study Edition Bible]

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