“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
A brief perusal through the Biblical Scriptures should quickly demonstrate that God’s Word does not avoid difficult or uncomfortable topics. Hebrews 2:14-15 exemplifies this reality by dealing with a subject that many seek to avoid: death.
For instance, it is not unusual to encounter those who are (or have been) haunted by a fear of death. Now, before we continue, it may be helpful to distinguish between two different but related concepts: the cause of death and the act of death. You see, it is one thing to fear a tragic cause of death, for no reasonable person ever wants to perish in an accidental or catastrophic manner. However, it is something quite different to face the prospect of an afterlife with a sense of torment, dread, or terror.
To paraphrase Hebrews 2:15, those who fall into this latter category are held in bondage to the fear of death. Since it is natural to experience a sense of apprehension in the face of the unknown, there are many who fear what might happen when they pass from this earthly life. Such fear can tyrannize those who hold a nagging (and valid) suspicion that there is more to our existence than what we experience now.
The remedy for such fear involves taking the unknown quality of death and turning it into a known quality. This is exactly what Jesus has done for us. Those who know Christ know someone who has been on the other side of the death experience and has returned to tell us about it (Revelation 1:18). For example, Jesus gave us the following word of assurance in the New Testament Gospel of John…
“Let not your hearts be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly” (John 14:1-3).
A Christian need never fear death, for Jesus is the resurrection and the life. For those who are in Christ, death involves a transition from this temporary, physical life to eternal life with God.