在拒絕談論死亡的文化中思考關於死亡的3件事3THINGS TO THINK ABOUT DEATH IN A CULTURE THAT REFUSES TO TALK ABOUT IT
作者: Nicholas Davis 譯者: Maria Marta
在我們的文化-----時期，我們忌諱思考死亡。我記不起上次開車路過墓地是什麽時候。這就很能說明問題了。
環顧四周，商場、劇院、商業、星巴克------所有這些人生路上的指示牌無處不在，什麽？死亡？不，讓我們不要談論。
我們甚至決定將死亡一詞從日常會話中剔除出去。如弗雷過世了，他不是「死亡」。我們害怕說出「死亡」。但死亡正在迫近，隨時降臨於我們所有人。
關於死亡有三件事要思考。
1. 死亡糟透了
我們在慶祝生日時完全忽略了死亡，但人會死是事實。 死亡糟透了，沒有什麽可談論的。 拉撒路死時，耶穌也哭了（約十一35）。 死亡是我們最大的敵人 ------是我們今生要面對的最後一個敵人。 但我們既不應設法擡舉死亡（藉著慶祝），也不應將死亡從頭腦中去除（好像它不存在似的）。
跨越死亡的唯一途徑是勝過死亡，我們能夠戰勝死亡的唯一途徑是藉著信靠耶穌復活的事實。 耶穌被釘死在十架上，第三天從死裏復活，戰勝了死亡，有一天祂會再來，死亡將完全永遠的被摧毀。 死亡將會消亡。
2. 你會死去。
你和所有你所認識的人都將死去。 這不是假如，而是什麽時候。這是一個必須接受的殘酷事實，一個悲哀的現實。你死亡的現實應該影響你如何度過你現在的時光，而不是屈服、絕望，或對生命無休止的悲觀失望。
我不是說我們應該「吃喝玩樂，因為明天我們會死去！」 相反，因為時間稍縱即逝，我們應該好好把握每一刻 ------享受和感恩。知道事實應有助於我們分清我們的優先順序，從而明智善用我們的時間-------因為「要愛惜光陰，因為現今的世代邪惡」。（弗五16）。
3. 因此，好好地死去。
現在作好準備是好好地死去的良方。即使身處在和平時期，我們的軍隊也在為戰鬥作準備；因此，無論「D日」何時到來，我們也必須訓練和作好準備。
我們不知道死亡何時發生，但我們知道一定會發生。所以為了好好地死去，我們必須好好地活著。要作一個定期和忠心傳講福音的教會的成員，因為我們死時得著的唯一安慰，能够藉著耶穌基督的工作，在耶穌基督裏找到。
唯獨藉著信心，唯獨在基督裏，我們知道死亡將會消亡，因此每一天我們都當為榮耀上帝而活。
3
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT DEATH IN A CULTURE THAT REFUSES TO TALK ABOUT IT
Nicholas Davis
We
don’t like to think about death in our culture—period. I can’t remember the
last time I drove by a graveyard. That’s pretty telling.
Shopping
malls, theaters, businesses, Starbucks—check. All of these signposts of life
are present everywhere—but death? Nah, let’s not talk about that.
We’ve
even decided to do away with death in our everyday speech. Fred passed away. He
didn’t die. We’re even afraid of uttering the word death. But death is coming
to us all.
So
here are three things to think about death.
1.
Death sucks.
This
is completely overlooked in our celebration of life ceremonies, but it’s the
truth. Death sucks. There is nothing pretty about it. When Lazarus died, even
Jesus wept (John 11:35). Death is our greatest enemy—it is the last enemy that
we will face in this life. So we should not try to dignify death (by
celebrating it), and we should not dismiss death (by acting like it doesn’t
exist).
The
only way to move beyond death is to defeat death—and the only way to do that is
through the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus crushed death on the cross, and will
one day destroy death forever. Death will die, too.
2.
You are going to die.
You,
and everyone that you know, will die. It’s not if, but when. This is a tough
pill to swallow, but it is a sad reality. Instead of giving in to despair or
endless pessimism about life, the reality of your own death should affect how
you spend your time now.
I
don’t mean that we should “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!”
Rather, we should spend each moment well—with enjoyment and
thanksgiving—because time is fleeting. Knowing this fact should help us get our
priorities straight and spend our time wisely—for “the days are evil” (Eph.
5:16).
3.
So, die well.
The
best way to die well is to prepare for it now. Our military prepares for battle
even when we are at peace; so also do we need to train and get ready for
whenever “D-Day” comes.
We don’t
know when it will happen—but we know it will happen. So in order to die well,
we need to live well. Become a member of a church where the gospel is preached
regularly and faithfully—because our only comfort at the time of death is found
in and through the work of Jesus Christ.
Live
each day to the glory of God, knowing that through faith alone in Christ alone
death will die.