There are two general categories of departure for the human soul. One is the departure of the soul of the believer. The other is the departure of the soul of the unbeliever.
Prior to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the departed souls of believers descended to the Paradise section of Hades. The Paradise of Hades is described as being a place of conscious comfort (Luke 16: 5). The departed souls of unbelievers descended to the Torment section of Hades. The Torments of Hades of described as being a place of conscious, continuous torment and suffering (Luke 16:24).
It was to the Paradise of Hades that the soul of the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the soul of the repentant thief who was crucified next to our Lord descended (Luke 23: 43). As of our Lord's resurrection, there are no longer ANY souls in the Paradise Section of Hades. All the departed souls that had been there have gone to the 3rd Heaven (2Cor. 12: 2), as did the Lord when He ascended in His resurrected body (Acts 1:11).
As of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, all departing souls of believers go to the 3rd Heaven, receive interim bodies in which they indwell until the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 15-17) takes place. The souls of unbelievers, however, continue to gather in the Torments of Hades until the judgment day of the unbelievers takes place (Rev. 20: 13, 15).
These sections (Torments/Paradise) of Hades must be distinguished from the other sections of Hades (Tatarus/Abyss) that are there to serve other purposes that have got nothing directly to do with departed human souls.
Hades, as a whole, must also be distinguished from the lake of fire, the final and eternal destination for all the human souls of unbelievers, the devil, and his Ephesians 6: 12 forces of evil. There will come future times when ALL the sections of Hades will be emptied. ALL of different residents of Hades will be judged and tossed into the lake of fire (Rev. 20).
Prior to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the departed souls of believers descended to the Paradise section of Hades. The Paradise of Hades is described as being a place of conscious comfort (Luke 16: 5). The departed souls of unbelievers descended to the Torment section of Hades. The Torments of Hades of described as being a place of conscious, continuous torment and suffering (Luke 16:24).
It was to the Paradise of Hades that the soul of the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the soul of the repentant thief who was crucified next to our Lord descended (Luke 23: 43). As of our Lord's resurrection, there are no longer ANY souls in the Paradise Section of Hades. All the departed souls that had been there have gone to the 3rd Heaven (2Cor. 12: 2), as did the Lord when He ascended in His resurrected body (Acts 1:11).
As of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, all departing souls of believers go to the 3rd Heaven, receive interim bodies in which they indwell until the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 15-17) takes place. The souls of unbelievers, however, continue to gather in the Torments of Hades until the judgment day of the unbelievers takes place (Rev. 20: 13, 15).
These sections (Torments/Paradise) of Hades must be distinguished from the other sections of Hades (Tatarus/Abyss) that are there to serve other purposes that have got nothing directly to do with departed human souls.
Hades, as a whole, must also be distinguished from the lake of fire, the final and eternal destination for all the human souls of unbelievers, the devil, and his Ephesians 6: 12 forces of evil. There will come future times when ALL the sections of Hades will be emptied. ALL of different residents of Hades will be judged and tossed into the lake of fire (Rev. 20).
The focus of this article, however is not on where the soul goes AFTER its departure, but why it is that some souls, both of believers and unbelievers, depart under relatively favorable circumstances, whereas others only do so after being subjected to horrific conditions or environments.
The day, the time, and the location of when and where our soul that God (NOT our parents) created (John 3: 6b) and placed it into the body that our biological parents reproduced (John 3: 6a), will depart in accordance with what God has decreed. Such events are exclusively in the hands (control) of God (Psalms 31:15) The God who created our soul, knew all about the gender, the race, the socio-economic environment, the political environment, the geographical location, the physical capabilities and/or disabilities that specific human body that HE chose to place us in at birth, and what (if any) changes there would be in the course of our time here on Earth. The freedom and opportunities that such things generate increase our responsibility and accountability (Romans 14: 10).
The body that God chose to place us in may not always provide us with all that WE would have wanted to accomplish, but it is the perfect one for which God's purposes can be fulfilled. The free will that God gave us allows us to make many choices, but the time of our arrival and the time of our departure is in the hands of God.
"My (arrival/departure) times are in your hand.....(Psalms 31: 15 NASN/parenthesis mine)."
Even an attempted suicide or homicide will not succeed unless God permits it to take place. There is NOTHING, either planned or of an accidental nature, that can happen anywhere or at any time that the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God is not aware of and cannot intervene IF He chooses to do so. The "untimely", as human viewpoint would view untimeliness to be, of a loved one will be used of the Satan to drive a wedge in the fellowship[ between God and those left behind if those left behind do not have the Biblical perspective about this subject.
