When the Diagnosis Is Terminal

 

I recently had a conversation with some friends who have been working through a specific medical diagnosis that is terminal. As you can imagine, even in the conversation, tears flowed. All of us know at some point we will die. For those who are older, they know it. Yet, no one looks forward to those final moments of life on earth through sickness. When a young person receives news of a terminal illness, the weight of the diagnosis seems heavier. Yet again, we all know we will die. The Bible declares it, “It is appointed unto man once to die, after this, the judgment” (Heb 9:27). However, we still in our humanity as those in the image of God go through significant sadness, including both those who are sick and their families and friends. When the diagnosis is terminal what do you do?

   

The Story of Robert Smith, M.D.

My dear friend, Dr. Robert Smith, who himself went to heaven recently, discussed this issue many times with me. I nicknamed Dr. Bob the “Dean of Biblical Counseling” since he had been part of training thousands of biblical counselors since the early 1970s. Dr. Bob first went into the field of biblical counseling because of his observations as a medical doctor. When he would tell a follower of Jesus that he or she had a terminal illness, he often noted that the Christ-follower did not respond any differently than the non-Christ-follower. In other words, the response of a believing Christian was hardly any different than a nonbelieving non-Christian. This puzzled him.

The Bible teaches that followers of Jesus have hope. Many verses similar to Romans 5:1-5, Romans 15:13, and 1 Peter 1:3 teach hope. Many verses use the word, while many others do not like Philippians 1:6, 21.

The point is, Dr. Bob realized that many Christians when facing a terminal illness and death did not act much differently than a non-Christian. They responded without hope.

   

Death as the Transportation System or Door

Dr. Bob once had a potentially life-changing situation happen to him while out in the wintertime alone. As he told me this story, I sat and cried listening to it. I cried because I heard my friend explain to me what he thought was a recent life-ending moment. He explained his thought process. He expected in that moment to die. He prayed, asked God to help his wife who would be left on earth, and was ready to die in that moment. As he described it, he was so calm and peace-filled. I cried because I thought of life without my friend; he quietly reflected as one who would go to be with his Lord and Savior. When his final time did come, I visited him days before he died. Again, he was ready. I sang to him, we prayed together, and he expressed his readiness to go to heaven.

He used this simple illustration for death – God’s form of transportation. He simply explained it this way: when a Christ-follower takes his final breath on earth, God uses death as the transportation system to heaven. In the moment of death, the follower of Jesus is transported from life on earth to life in heaven with Jesus and the redeemed of the ages.

I have often called it a door. In a similar fashion as Dr. Bob’s transportation illustration, death becomes a doorway. Upon reaching death on this earth, God opens the doorway straight into heaven. No waiting to go, no waiting for God to judge between the good and the bad of your life, no waiting to check credentials, simply, no waiting. Death is the door. With one step the beloved individual leaves this life and immediately steps into heaven, if saved, or hell, if not saved.

   

We trust God in death!

There are so many passages, again, to which I could refer. Let me choose just two.

My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. (Phil 1:20-21).

I appreciate the NET Bible translation of this verse as it emphasizes two elements: Hope with boldness and dying is gain. To die is to be with Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

The living hope we have is eternal life with Jesus in the moment of death.

Friends, these two verses just scratch the surface!

   

More Alive in Death than Alive in Life

In death, we are more alive than we were alive in life. Let me explain.

When we are on earth, we are always dying. Each second that passes, it is part of the movement toward death. The second is gone. Just as the hourglass above demonstrates, time on earth is running out.

Yes, we enjoy these moments! We love the hugs, the kisses, the smiles, the conversations, the presence of our loved ones, and the experiences of life together. We make memories together. With fellow followers of Christ, all of these things are exponentially better as we do the things of life with another person who loves Jesus. These are great things.

However, at death, we experience eternal life. We move from this place to eternity. We move from the physical presence of our loved ones to the physical presence of our Savior.

In death, we move.

In death, we live.

Why would I say more alive than when we were on earth? Because we go to heaven and experience eternal life. No more death. When seconds in heaven go, eternal seconds remain. It is no longer appointed unto man once to die; instead, God grants eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Instead of a decaying body through the moments of living, the follower of Jesus Christ has an eternal body with no decay enjoying Jesus and the saints of the ages. No sickness. No death or dying. Just health. Life. Eternal life.

Friends, this is true life.

   

When You Die and When Your Loved One Dies

When you die, you step through the door to eternity. Peter writes,

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:10-11).

An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I rewrote it and put it in bold with italics so that you could not miss this statement.

An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I did it again. Why? Because I want you to see your hope. Your terminal diagnosis means that you are now very aware of how soon this exact thing will take place.

If you a loved one of someone with a terminal illness, what should you do? How should you respond?

You should recognize that your time on earth is limited. However, your loved one will simply walk through the door to eternity more alive than ever. Your loved one will be alive, worshipping, fellowshipping, and enjoying the unspeakable joys of heaven while awaiting your arrival.

Yes, you are left. You will so desperately want to call your loved one at times. You will want to experience his or her earthly presence. Yes, it will hurt because you sense the loss. However, do not experience it as eternal loss. It is, Until Later. Just as we anticipate seeing a friend while on vacation or family during the holidays, we anticipate seeing a living person someday in heaven.

What day? Only Jesus knows that. But some day!

   

For the Person Who Is Not Ready for Eternity

For the person who is reading this who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please know that God invites you to seek His forgiveness of your personal sins as well based upon the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. God accepts Jesus’ payment of His blood as a payment for your sins. When you ask God to forgive you based solely upon Jesus’ personal sacrifice for your sins, God does it. He forgives your sin, becomes your Lord God, you begin to follow Him as the Lord of your life, and upon death, you go to His presence.

Upon death, all people are judged. You will stand guilty for your personal sin because you are guilty. The only thing that gets up past this guilt and ready for eternity in heaven is believing in Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but through Me.”