The Great Unmentionable

 

The Great Unmentionable by Dr. D. James Kennedy

The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

— 1 Corinthians 15:26

Death is something that causes the human mind to recoil. We do not like to think about it. The great English poet and dramatist Ben Johnson said that man spends all of his life in one effort after another trying to avoid the thought of his own mortality.

The great English preacher Charles Spurgeon, however, would call us to look upon it. He said that the time comes, erelong, when these shining orbs by which I look out upon you and through which you look into my very soul, will become a “carnival for worms.” This body of mine will be inhabited by loathsome things, the brother of corruption—the sister of decay. These cheeks now flushed with life will soon be sunken in death. Beneath the skin there will be going on such activity that, could we look upon it, we would recoil in horror. This same death of the body is the condition of our soul as we come into this world.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus transform the awful death within our souls into glorious peace, hope, love -- salvation.  May we ever thank and praise Him for the awesome sacrifice He made because of His unfathomable sacrifice for us.  May we ever say as did Paul, "THANKS BE UNTO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT."  II Corinthians 9:15.

Ultimately, the Christian need not have the same fear of death that the non-Christian has. Because Jesus conquered the grave, we have great hope in the face of death.