99.9% of man kind fears death. And, while we fear death we are also trying to find ways to deal with those who die. Many take it upon themselves to take and follow the legacy of their deceased and finish their course of life. So, they hold to some rituals to keep in memory that person that past away and these are those who are baptized for the dead. Today, we find many creating murals on streets, and even in foods to remember their lost ones. But, there is a hope that becomes evident in us as we grow in Christ and that is that of resurrection; the idea that if we die we will come back to life. Before we can participate in being resurrected, we must first die. Death is the de-existence of one. With the hope in Christ and in the power of his might we walk in his resurrecting power each day, so that we live by dying.
1 cor 15:29-31
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
The apostle Paul had this new revelation and experience of resurrecting. He knew that if he died he would be resurrected and not just on the ultimate resurrection day when the scriptures say that some will resurrect unto life and some unto death (Jhn 5:29). Now, there are those who seek death. Today, the suicide attempts are up sky high. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) noted in 2011 “39,518 suicides were reported, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans”. Job, like many of today’s teens and people desired to die, but unlike today Job did not try to take his life (Job 3:11). God and the serpent had a clear understanding about death. Adam and Eve in their naive understanding about the type of death they would experience ate from the forbidden tree (Gen3:3-4). He who hates his life will win it and he who loves it will lose it (Lk 9:24). Unlike Job, Paul did not desire death he desired to leave this place by resurrection. His experience with death and resurrection lead him not to care about his life. He was left for dead outside the city by the Jews (Acts 14:19-20), but because of his expectation on resurrection he rose up and continued with his journey. Paul got to the point that he did not esteem his life to be his but Christ (Ga. 2:20). He understood that the old man in him was crucified (Ro. 6:6).