Why Do You Fear Death?
Introduction
People who have no assurance of their salvation fear death. I know, since I was afraid of death before I put my faith in Jesus Christ. If there is no God, then death would be merely a ceasing of existence, with nothing to fear. However, if Christianity is true, then those who do not believe should fear death, since the fate of believers and non-believers is quite different.
Why judgment?
The consistency of the physical laws of the universe are reflection of God's unchangeable and righteous nature.1 In order to be consistent and righteous, God must judge every behavior that is not consistent with His. Therefore, any ungodly behavior must be judged and condemned by God in order for Him to retain His righteousness. A common myth is that God "grades on the curve" and "as long as I behave better than most people, He will allow me into heaven." God's righteousness is absolute, not relative.
Why fear?
All spiritual creatures (God Himself, angels, and humans) recognize that their spirits are eternal and that they will go through judgment of God, based upon their adherence to the laws of God. The Bible says that knowledge of God's existence and the eternal nature of the human spirit has been revealed to all people:
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11, italics added).
No fear?
There are many theoretical possibilities on the existence of God. Atheists say that God doesn't exist and that death results in the end of individual existence. There should be nothing to fear from death, since your brain just shuts down. Deists say that God exists, but doesn't have any interests in humanity. So, there is no heaven/hell and death ends it all, as in atheism. Numerous other religions claim a god or gods, but none seem to be interested in punishing human beings. So, there shouldn't be anything to fear when you die, it those religions are true. It is only Christianity that says that death brings judgment to the unrepentant. So, if you go by the odds, either death brings the cessation of existence or some kind of paradise that is open for everybody. It is irrational to fear this kind of uncertainty. So, the only kind of uncertainty that should be feared is whether or not Christianity is true.
Ending fear
If you want to relieve your fears about death, you should try to determine if Christianity is true or false. The assignment is not too difficult. It isn't as if you need to examine every religion on the face of the earth - just one. Unlike the other religions, which generally go uncriticized, there are numerous objections to Christianity, especially by atheists. It's as if they know that Christianity is the only religion that seriously challenges their atheism. So, you are going to live in fear and doubt until you deal with the question of whether Christianity is true or not. Visit the atheists' websites. Visit the Christian sites. Get informed and make a rational decision.
Conclusion 
If you fear death, yet believe that God does not exist, then you are being irrational. Then again, maybe you uncertain whether death is the end of your existence. Are you ready to die?
¿Por qué le Tiene Miedo a la Muerte?
Related Resources
Eternity
in their Hearts
by Don Richardson
Don Richardson presents documented evidence from hundreds of
primitive cultures from around the world that God, indeed, has put
eternity into the hearts of men.
Related Pages
References
- And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God
Himself is judge. Selah (Psalm 50:6)
The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory. (Psalm 97:6)
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/fearofdeath.html
Last Modified September 2, 2008
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