Afraid To Die

Dear Victorious,

Why are most people afraid to die? The Bible makes it pretty clear that there isn't anything to fear for believers. Still, it seems that most Christians don't want to die. Isn't that hypocrisy?

Pratan D. - Costa Mesa, CA

Dear Pratan,

I suspect that those Christians who are still afraid to die simply have some faith issues. Their faith and confidence in the promises of God may not be as strong as they'd like. I'm sure they don't want to be afraid of death. But it is quite common to fear the unknown. And while the Bible is filled with promises that assure us death is not to be feared, it is that element of the unknown that most any human being will find intimidating.

The closer one gets to Christ, the more spiritually mature one becomes, that fear of death tends to fade. Ironically, the closer one gets to death, the more likely it is that they will find peace with the notion of dying. Few people are scared on their death beds. Eventually they find a peace and assurance that helps them relax as their time approaches.

I think calling this hypocrisy is a bit harsh. Perhaps a more realistic way to view it would be as a level of maturity that hasn't yet been reached.