Faith in relation to Death

The StarNews was quick to point out that 12-year-old Bradley Glenn Hamm was the second death in three months among members of The Church of the First Born which is located south of Morgantown, Indiana. Little Aspen Daniel died back in November of 1998 just six days after being born.

As true Christians, we weep with those who are touched by these new heart aches. Death, it must be remembered, is an inevitable part of the curse of mankind's existence because of sin. Since this is not a research paper on thanatology (the study of death) or harmartiology (the study of sin) per se, we shall aim our comments more towards the fickle, emotional public at large.

When children were recently shot to death within and upon the grounds of the Public Schools, did the so called authorities discuss whether to prosecute the principals and teachers of these schools that were involved? Was there talk of charging the parents for involuntary manslaughter for permitting their children to attend these obviously dangerous places? When a boy or girl dies in the hospital are charges normally brought against the hospital staff?

It is a sad thought to know a young person dies early. But it is sadder still, to have people make more out of the death of a family member that is operating by their faith. If a hospital never witnessed children die, if schools never had children die while there, if a doctor could pledge never to lose a child in death, then it may be appropriate to consider investigating families that experience the death of their children.

To be sure, there is a very fine line between faith and foolishness. This line is often drawn by those who have no real Biblical faith. At times, it is crossed by those who claim a faith but are actually operating presumptuously. Since death and taxes have been the plague of mankind, we must not be too harsh towards those afflicted by either.

Talk of being hypocritical, when communities are still tolerating the blood letting via the murder of the pre-born babies within their neighborhoods. When doctors will daily deliver a baby partially in the breached position, all but the head, in order to stab it in the back of the neck with his tools of the trade, and then attach a suction machine to the hole, so as to suck out the brains of the little tiny baby, then we must perish the thought of investigating families that operate by their faith.

What we have in operation here is one's faith in relation to death. One is an implicit faith in medical science and its technology. While the other faith operating is both implicit, as well as explicit, in Almighty God, the author and sustainer of life, the grantor of life eternal unto those who repent of their sins and receive Christ Jesus as LORD and Saviour. One is a confidence in man and his accumulated collective abilities. The other is an assurance in the omnipotent God and HIS unfettered Sovereignty.

Pastor John Stephen Brown
preacher@link2000.net
(765) 522-1308