Written by Gustave - Updated on Jan 29, 2025
Did you know that life and death are mentioned many times in the Bible? Did you know that the Christian religion has a very particular position on these two concepts? Life and death are closely related concepts. The Bible speaks of them in several passages.
In this article, we take a look at :
- Life and death: opposing and complementary concepts
- Life according to the Bible
- What does the Bible say about death?
Without further ado, let's find out all you need to know about life and death according to the Bible.
Life and death: two opposing and complementary concepts
Giving an exact definition of life is no easy task, even if it may seem fairly obvious. Definitions can vary enormously. From a biological point of view, life refers to carbon- and water-based beings. Humans, animals and plants are the most obvious manifestation of this. From a spiritual point of view, life can be assimilated to a world where all beings of the same level evolve together. There are dozens of concepts linked to life. The different cultures and religions of the world all have their own way of understanding this idea.
But life only takes on its true meaning when placed in context. In essence, a life must begin somewhere and end somewhere. Death is often described as the opposite of life. But it would be more appropriate to define it as the end of life. Indeed, death concerns only those beings who have experienced life. Those who have never been able to enjoy a breath of life are not concerned.
Death is therefore what makes life so precious. It marks the end of this state of enjoyment. It also shows that life only has real meaning because of death. The two notions complement each other. A life that has no end cannot be considered as such. This is how our world evolves. New lives can never take place if those that preceded them do not come to an end. If all the people who populated this world were still alive, this earth would no longer be viable today. Death is a necessary evil if we are to enjoy life to the full. In this sense, the two notions are complementary.
Life according to the Bible
Many biblical passages speak of life. Believers agree that life is a gift from God. In the Book of Genesis, for example, we find the following passage: “The Lord molded man from the clay of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being ” (Genesis 2:7).
For mankind, God is the “Living One”. He has been, is and will be forever. The living God saves and delivers. This is how he is described in the Bible (Daniel 6:27).
In the book of Genesis, we can see the process of creating life and the world. Plants, animals and human beings are those that appeared on the last day of Creation. God completed his work with the creation of man. Life is therefore a blessing. In the Old Testament, it was constantly praised. For most of us, the ideal life would be long and peaceful. We can refer to Genesis 25:8, which speaks of the case of Abraham (a life that ends in a happy old age, old and full of days).
But life is also a fragile thing. God has forbidden murder. Life is precious and must be protected. In the New Testament, we can even find statements that speak of the importance of life. In Mark 3:4, it is said that saving a life is far more important than keeping the Sabbath. These words come directly from the mouth of Christ. To reinforce his words, he adds, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Mark 12:27).
Jesus healed the sick. He brought his friend Lazarus back to life after he had died. Jesus himself is the way of life and truth. At his last supper, he left a particularly striking message for his disciples: “No one has greater love than the one who gives up his life for those he loves” (John 15, 3).
We should also remember that Jesus Christ gave himself as a sacrifice to reveal all the love God has for us. He then showed us that life is stronger than death by rising from the dead three days later. We are called to taste true life, God's life, through eternal life.
What does the Bible say about death?
There are many passages on death in the Bible. But the most important thing to remember is that death is an obligatory stage in the process of enjoying eternal life. All those who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven must pass through it. To reassure us, Jesus reminds us that he has already conquered death. All those who accept him as their Savior will be able to sit at God's side for all eternity.
The Bible also contains references to the second death (Revelation 21:8; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:14-15). This second death means estrangement from God, and therefore the impossibility of sitting at his side for eternity. It concerns all those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior.
Death is thus an obligatory passage. But it can also become an end. The Bible constantly reminds us of the importance of living with God throughout our existence on Earth, but also long afterwards.
Now you know how life and death are perceived in the Bible. You know that these two concepts always go hand in hand, and that the Bible has a very special way of dealing with them.
