Slaves to Death?

Hebrews 2:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴  Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
¹⁵  and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

We are slaves to Satan because his realm is the threat to eternal life with God.  We are released from the threat of lifelong slavery to Satan by the promise of lifelong freedom from death.  We as Christians no longer fear death.  Sure, we don’t look forward to the process leading up to our death.  Sometimes that process is short.  Sometimes it takes time.  But, the resulting death is not something the Christian fears.

With those who do not believe, death is a thing to be feared.  It’s the end of this existence, no more fun, not more love, nothing more.  It is the Christian who has hope of joy after death.

Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher offered a wager for our lives, and it turns out the wager is forced upon us.  Either we bet giving our lives to God is truly the path to eternal life, or we bet there is no God, that this life is all there is, and there is nothing after death.  Pascal says if the believer is wrong, he has wasted 70+ years.  If the non-believer is wrong, he has wasted eternity.

The non-Christian may seek to help others, contribute to causes, even volunteer at charities.  But, their rewards are given here in the smiles they receive, the gratitude offered, the self-satisfaction they feel.  With all they do to reach out to humanity, theirs is still a short-lived reward.  It lives only as long as they do.  These good works are what they have to rely on, but the fear of death is still the fear of an end to all that they are.

On the other hand, as the writer of Hebrews says, the Christian should not be bothered by death, should not be a victim of “lifelong slavery.”  We Christians look forward to death.  We are not the slaves to it but servants of the Most High God.  The smiles and gratitude of those we help are not the greatest reward.  We have a greater blessing awaiting us.

Christians are not lifelong slaves to the threat of death.  We believe we will not truly die.  Our bodies may stop working biologically.  We see that often.  I’m 71.  Mine is slowly winding down.  There are things I can’t do now that I could when I was 20.  But, my spirit is no different from the one I’ve always had.  I believe it will survive my body.  My spirit does not fear death because it will never have to face it.

I’m betting non-Christians believe a lie.  They may believe this life is all there is, or believe they have the truth and will spend eternity as a part of the great altogether, maybe be reincarnated further up the chain.  The alternative is facing whether Christ was truthful when He said this:

Matthew 7:23-24 (ESV)  ²³  “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” 

As Christians, we are not the elite or even anything at all on our own.  But, God has assigned us the job of showing and sharing Christ with others.  Our lives and our words should help people see the glory that awaits them if they break those chains of the lifelong slavery of the fear of death, be set free by accepting Christ’s sacrifice, and enter into eternity with Him.