The Essential Role of Death

I tend to be a morbid person. Ask my wife she hates it with a capital "H". I can say its not because I enjoy things like murder mysteries or gory movies (I do like the former but not the latter). It is more because I am extremely introspective about death. I feel that the loose ends that could be caused by my death or someone else's should be discussed for just in case. I do however not look forward to death.

The more I look at our culture it is quite like me. Completely inquisitive and love to talk about death, provided it is physically distant from us. It is in everything from our books to our music. In music two songs that I am particularly fond of (told you I was morbid), Small Bump by Ed Sheeran and Body in a Box by City and Colour, speak of death as the major theme. In the first it talks about the miscarriage a friend of his experienced. But in theatrical fashion he saved the shock of finding this out until the end. Body in a Box is talking about a funeral and how it shows the life of men and their legacy. One book that I read recently and thoroughly enjoy is the book A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken (I recommend reading it, it's phenomonal). This book is an autobiography by Vanuaken about his life and his friendship with C.S. Lewis. The main point of the book is about how his wife died suddenly. This death was a shock to him. It also brings to us the reality that once death comes to our doorstep it is an unwelcome guest to think of.

That is a jolly sight

The thing that I find impressive about the book A Severe Mercy is that it shows a fundamental truth about Christian life. We needed someone to die for us to attain salvation. Let me explain. He chronicles how he and his wife had been led to belief in Christ from being atheists, partially through a friendship with CS Lewis when they were at Oxford. In the book Vanuaken told about how his wife, Davy, had been much more strong in her faith than him, by a long shot. Sheldon believed, but had not submitted his life over to Christ. With the death of Davy he was pushed towards God and a need to rely on him, rather than on his wife.

Now I will give that this is an imperfect metaphor, but bear with me. For Sheldon to attain this life then Davy had to die. I'm not saying it was supposed to happen that way, but in view of what happened you can see the chain reaction. With Jesus he had to die for us to be saved from our sins. Jesus even said "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to father except through me" (John 14:6). This way that Jesus was presented was that he was a substitution for us. Since we deserve death (Romans 6:23) we needed someone to take this burden off of us. We could not bear it and our death would not just be physical, but spiritual as well without Jesus' death.

While Davy was not the mode by which Sheldon came to trusting Christ, her death was the final push for him accepting Christ. Now he could have in the end without the death of Davy, we have no way of proving that. Now on the other hand, Jesus death is absolutely necessary. Without a suitable substitution then we do not have that salvation. This is the essential role of death in our lives. Even though we do not long for death, it is needed.