Life is a gift. It is a gift from God (judging from my perspective: within Christianity's context). Due to the fact that God, The perfect creator created the earth, and mankind within it. Thus, the sense of mankind’s very existence is a “gift” from the creator God Himself. Yes, God created man (mankind, all living creatures, the earth and the heavens above the earth, within it and outside it) to live and exist in perfect righteousness eternally. Through sin (the fall of mankind/humanity after creation), life itself was indeed degraded from what God intended "it" to be (at the first place at creation): everlasting life in righteousness. Therefore, the wages of sin is death.
Death is the result of sin. When man/mankind first sinned (Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden), God cursed man/mankind for sinning (Genesis 3:15-19), and death was a part of it: the curse of sin (Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." Upon reading from Genesis chapter three verses fifth teen-nineteen (the curses God implemented due to sin), you'll realize that on verse nineteen God was referring to Adam. So why then do female/woman die or experience death (you would wonder and not only man: since the Bible only stated man)? It's simply because of "creation itself": how God created woman/the very first female (God created man, Adam: and took out one of his ribs and created female/woman after laying him into a deep sleep: as described according to Genesis chapter 2:21-23); furthermore, man and woman are "one" as a whole when joined (together in marriage). Or in other words, Eve (woman/female) “is” a part of Adam (man/male).
On the other hand, the death we experience today (while awaiting Christ's Second coming) is described as "sleep". As King David described in Psalm 13:3 "Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Similar to as what described above, the state of sleep that God had put Adam into: prior to creating Eve (found in Genesis 2:21-23). Thus saying that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous when Jesus Christ returns to this earth. Which indeed tells us that the dead today are in fact awaiting Jesus Christ’s second coming: which automatically means they are sleeping in their graves, “in a deep sleep”. Or in other words, this simply means the real "death" is yet to come.
The second death (final death: in which death “itself” is also destroyed, along with evil, the devil and sin) is taking place after Jesus Christ's second coming. As described in Revelation 20:14-15 "Then Death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The life we have today (according to my judgment) can be viewed as a duration of unknown time in which we have no control over. Unfortunately, since only God controls "time" (and no one else: even the devil or any angle), the future is "unknown", meaning each and every human being alive today cannot and do not know the hour, the exact day and date of their own death: furthermore, the Second coming of Jesus Christ. In clear contrast, the "detailed-record, history and choices" (in regards to the power of choice within the barriers of The Great Controversy) starting from an individual's life here on earth (from birth) to the day he/she is laid to rest (sleep/first death) is all recorded in "The Book of Probation". What the record states in the book of probation determines the end-deliverable or future of that in particular individual (you, me, or us all): in terms of eternal death or eternal life.
Resurrection on the other hand represents "life" after death. Paul describes (in Act 24: 15) that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both just and unjust (according to their records in the Book of Probation, which determines their faith or end-deliverable within the barriers of The Great Controversy: to be on God's side or the devil's) for judgment when Jesus Christ returns. Our lives/life (the life we have today: according to my own judgments) can be viewed as a state of consciousness in a mortal body plus the spirit of life from God (which is a soul: the state of being alive/mortal). Or the existence of a soul (Soul equals: spirit/breath of life from God plus dust/body: as described in Genesis 2: 7).
Apart from Jesus Christ resurrecting Lazarus from the dead (like described in John 11:38-44, which only He has the power to do so, since He is God: God The Son), He Himself was also resurrected and ascended up to heaven (as described in Luke 24: 51). This we must surely understand that no other being or angel has the power to "resurrect" the dead rather than God Himself. Thus symbolizing the "life" after death and the "gift of eternal life" which He "had" promised (found in John 3:16), towards those who "would" in fact accept Him: His gift of eternal life after His second coming and judgment. This life is different from the life we have today, because it's eternal (supported in John 3:16, Titus 1:2, etc...) and it's righteous (or without sin: since God would absolutely, and definitely destroy sin once and for all after Judgment Day: as found in Revelation 20:14-15).
Yes, today death is a sleep. And each and every individual alive "today", that "had" been alive in history, or still "soon" to be alive in the near future (according to time's uncertainty and unknown characteristics: according to its definition) are recorded in detail (according to their will/choices during their duration of time/life here on earth) into the Book of Probation; therefore, the outcome of their choices within this duration of time/life "will be" their end-deliverable or result on Judgment Day (after the Second coming). But the death tomorrow is final, real and eternal (the second death). As described in Revelation 20:14-15 "Then Death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire”. Resurrection on the other hand, is the life after death, or represents “life” after death. Physically Jesus Christ awoke Lazarus from the dead because He is God, The Creator, and has the key to life and death. Secondly, He Himself resurrected from death and ascended to heaven which proves that “there will” be a resurrection following Jesus Christ’s second coming. Thus illuminating the gift of eternal life which He Himself had promised (while here on earth: has found in John 3:16). Therefore, death is the wages/result of sin, and righteousness is the wages/result of life. God is righteousness and satan is evil. Whoever (mankind/humanity) chooses God’s side within his/her duration of time/life here on earth chooses life, eternal life. And whoever chooses satan’s side within his/her duration of time/life here on earth chooses death. Therefore, the power of choice rests upon each and every individual (human being) that have been here on earth since the “Fall of Man” or when sin begin here on earth for humanity.
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