Bible Verses About Death

How it is used today: Used as the whole gospel in one verse: anyone who believes in Jesus receives eternal life as a free gift, by faith and not by works, and many teach that this life, once received, can never be lost.

First spoken: Jesus said this to Nicodemus, a Jewish teacher who came to Him at night (John 3:1-21). A few lines earlier Jesus told him, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5), and in verse 21 He speaks of the one who "does the truth."

The early Christians: Chrysostom reads the verse as God's great love in giving His only Son for ungrateful sinners, which Protestants also teach. But he says believing is not enough without a right life, and Justin Martyr shows that those who believed also promised to live by Christ's teaching and were then baptized, the new birth of John 3:5, as Tertullian and Chrysostom also taught.

“Even if a person believes rightly about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, if he does not live rightly, his faith will be of no help toward his salvation. Therefore, when He says, "This is life eternal, that they may know You the only true God" in John 17:3, let us not think that the knowledge spoken of is enough for our salvation. Besides this, we also need a very careful life and conduct.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John

“All who are convinced and believe that what we teach and say is true, and commit to living accordingly, are instructed to pray and ask God for the remission of their past sins with fasting, while we pray and fast with them. Then, they are brought by us to water and are regenerated in the same way we were.” Justin Martyr, First Apology

The difference: Both readings see God's huge love in giving His Son. But today "believes" is often taken to mean trusting Christ apart from works or baptism; the early Christians read it as a faith that is baptized ("born of water and the Spirit," John 3:5) and goes on living rightly, and Chrysostom says faith alone is not enough.

How it is used today: Used as a gospel verse for unbelievers: the penalty for your sin is death and hell, but eternal life is a free gift you receive by faith, not something you earn or must keep.

First spoken: Paul wrote this to baptized Christians in Rome. Chapter 6 opens with "Shall we continue in sin?" and reminds them they were "buried with Him through baptism" (6:3-4); verse 22 says the fruit is holiness "and the end, everlasting life."

The early Christians: Chrysostom agrees eternal life is a gift and not wages earned, but says Paul calls death "the wages of sin" to frighten Christians so that grace would not make them careless. Irenaeus and Tertullian read Romans 6 as believers now obeying righteousness to bear fruit leading to life.

“So that these teachings would not make them careless, he added the part about a strict life, using every chance to stir the hearer up to practice virtue. For when he calls death the wages of sin, he frightens them again and makes them safe against dangers to come.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans

“In these same members, then, in which we once served sin and produced fruit leading to death, He wants us to be obedient to righteousness, so that we may produce fruit leading to life.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V

The difference: Today this verse is used to tell unbelievers that eternal life is a free gift they receive by faith. The early Christians agreed it is a gift, but read it as Paul did, to baptized Christians: Chrysostom says "the wages of sin is death" warns believers not to go back to sin, and Irenaeus says we must now obey so that our fruit leads to life.

How it is used today: Used to teach eternal security: whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life now as a settled fact, will never come into judgment, and so can never be lost.

First spoken: Jesus said this in Jerusalem to Jewish leaders who wanted to kill Him for healing a lame man on the Sabbath (John 5:16-18). In the same speech He adds that all the dead will rise, "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29).

The early Christians: John Chrysostom, preaching on this very passage, says "not come into judgment" means not being punished, but warns that Jesus at once adds that those who have done good rise to life and those who have done evil to judgment, so no one should think believing alone is enough. Tertullian reads the same speech as the resurrection of the body to judgment.

“For because He had said above, “He that hears My words and believes in Him that sent Me, is not judged,” lest anyone should think that this alone is enough for salvation, He also adds the result of a person's life, declaring that those who have done good will come out to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John

The difference: Today this verse is used to teach that a believer's salvation is settled and can never be lost. The early Christians read the promise together with verses 28-29: Chrysostom says Jesus added that we will be judged by what we have done, so that no one would think believing alone is enough.

How it is used today: Used as Jesus' promise that He is preparing a home in heaven with room for every believer, and that He will come back to take them there, which many evangelicals read as the rapture.

First spoken: Jesus says this to the eleven apostles at the Last Supper, right after telling Peter he would deny Him three times and that he could not follow Him now (13:36-38). A few verses later He says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (14:15) and speaks of the Father and Son making Their home with the one who keeps His word (14:23).