The departure of the believer's soul is, "...precious in the sight of God (Psalms 116: 15 NASB)". On the other hand, there is no greater loss than the departure of an unbelieving soul, in light of where he/she has gone!
Most believers can comprehend the going Home part to "precious", but how does that square with all that can be involved in the process of dying and/or the experience and circumstances of one's departure. Even among BELIEVERS, the mental attitude experienced and exhibited by those in the final stages of life here on Earth can be greatly different. It is ONLY the spiritually mature disciple who CHOSE to "c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e in My Word (John 8: 31)" throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life that will experience the "peace that surpasses all (human ) comprehension (Phil. 4: 7 NASB/parenthesis mine), if the plan of calls for a long process of dying, or horrific circumstances.
Only a spiritually mature believer with the enabling (John 15: 5) power of God can comply with the Phil. 2: 14 COMMANDMENT to, "... do ALL things without grumbling and disputing (Phil. 2: 14 NASB)", and bring the maximum glory to God in the process.
All believers are equally saved, but to experience this type of "peace" here on Earth in times of challenging circumstances, one must choose to have prepared him/herself (Matthew 7: 24-27) ahead of time, by having growth in the grace and knowledge of God (2Pet. 3: 18).
In the secular armed forces, the most difficult and critical missions are assigned to "special forces" of one kind or another, as the requirements of such missions are beyond the training and capability of the rank and file of the ordinary soldiers. The same applies to the combatants of the spiritual warfare (Eph. 6: 12), as God will assign the most difficult missions and battles to the most spiritually mature believers.
When trying circumstances of one's dying or death allow for it, one's verbal and non-verbal testimony is among the most revealing concerning what one actually believes. Accordingly, the verbal and non-verbal testimony of one's final chapter here on Earth it is one that can be a powerful tool in the hand of God or in the hand of the devil.
As is any other phase of one's post salvation spiritual life, the devil and his Ephesians 6: 17 forces of evil, as well as our own self-centered fallen nature, will have us focus on the here and now instead of all that is about to take place in the spiritual realm. Focusing in on what lay ahead for the believing soul can go a long way in shouting down the voice of the devil, his agents, and our own self-centered fallen nature.
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart (mind) of Man,
all that God has prepared for those who love Him (1Cor. 2:9/Isa. 64:4 NASB/parenthesis mine)."
Let's take a look at the final hours that set the stage for the departure of the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly, if anyone "earned or deserved" a pleasant departure, it was He. Yet, His departure anything but pleasant.
Knowing what lay ahead, He prayed so intensely to God the Father that He had bloody sweat (Luke 22: 44). The medical term for this rare, but documented condition is hematohidrosis. Hematohidrosis is brought on from extreme stress that results in the rpturing of blood vessels in the area of the sweat glands. Very few people can truly claim to have prayed with such intensity that their body responded in this manner.
He asked that if there might be another way than the cross for Him to accomplish the goal of providing salvation for a lost world, but the self-determined answer to this prayer was, "No!". I believe that it was not the physical agony of the cross that our Lord dreaded the most, but it was the last three hours on the cross that He was to be separated from fellowship with God the Father, as the sins of all Mankind was placed on His Humanity.
Does this mean that we are NOT to make prayers for self and others to have the best possible, as huan viewpoint would define "best,"experience during the process of death? What I believe to be the appropriate prayer under such circumstances is to pray for success in carrying out God's plan for the individual (including self) involved, knowing that for many, this will be the most impacting testimony that one many ever have to offer.
Such a prayer, however, can not come from the heart if the one involved has never reached that stage of spiritual maturity BEFORE the onset of circumstances that would call for it. This principle is found in Matt. 7: 24-27 and John 8: 31, 32. The majority of believers will NEVER reach this stage of spiritual maturity. All believers are forever and equally saved, but the confidence and freedom from anxiety that John 8: 31, 32 speaks of wil only be an eathly experience for those who have continued in the Word, making it their lifestyle and top priority.
When I was diagnosed with stage three cancer, many fellow believers prayed for a healing. I thank the for their concern, but I did not join them is such praying. What I did pray for was the wisdom and the courage to apply the appropriate doctrines that I already had (Matt. 7: 24-27), and to make use of the (John 15:5) power that God had a-l-r-e-a-d-y given to me (and any other bekiever). Long before I received the compete diagnosis, I chose to leave the outcome totally in the hands of God.
