Called and Sent · Stop 6

What does faith say about death, and what do Lutherans hope for?

Everyone dies. That is one of the few things equally true for everyone who has ever lived. Christians don't pretend that isn't hard. But they also say there's something on the other side of it. Today you'll find out what Lutherans believe and why.

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Hope

The Third Article of the Apostles' Creed ends with a promise: the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Christians confess this as a real promise. It means a real resurrection, the way Jesus rose on Easter. Death is an ending, and resurrection is a new beginning.

Luther's Small Catechism says the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and keeps the church. And at the last day, the Spirit will raise the dead and give believers everlasting life. Luther ended every article of the Creed with the words: this is most certainly true. He meant for you to believe it.

Death is real and grief is real. Christians don't skip the sadness. Jesus stood at the tomb of his friend Lazarus and wept, even though he knew what he was about to do. The Psalms are full of grief and confusion and honesty. You can bring all of that to God.

Many Lutheran funerals celebrate both death and resurrection. They grieve and they hope at the same time. The promise isn't that nothing will hurt. The promise is that death is not the last word, and that the same God who raised Jesus on Easter is the one who holds your name.

Read it in your Bible

John 11:25–26. Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in him will live even after they die, and everyone who lives and believes in him will never die. He asks her if she believes this.
1 Corinthians 15:51–55. Paul writes about a mystery: not everyone will die, but everyone will be changed, at the last trumpet, in a moment too fast to measure. Death will be swallowed up in victory, and Paul quotes the old line: death, where is your sting?

The Third Article, from Luther's Small Catechism

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.

...and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.

Words to know

Resurrection. The raising of the dead to new life, what happened to Jesus on Easter and what God promises for all believers. Lutheran hope isn't for a ghost life. It's for a real body, raised the way Jesus was raised.
Grief. The sorrow that comes with losing someone, and something Christians don't skip or rush through. Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb. Grief is honest, not a sign of weak faith.
Hope. Trusting what God has promised, more than wishing something might happen. Christian hope isn't optimism. It's trust in the one who raised Jesus.
Eternal. Lasting forever, and belonging to God in a way that can't be undone. Eternal life isn't more of the same. It's life as God meant it from the beginning.