Better Off Dead?

From LifeDate – Winter 2005.

Better Off Dead?
by Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb

Maybe you’ve heard it said of someone, “Look at all they are going through. Wouldn’t they be better off dead?” Maybe you have said it or heard someone else say it. “Why doesn’t God just take me home? I’d be better off dead.” So, is it true? Would we be better off dead?

The first answer for the Christian is, “Yes!” Paul said as much. “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23). As Paul writes the Philippians, he faces possible death. He is in prison in Rome unsure of the outcome. But he is ready for death. He wants Christ to be exalted in his death (1:20). Christ is exalted in this joyful confidence of Paul’s because Christ is the reason for it. It is because of what Christ has done in His life, death, and resurrection that Paul has the assurance of knowing things would be better in heaven with his Savior.

It is okay to join Paul in wanting to be with Christ. It is okay to want this for an elderly and feeble grandparent or a desperately ill friend. You know it would be better. You know it would be a gain. There would be no more crying or pain or sickness or loneliness. Christ is exalted in such thinking because He is the One who gives such confidence. He has been victorious over death and the grave. He forgives your sins; He makes you worthy of the heavenly mansion He is preparing for you. Because of Christ, death is but a narrow gate into life eternal. Yes, it is Christ’s abiding presence in our death that exalts Him as the One who has conquered death and brought life and immortality. It is Christ’s abiding presence in our death that comforts us, calms our fears, and gives us patience as we await His call to join Him in eternity. And so we can pray, “In death, O Lord, abide with me.”

However, there is a second answer to our question, “Would we be better off dead?” That answer is “Yes, but . . .” You see death is not the only possibility for Paul. He may very well live! If so, he knows Christ will be exalted in his life. In fact, Paul becomes convinced he will go on living. He is convinced that even though it would be “better by far” for him to depart and be with Christ, it is “more necessary” for the Philippians and others that Paul keep living (1:24). God has some “fruitful labor” for Paul to do (1:22).

Death is not the only possibility for the elderly or disabled or ill or even the unconscious. Such folks may very well live a number of years. As we said, it is certainly okay to desire to depart and be with Christ for that would be “better by far.” But God is in charge of the time of death. As the children’s book says, “God will decide when I should die, and the time will be just right . . . because God is very wise.”¹ But as long as He gives life, we must believe that in God’s wisdom it is “more necessary” for life to continue. And as long as God gives life, God gives life meaning and purpose. God has some “fruitful labor” to accomplish just as He did for Paul.

Now you might say, “But Paul was different. He was still young, able to travel, preach and teach, and tell others about Jesus. But what about people who are not so healthy, those who cannot get around well or maybe are not even aware of their surroundings? What possible ‘fruitful labor’ could they do?” But remember, it wasn’t Paul. It was the abiding presence of Christ in Paul that was accomplishing this fruitful labor. Christ was exalted in Paul’s life because Christ was the One who was at work in Paul’s life.

We limit the power of God if we say He can work and accomplish things only in people who are young and healthy and up and around. He’s God! He can work in your life as well as in the life of Paul. He can work in the life of the chronically ill or the terminally ill or the bed-ridden grandma who is not aware of her surroundings. Christ isn’t exalted because of what we do. He is exalted because of what He does in us! In fact, you could say that the less we are able to do, the more Christ is exalted as He works through us! So we pray, “In life, O Lord, abide with me.”

More and more in our society people are saying that certain others would be “better off dead.” Paul reminds us that certainly it is “better by far” for the Christian to depart and be with Christ. But he also reminds us that the timing for that is in God’s hands. If He gives us continued life, then in His plan, it is “more necessary” that we go on living. But you see, whether we live or die we know that Christ is at work and that He will be exalted. And so we pray, “Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes. Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”

¹ ^{Joanne Marxhausen, If I Should Die, If I Should Live (St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1975).}