Metaphysical meaning of death (rw)
death--Physical dissolution of the body; the outer symbol of mental negation or spiritual inertia. As commonly interpreted, death is the absence of life in the body. Death is caused by man's failure to comply fully with God's law. It is the result of sin and has no uplifting power. A falling short of the law of life is sin. Sin causes discord in mind, which produces a separation between spirit and body. Through believing in error and dissipating the life substance, the mind loses hold of its consciousness of life and enters into negation, and dissolution takes place. The result is death of the body temple. "The wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life" (Rom. 6:23).
If, through the power of our thought and word, we affirm the opposite of life and talk about the absence of life, we rob the body cells of their natural element. This treatment will eventually bring death to the organism. Let us not say, "I am tired"; "I am weak"; "I am sick." Rather, let us say, "I am strong"; "I am well"; "I am alive with the life of God now and forevermore."
death, an enemy of man--Death is not a friend but an enemy and must be overcome. Death does not change man and bring him into the resurrection and eternal life. Death has no place in the Absolute.
In the world today there is an active effort to exalt death and to delude men into believing that death is the way to eternal life in heaven. Such a thought is opposed to the teachings of Jesus, because Jesus came to deliver the human race from death and to fulfill in man God's perfect will: abundant life. Jesus made no mention of resurrection after death as having any part in the new birth. The new birth is a change that comes here and now. It has to do with the present man, that he may become conscious of Christ within himself. Those who are guided by the Spirit of truth understand the life teaching and are not led astray by any philosophy that makes death and the grave necessary factors in spiritual growth.
death, a sleep--Death is but a prolonged sleep, the result of thought inharmony so great that the body cannot stand the strain and collapses. Then, instead of being in a body when he awakes, man finds that he is in the realm of thought without a vehicle adequate to his full expression, and he is forced by divine law again to build an organism.
death, first and second--The first death is the death of the light and life of Spirit in man's consciousness. The second death is a cessation of vital force and action in the body. It occurs when the mind completely loses control of the body. The functional activities cease, and the physical organism dissolves.
death, how to overcome--The Christ man goes through the various centers of the body and rebuilds them with his word. The abiding consciousness of life fills every cell of the body with its quickening energy, and the body becomes immortal.
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