WLC 85

Q85. Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?

The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it; so that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love, to free them perfectly from sin and misery, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon.

Proof texts

• 1 Cor. 15:26,55-57 — [26] The last enemy to be destroyed is death. [55] “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Heb. 2:15 — [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
• Isa. 57:1-2 — [1] The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; [2] he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.
• 2 Kings 22:20 — [20] Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.
• Rev. 14:13 — [13] And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
• Eph. 5:27 — [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
• Luke 23:43 — [43] And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
• Phil. 1:23 — [23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited 1 Cor. 15:26,55-57 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 8 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q38 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. BC 9.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q38 · BC 9.1 · BC 9.2 · 1689 31.1