Understanding Death

Let's examine a few things about death: the angel of death, a bad death versus a good death, the resurrection of the dead and the death of death.

The Angel Of Death

The angel of death is a force that kills. It kills indiscriminately; however, what it kills makes all the difference:

• If the angel of death kills our internal quality of bestowal, then it's a bad thing because it means we're becoming immersed in selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) and we're becoming separated from God in quality. This is where we are today, immersed in selfishness and separated from God.
• If the angel of death kills our internal quality of selfishness, then it's a good thing because it means we're attaining the quality of bestowal (seeking to benefit others) and we're returning to God in quality. Today, we have to attain bestowal and we have to return to God in quality.

Each time we draw nearer to God in quality (or further away), our state changes. One state cancels (kills) a previous state. Two states don't exist together.

For example, a 20 year old - cancels (kills) his previous 10 year old self (state). His 10 year old self no longer exists, it's replaced by his 20 year old state.

A Bad Death Versus A Good Death

The two types of death - the death of bestowal and the death of selfishness - are both mentioned in The Bible and The Quran.

The Bible and The Quran also mention the various states we go through as we become increasing separated or similar to God in quality.

One has to understand the context in order to understand which death is being reference.

• The Death of Bestowal - A Bad Death:
• The death of bestowal is considered a bad death because when our internal quality of bestowal dies, we become immersed in selfishness and we become separated from God in quality.
• Here are examples from The Bible and The Quran:
• God said, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17, NKJV)
• "For in death there is no remembrance of You ..." (Psalms 6:5, NKJV)
• "Adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand." (Psalms 88:5, NKJV)
• "Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah ..." (Quran 2:161, Sahih) 
• The Death of Selfishness - A Good Death:
• The death of selfishness is considered a good death because when our internal quality of selfishness dies, we attain the quality of bestowal and we return to God in quality.
• Here are examples from The Bible and The Quran:
• "Every soul will taste death." (Quran 21:35, Sahih)
• Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25, NKJV)
• "And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." (Quran 2:154, Sahih)
• "... kill the polytheists (meaning the quality of selfishness) wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent (meaning return to bestowal), establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way." (Quran 9:5, Sahih)

The Resurrection Of The Dead

The Bible and The Quran also talk about the resurrection of the dead. The quality of selfishness (seeking to benefit oneself) is considered dead, and the quality of bestowal (seeking to benefit others) is considered alive.

When our internal qualities change from selfishness to bestowal, the dead shall live, the dead shall be resurrected to life. As it is written:

• "Your dead shall live ..." (Isaiah 26:19, NKJV)
• "But the dead - Allah will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned." (Quran 6:36, Sahih)

The Death Of Death (The Death of Selfishness)

When our internal qualities change from selfishness to bestowal, the quality of selfishness shall cease to exist, it will be completely cut off, wiped out and we'll attain 100% bestowal. As it is written"

• "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Revelations 21:4, NKJV)
• "...in the generation following let their name be blotted out ... That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth ..." (Psalms 109:13,15, NKJV)
• " ... and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more." (Psalms 37:10, NKJV)

We've looked at the angel of death, a good death compared to a bad death, the resurrection of the dead and the death of death.

Do not be afraid, The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is with us and to Him we shall all return.

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

A Prayer for The Resurrection of The Dead

You are God, The One True God
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
The Living God, The Infinite God
 
We pray for ourselves
   because we are immersed in the quality of selfishness
In this state we are dead
   because we are disconnected from You and from each other
   seeking only to benefit ourselves
 
We pray for our resurrection
   the resurrection of the dead
That we may exit the quality of selfishness called 'death'
   and be raised from the dead
Bring us back to 'life', to the quality of love of others
That we may seek to benefit others instead of ourselves
And become connected with You and with each other

We want to return to You
Which means we have to change our inner qualities
By changing our inner qualities we return to you in quality
You are love and Your Kingdom is the quality of love of others
Raise us from the dead and bring us back to life
Change our inner qualities from selfishness to love of others

Copyright  © 2013, Carter Kagume. All rights reserved.

Life, Death, Resurrection and Being Born Again

The Bible and the Quran speak about two families: the family of selfishness (seeking to benefit oneself), governed by the devil; and the family of love of others (seeking to benefit others), governed by God.

Both the Bible and the Quran talk about how we will change our qualities from selfishness to love of others:

1. The quality of selfishness will DIE and the quality of love of others will LIVE

2. When our quality changes from selfishness (death) to love of others (life), this is considered the RESURRECTION of the dead because the dead quality of selfishness will rise to life and be in the quality of love of others

3. We will be BORN AGAIN, out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others

è   è   è   We Develop from Selfishness to Love of Others   è   è   è
Family of Selfishness	Family of Love of Others
•       Seeking to benefit oneself •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc	•       Seeking to benefit others •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc
•       Father is the devil •       Kingdom of this world	•       Father is God •       Kingdom of God
•       Born of the flesh •       Death	•       Born of the Spirit •       Life
"And the disbeliever says, "When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?" (Quran 19:66, Sahih) Meaning when I am in the quality of selfishness (dead) will I be brought back to life in the quality of love of others? Answer: YES   "Thus does Allah bring the dead to life..." (Quran 2:73, Sahih) Meaning God will change our quality from selfishness to love of others   "He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned." (Quran 10:56, Sahih) Meaning God causes the quality of selfishness to die and causes the quality of love of others to live and we will be returned to God's Family   "13. Then you shall know that I am the Lord (YHVH), when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live..." (Ezekiel 37:13-14, NKJV) Meaning we will leave the quality of selfishness (the grave) and enter into the quality of love of others (life)   "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction!" (Hosea 13:14, NKJV) Meaning we will leave the quality of selfishness	"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. " (John 3:3, NKJV) Meaning you have to be born out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others   "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6, NKJV) Meaning our internal quality (spirit) will change from selfishness to love of others   "... the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21, NKJV) Meaning our internal qualities determine which kingdom we belong to. If we're in the quality of selfishness we belong to the kingdom of this world, if we're in the quality of love of others we belong to the kingdom of God.   "O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." (Psalm 30:3, NKJV) Meaning God has brought me out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others   "He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection ..." (Quran 6:12, Sahih) Meaning we will be resurrected from the quality of selfishness (death) into the quality of love of others (life)
Copyright © 2013 , Carter Kagume. May be used for research purposes only. May not be used for any commercial purposes.

Resurrection

Raise me from the dead,
       from selfishness and the love for myself

Bring me back to life,
       to Godliness and the love for others

Fill me with righteousness and holiness,
       the riches and treasures of heaven

Bestow upon me Your full bounty,
       so I may be a citizen of the Kingdom of God

Give me Your every provision,
       so that I may know You

Open Your gates and bring me to life,
       for I am returning to You


Copyright © 2013 , Carter Kagume. May be used for research purposes only. May not be used for any commercial purposes.