Listed below are a variety of verses that support the theology of why people die when they do. This blog was motivated after the death of one of our precious infants in our church.
God is in charge of life and death and therefore, he is responsible for the giving and taking of life. No one else can be responsible for taking a life. If that were not the case God would not be God.
The dilemma comes when someone, adult or child, dies in a manner that just seems cruel. For example, a new father dies of a heart attack, a baby dies of SIDS, or a small child drowns. Where is the sense in it all? If God is in charge of death, he therefore did something that seems extremely cruel. To merely respond to everything, "It's a mystery", is not appropriate, nor fair to God and what he has told us. On the other hand, our ways are not God's ways and we must submit to that in certain cases. Therefore, I will attempt to explain and give depth of knowledge to this issue:
Each situation must be discerned on its own. There are no blanket answers!
The issue of death, Satan and freewill: We have freewill to make decisions for our own life. Despite all the information we choose to do things based on our own needs. I ride a motorcycle and despite the warnings, I may one day lay it down, and if so, I placed myself by my own free will in a dangerous situation and Satan struck. The outcome renders me in a condition that God in his mercy chooses to take me home. So my freewill can damage myself, via Satan, but it is God who chooses to take my life in the end. That is why some people die at a crash while others live. God may have use of a person in a particular state. This can be applied to all areas of death. Satan strikes and God in his mercy chooses to take us home. Satan does not have power over death but can destroy to near death. We therefore cannot live in a bubble so we must take the responsibility of our actions that empower Satan.
This understanding must go hand in hand with our sin nature. We are by nature sinful. Yes even children. We all come into the world needing, wanting and demanding our way. As precious and beautiful as a baby is they are very demanding and selfish. Certainly understood since they are dependant, but the sin nature still exists. Why is the response of hunger to cry and demand? That is the sin nature. If babies were not demanding and selfish there would be no babies shook to death in an effort to make them stop crying. A baby is the perfect example of the dual nature of people. They are precious, wonderful, loving and trusting and the next minute a terror. I watched just yesterday a baby in a shopping cart, sitting as peaceful as can be and for no apparent reason starting screaming. Mom picked her up and she stopped. Therefore, we must understand that in each of us is the sin nature and therefore, death is all around us and we are deserving. We actually desire to flirt with death and sin as we wrestle with Satan. In other words, from our birth we all deserve death and punishment due to our sin nature and God continually forgives and has mercy on us even though our entire life is self centered. This is very hard for some to understand!
It is easy to explain why death happens. The hard part is to explain, "Why did God allow this to happen?" For this we shift from cause to prevention! We again must turn to freewill. If I said you could not choose your spouse, decide to play ball, or anything else, I think most people would scream. As Lutherans we believe that God gives us faith. People are vehemently opposed to that idea and fight with me, leave the church as they demand that they are not responsible for their own faith. Therefore, it is human nature to be "self" centered and not want to submit to God. For God to "not allow" means he has to control our freewill. We can't say God why didn't you prevent me from riding my motorcycle on the street and crashing. To do that God would say, why did you feel the need to ride a vehicle that is dangerous? If God give us freedom, then that means for everything, outside of faith. You see he still imputes into us that saving grace of faith. HE refuses to lose us completely and has chosen to intercede in that area so as not to lose us from salvation, yet gives us freedom to experience life. God must allow our freewill to act in all areas of life, otherwise he must control all areas. This answers those cases where there is a cause and affect to death. What about when there is no cause and affect i.e. in SIDS?
In the midst of understanding and purpose of a death there is also the will of God to take home for his own reason. Yes, God does call someone home because he knows what's best or has need. He may take an infant because he knows the infant will suffer later in life. He may take an infant because it saves someone else. He may take an infant because it reminds us how fragile life is. Imagine no death of a certain age group. If babies never died think about how we would use that for bad behavior. My brother who is a Pastor lost a baby after 8 hours of life. WHY? Why did he take her home? To this we don't know but trust that God had need of her to come home. Maybe it shaped the people it affected. Maybe it brought someone to faith. This is the scenario where we just don't know. What we do know is that God prospers every negative thing and this is our hope. For God death is a home coming. For God it is peace and positive. He tells us in Isaiah 57:1 He takes the righteous home to spare them from evil. As hard as it may be to consider, I know that my niece was spared the pain of the sin in this world. Certainly we all wanted her here, but our peace and comfort is that she will never have to go through the pain of life and rest eternally in heaven through the security of her baptism. Then when I die I will see her and my father will explain to me why it was essential that she come home when she did.
As we consider scenarios of why a death occurs, listed below are several purposes of death. We must wait and see how each issue unfolds and then wait on God to reveal his purpose if it is his will for us to know. Because God uses something to make good does not mean that was his purpose. It takes knowledge of God to discern God. Once we have waited and all reasons expired then we may have to submit to the idea that the death and action was a mystery. And even in that we have hope that God desires only to do good for us, loves us and will make good come out of the negative situation.
In conclusion I would first like to say I am open for discussion at any time. It is hard to write about difficult situations and I would NEVER want to hurt anyone by what I write.
Second, it is essential that we continue to learn about God so that we might understand his will more clearly. Certainly we will not know a definitive answer about God's will until we see him and thanks be to God we will one day see Him and the ones we have lost. It is always "see you later" not gone for good. BUT, it is also important to know that we can see into God's will and find peace in knowing him. And there are those times that his work is revealed and becomes evident. May God grant all who read this comfort and peace.
The rest are verses that support what I am saying.
Scenarios Of Why Bad Things Happen?
Isaiah 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
--God has need of them
John 9:1-7
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
--God's work is displayed…Also see Rom 9..Power displayed
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
--So God can work with us.
Luke 13:1-5
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
--As a result of God's wrath.
Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
Job 1:21
and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
--The Lord can choose to take something away
Job 2:9-10
His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
--We are tested.
Job 1:6-12
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
7 The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:13
his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
--Man's work will be tested
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
--Enables the ability to endure long suffering
Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
--God's discipline.
Hebrews 12:7-8
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
--Temptation
James 1:13
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
Hebrews 6:12
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Mans Condition:
Genesis 8:21 "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Psalms 51:5
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Romans 3:22-24
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:10
The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Romans 9:16
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
Romans 11:22
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
1 John 1:8-10
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Genesis 2:7
the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Ephesians 1:4
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Psalms 139:13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
2 Corinthians 5:1
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Acts 17:25-28
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
God's Sovereignty:
Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
John 5:19
Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
2 Corinthians 5:19
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 2:8 and put everything under his feet." In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.
Psalms 31:15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
Romans 14:8
If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
John 1:3 (Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Luke 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God."
Amos 3:7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
How to decide the meaning of bad things:
1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Jeremiah 9:24
but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:27
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
1 Corinthians 2:10
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Proverbs 9:10
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
2 Corinthians 8:7 But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
Ephesians 3:19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
2 Timothy 2:25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, Colossians 1:9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
DEATH
Romans 14:7-9
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.
8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Philippians 1:20-24
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Romans 8:26-28 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Revelation 9:6 During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
1 John 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
James 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1 Corinthians 15:54-56 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:36
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
Romans 6:3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Foreknowledge/Predestination:
Psalms 139:1-4
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Ephesians 1:4-6 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Romans 11:32
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Romans 9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.