“Until death do us part” is a common part of many wedding vows. It is a promise to never separate before death.

But here I’ll also use it to describe when our own death parts us from this world. Recently there were two deaths in our family. So it’s a sad time for me and my wife to have two family members who recently died. The older family member died from old-age lung issues complicated by a fall. The death was sudden, but it was expected sooner rather than later. The other, a young family member, was shot to death in the home by two robbers. Suddenly, unexpectedly, and “before his time”.

My own father died from complications of cancer side-effects from drugs taken to combat his MS. That was many years ago and he died the day after I introduced him to my fiancee. It was an emotional period in my life to be faced by parental death and betrothment.

The marriage vow, “until death do us part”, is derived from the Bible’s command to stay married until death.

Romans 7:2 “For a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of the marriage.” (NET)

My father died many years ago, and now my wife and I are growing old together. We will stay married to each other “until death do us part”. Growing old is never fun, but it teaches us to become more and more patient. It also teaches us humility and dependence on God for all things, whatever may come.

But, what about if we are not married? What happens then? My wife’s cousin had a girlfriend, but he was shot to death by two robbers. He had a whole life ahead of him, but it was stolen from him. His death parts him from life on this world, but he is now forevermore with God. My brother-in-law died from complications of old-age, he outlived most of his own family, his wife, and two of three children, and is now parted from this world. But, he is forevermore with God.

Does parting from this world matters? Yes, there are only two places where your eternal soul can go. It’s important that you die while  believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Otherwise you will eternally suffer the so-called “Second Death” which is a “lake of burning sulfur”.

Revelation 21:8 “But those who are cowards, those who refuse to believe, those who do terrible things, those who kill, those who sin sexually, those who do evil magic, those who worship idols, and those who tell lies-they will all have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (ERV)

There was a time in my life when I was an atheist and did not believe in any “second death”. When we died, that was it, kaput, the end, “capisce”? It was only through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, through Heavenly grace, that my eyes were opened to see God’s glory in our fallen world, and my eternal soul within. My own make-believe world of self-imposed logic crumbled under the weight of God’s sovereignty and holiness. I realized I was His creature and belonged to Him. He is a jealous God who loves His creation and wants us all to believe in Him and His son Jesus. We who believe belong to Jesus and we are, collectively, His “bride” now and forevermore. If you do not believe in Jesus, I urge you to do so before death parts you from this world, and from God.