The early Christians: Chrysostom reads the verses as comfort for the troubled apostles: the place that would receive Peter would receive them too. Irenaeus and Papias, passing on what the elders taught, and Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria all say the "many mansions" are different rewards given according to each person's fruit and worthiness, after the resurrection.

“Or how will there be many mansions in our Father's house, if not according to a diversity of deserts? Or how will one star differ from another star in glory, unless because of the disparity in their rays?” Tertullian, Scorpiace

“This is why the Lord declared, "In My Father’s house are many mansions." For everything belongs to God, who provides everyone with a fitting dwelling-place, just as His Word says, a share is given to each by the Father, according to each person's worthiness.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V

The difference: Today these verses are used to say Jesus has a room in heaven ready for every believer, and often that He will come to rapture them there. The early Christians read "many mansions" as different dwellings given by each person's deeds and worthiness, after the resurrection: one Father's house, but not the same reward for all.

How it is used today: Used to teach eternal security ("once saved, always saved"): once a person is truly saved, nothing at all, not even their own later sins or choices, can separate them from God's love or take away their salvation.

First spoken: Paul wrote this to the church in Rome. Verses 35-37 list what he means: trouble, persecution, hunger, the sword, being "killed all day long" for Christ. The verse lists outside powers (death, life, angels, rulers, anything created) and says none of them can tear us away.

The early Christians: Chrysostom reads it as Paul's burning love for Christ that no outside power could break, and he says Paul still feared one thing: falling away from that love himself. Cyprian warns that even a confessor who suffered for Christ can trade his first faith for later unbelief, and Clement of Alexandria reads the verse as nothing outside us can defeat the faith of one who keeps choosing God.

“For he loved Christ not for the things of Christ, but for Christ's own sake; and because of Him he loved the things that were His. He looked to Him alone, and he feared one thing only: falling away from his love for Him. For this was in itself more dreadful than hell, just as remaining in that love was more desirable than the kingdom of heaven.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans

“But if anyone afterward is blameworthy and guilty, if he has wasted his confession by evil conduct, if he has stained his life by shameful filth, if at last, leaving the Church in which he became a confessor and breaking the harmony of unity, he has exchanged his first faith for later unbelief, he must not flatter himself because of his confession as though he were chosen for the reward of glory, when by this very thing he has become more deserving of punishment.” Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church

The difference: Today this verse is used to teach that a saved person can never fall away. The early Christians read it as a promise that no outside power can tear us from Christ, but they taught that a believer can still fall away by his own choice, and Chrysostom says this was the one thing Paul feared.

How it is used today: Used as a comfort that in heaven there are no more tears, pain or death, often read at funerals for loved ones who are now in heaven; careful teachers add that it describes the new heavens and earth after the final judgment, while still teaching that believers go to heaven when they die.

First spoken: John saw this vision while exiled on Patmos and wrote it to seven churches in Asia. It comes after the last judgment (20:11-15) and goes with "a new heaven and a new earth" (21:1) and the holy city "coming down out of heaven from God" (21:2), where "the tabernacle of God is with men" (21:3).

The early Christians: Tertullian reads the verse as a promise for the raised body: "nothing is eternal until after the resurrection," and the eyes God wipes are the same eyes that wept. Irenaeus says the substance of creation is not destroyed but renewed, with the new humanity living on in a new heaven and new earth, and he teaches that the souls of the faithful wait in a place God assigns until the resurrection, and only then, rising bodily, come into God's presence.

“Well, nothing is eternal until after the resurrection. And, he continues, "sorrow and sighing shall flee away." The angel says the same thing to John: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes," in Revelation 7:17. These are indeed the same eyes that had wept before, and that might weep again, if the loving-kindness of God did not dry up every fountain of tears.” Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh

“it is clear that the souls of His disciples also, for whom the Lord underwent these things, shall go away into the invisible place assigned to them by God, and remain there until the resurrection, awaiting that event; then receiving their bodies, and rising wholly, that is bodily, just as the Lord rose, they shall come into the presence of God.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V

The difference: Today this verse is often used to describe heaven, where believers go when they die. The early Christians read it as a promise for the resurrection: the same bodies and eyes that wept will be raised, on a renewed earth, and they taught that the faithful dead wait for that day rather than having it already.