Death and Immortality
A Sermon on Death and Immortality
Originally preached Dec. 10, 1954
Scripture
Sermon Description
Everyone lives forever. But what happens and how does it happen? For many years, people had lost curiosity about the study of these questions because the world was so comfortable. And then World Wars I and II occurred, shattering people’s confidence and security in the things the world had to offer. Everything was uncertain, and thus, interest in studying these topics was revived. In this sermon titled “Death and Immortality,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses death as a fruitful means of evangelism because it forces people to face questions of eternal importance. Oftentimes, the Lord used the fear of death to prompt people to examine their hearts. Death is not the end of existence, but simply the separation of the body from the soul. Death exists simply because sin entered the world— it is a natural consequence of disobeying God. Even though Christians are saved from eternal death of the soul, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why Christians still suffer and die. Even though they experience death, believers can have a vastly different outlook on it because they have been saved from eternal death through faith in Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon topic is eschatology which is the study of last things.
- Eschatology is an important doctrine because everyone is curious and concerned about the end.
- The Bible deals with all aspects of life including the end.
- Questions addressed in eschatology include: What is death? What happens after death? What is the future? What is our destiny? What will happen to the world?
- Eschatology can be viewed from a personal and global perspective. A personal perspective deals with individual destiny. A global perspective deals with the destiny of the world.
- Death is not the cessation of existence according to the Bible. It is the separation of the soul from the body.
- Death entered the world as punishment for sin according to Genesis 2:17 and Genesis 3:19. Death is not inherent in life.
- Christians still die as part of God's sanctification process. Death can be a blessing and lead to repentance.
- Though Christians die, they view death differently because they know death has lost its sting through Christ's victory over sin according to 1 Corinthians 15:55.
- The Bible assumes the immortality of the soul though it does not explicitly state it. Arguments for immortality include: God gave the gift of immortality to humans, 1 Timothy 6:16 refers to God alone having immortality in himself, progressive revelation shows greater clarity over time, Sheol and Hades show existence after death, Psalm 16 and 17 teach immortality, prohibitions against spiritism suggest existence of spirits after death, and New Testament teachings like Luke 12:4-5, the Transfiguration, Luke 16, and Matthew 22:32 suggest immortality.
- Topics to cover next include: the intermediate state, conditional immortality, and the second chance theory.
Sermon Q&A
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Eschatology: Questions and Answers
What is eschatology and why is it important according to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, eschatology is "the doctrine of the last things" (derived from the same root as "escalator" - moving up to the last things, the ultimate end). It's important because it addresses fundamental human concerns that we all face inevitably. As Lloyd-Jones explains, "This is a very important biblical doctrine, important because we all are curious about it and concerned about it. It is something that we realize is quite inevitable." He adds that biblical teaching would be incomplete if it didn't address these ultimate questions, highlighting "the marvel and the wonder of this book. It caters for the whole of life, every aspect, every department, every phase."
How does Lloyd-Jones define death from a biblical perspective?
Lloyd-Jones clearly states that the biblical definition of death is not the cessation of existence, but rather "the separation of the soul and the body." He explains: "Here we are in this life, and the soul and the body are intimately connected, and they're one. My soul functions in and through my body. When I die, what will happen will be that my soul will leave the body. The body will still be left here in this world. My soul will go on." He cites Luke 12:4-5 and the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16) as biblical evidence supporting this understanding of death.
According to Lloyd-Jones, why do humans die?
Lloyd-Jones firmly rejects the popular philosophical view that death is inherent in life or part of the natural life process. Instead, he emphasizes that according to the Bible, "death is not a part of life. It isn't something inherent in life. It is the punishment of sin. It was introduced because of sin." He cites several scriptural references to support this, including Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:19, Romans 5:12, and James 1:15. As he summarizes: "the biblical teaching is that death is something that has resulted as God's punishment for sin. It was introduced as a punishment for sin. There was no death until men sinned, and there would have been no death unless men had sinned."
Why do Christians still have to die if Christ's death paid for sin?
Lloyd-Jones addresses this common question by explaining that while Christ's atonement ultimately deals with all consequences of sin, God has chosen not to immediately remove all these consequences in the present life. He states: "The Christian is still left subject to death still. For that reason it is a part of God's process of dealing with him and preparing him for that which he has for him." Lloyd-Jones compares death and sickness to the process of sanctification and discipline, noting that "God has chosen, it seems to me, to use sickness and death very much as he used the nations that he left behind in the land of Canaan to perfect the children of Israel." He adds that Christians can view death differently than unbelievers, knowing its sting has been removed through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55).
What evidence does Lloyd-Jones present for the immortality of the soul?
While Lloyd-Jones acknowledges the Bible doesn't explicitly state "the soul is immortal," he argues the Bible assumes this throughout. His evidence includes:
- The Old Testament references to Sheol (or Hades), indicating existence after death
- Specific Old Testament passages like Psalm 16:8-11, Psalm 17:15, and Psalm 73 that indicate continued existence
- The Old Testament prohibitions against consulting familiar spirits, which wouldn't be necessary if souls didn't persist after death
- New Testament passages like Luke 12:4-5 about fearing the one who can destroy both body and soul
- Moses and Elijah appearing on the Mount of Transfiguration, showing they still existed after death
- Jesus' argument that God is "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," noting that "God is not the God of the dead but of the living"
- The story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16, showing conscious existence after death
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.