On the African
soil we have so many ways in which people conduct funerals. It is also evident
that some countries outside Africa have a unique way in which they conduct
funerals. In recent years I have observed that some African countries are
slowly conforming to the western culture of handling funerals. Nevertheless,
there is one phrase that I keep hearing and seeing from people in Africa and
from those in the other parts of the world when people lose a loved one. Sometimes
I wonder why someone would make such a statement. Maybe its failure to
understand what death really is.
Before I can
state this most abused phrase during these emotional moments, let me try and
unpack the meaning and definition of death. Death is the separation of the soul
from the body. One example I can give to support this definition is the death
of Christ. Remember when Jesus was dying? The Bible says in John 19:30 that “When
Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his
head and gave up his spirit.” So you notice that Jesus died and gave up his
spirit. In other words, his body was separated from his spirit when he died. I
could site many other passages but that verse should do for now. Not only is
death separation of the soul from the body but it is also separation of man
from God. Remember when Adam sinned against God? He was at that time separated
from God. Sin separated him from God.
The other
thing I must mention before stating one of the most tortured phrases is the destiny of those
who have died. It is clear from the Scriptures that when people die without
having repented of their sins in faith towards Christ then their destination is
hell. Hell is the place where they will spend eternity. A good example for this
is the story of Lazarus and the Rich man. I am sure you know that story well.
Lazarus ends up in Abraham’s bosom while the rich man ends up in the place of
torment, a picture of hell. Why will such people end up in hell? Because they are
Adam’s descendants and Adam, remember, died (was separated from God) because of
sin. And in the story of Lazarus and the
rich man we have a good picture of someone who is separated from God. Each one
of us is Adam’s descendant and we are destined to die and go to hell if we are
not saved through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
So here is
my question now. If what I have said above is true and makes sense then why do
people say, “May his soul rest in eternal peace,” during a funeral, when they
do not even know whether that person was saved? This is abusing the phrase. In
fact it is torturing the phrase. How can someone who lived in sin, cursed
God and denied the Lord Jesus Christ even to his death ever rest in eternal
peace? How? For all I know as the Bible says is that, “There is no rest, says
the LORD, for the wicked” Isaiah 48:22. Could this be an African phrase or
something from the western culture or Europe? Or is it just some people trying
to be kind?
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