Colossians 2:10-13 — And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

I suppose it’s natural that, as I get older, thoughts of death come naturally to mind. Today though, the perspective is a bright one. Before church this morning I heard of two deaths — one expected, one not. But then in the service I saw four new believers baptized and heard of a new birth. All these things brought to mind a passage in the Anglican funeral service, “In the midst of life we be in death: of whom may we seek for succor but of thee, O Lord, which for our sins justly art displeased. Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful savior, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.” It’s not actually a Biblical text, but it states an undeniable truth — wherever there is life there is death too. That truth, though, reminded me of another, a very Biblical truth. In the midst of death, we are in life!
This passage in Colossians is one of many that illustrate my point. Every one of us is born, lives and dies. There are deaths — but there are births. There is more than that — there is the escape clause. We are condemned to eternal death by our sins, but when we identify ourselves with Christ in baptism, God raises us with Him to eternal life. God wipes away all record of our sin, nailing that sin to the cross. It is an amazing mysterious truth — but it is true.
Sometimes I think we avoid looking at the hard truths. Suffering is real. Sin is real. There is poverty and disease — and for all our best efforts, they are not going away. Death is a fact of life. I don’t think we avoid the great truths — but sometimes we miss them. Heaven is real. Salvation is available. Life is a fact of life … if we choose to make it so. It’s true.