The Heaven Answer Book

Why are we afraid to die?

W e are afraid to die because we cannot see beyond this present world. Death reduces all of us to the same rank. It strips the rich of their millions and the poor of their rags. Death knows no age limits, no partiality. It is that which all men fear. For some, it is the process of dying that is so fright ful; even the most devout are susceptible to this fear. King David said, “Terrors of death assail me” (Psalm 55:4). The disciples cried out to the Lord, “Save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25). For others it is the uncertainty of what happens after they die, so that death carries with it a sense of dread. It is the enemy—the great, mysterious monster that makes people quake with fear. Yet when it came time for David to die, he expressed assurance of the afterlife and “spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay” (Acts 2:31). The

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What Happens When We Die?