In doing so, I knew that I would glorify God, no atter what the final outcome would be. The more one advances in the spiritual life, the more that the glorification of God becomes the "bottom line" in all that chooses to do or not to do. I have now been cancer-free for more than ten years. While I would not wish such a trial on anyone, I can tell you that it provided with the experience of putting into action all that I had come to believe, and has prepared me for whatever my earthly departure may finally involve.
It is my belief that no one leaves this world one second before God's direct or permissive will establishes or allows. On one hand, I believe that a spiritually mature disciple should have NO desire to leave this world until he/she has completed all of the work that God has for him/her to do, but on the other hand, should NOT desire to remain here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6) one second longer than what is necessary to complete the work that God has given him/her to do.
Sad to say, many believers never do identify the specific spiritual gift and ministry that God has in mind for him/her (1Cor. 12: 6, 11, and 18).
There is nothing wrong with enjoying all the legitimate things that the human experience can offer, but there is something wrong in one's spiritual life when he/she cannot let go when the time comes. As a result, his/her focus is on all that is coming to and end, rather than what is going to continue on and take place during all of eternity future.
In the closing hours of HIs time here in the flesh, our Lord was betrayed by one "friend (Matthew 26: 50)", denied even being known by another (Matt. 26: 69-75), and abandoned by all of His closest followers (Matt 26: 56). He was falsely convicted of blasphemy by the religious authority of His day (Matt. 26: 65. 66), and falsely condemned and sentenced to die a horrific death by the very secular authority that previously had found no guilt in Him (Luke 23: 4/John 19:6).
He was spit upon, severely beaten beyond human form (Isa. 52:14), beard plucked, scourged, had a crown of thorns pressed down into His scalp, and eventually crucified for six hours (John 19: 14-Luke 23: 44), before He dismissed His Spirit (Luke 23: 46). In all of His physical and spiritual agony, the only response He made concerning His tormentors, was that He prayed for their forgiveness, for they (His tormentors) did not know what they were doing. They (His tormentors) were unwittingly accomplishing the plan of God, fulfilling in detail, many of the messianic prophecies. Note that NOTHING that was done to Him resulted in the timing of His death, as it did not take place until HE dismissed His spirit, placing it in the hands of God the Father (John 19: 30).
Scripture (Isa. 53:10) teach that God (The Father) was "pleased" to put the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ through all that He endured leading up to and while on the cross. God (The Father) was not pleased in the sense that He enjoyed what was taking place, but was "pleased" by all that it accomplished. Likewise, when we suffer in any manner in order to fulfill OUR part in the plan of God, God does not enjoy seeing any one of His children suffering in any form, but IS pleased with what it accomplishes.
It is often said that we are the ones that should be crucified, but the truth is that such a personal sacrifice would NOT save us, as not one of us would have qualified as an acceptable sacrifice for self or others, as did the Lamb of God (John 1:29 ). The concept that we, by ANY means, can take part in atoning for our sin via good deeds or prayers of penance is not only false doctrine and practice, but amounts to blasphemy. Good deeds can serve as evidence to confirm what has ALREADY taken place in the spiritual realm, but are NEVER the means to secure, retain, or maintain salvation.
Crucifixion was one of the prescribed manners of execution of that day, and it was reserved for the "worst" of criminals. Roman citizens, for instance, could be be-headed, but were spared crucifixion. Death by crucifixion could take days, and the breaking of the legs to expedite the process was scene as act of mercy.
Next, take a look at the various ways that many of the earliest martyrs were executed for taking a stand for the faith. Some were burned at the stake, others were crucified, be-headed, stoned, sawn in two, fed to starved animals, etc., etc. etc..
God loved the whole world (John 3: 16), but the love of God did/does not prevent these persons from enduring rather horrific earthly departures, nor will it prevent God from tossing the souls of unbelievers into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15). One cannot take one attribute (love) of God and disregard others (justice).
This is one of the great errors of human thinking who contend that a God of love cannot or will not send a human soul to "Hell", or at least not provide the means for after (physical) death atonement and salvation. "Religion has come up with a few ideas,The Bible offers no such hope.
There ARE false doctrines and practices WITHIN various sectors of the Christian Community that support this idea. But according to a correct interpretation of Scripture, there is NOTHING that ANYONE can do (or have done) to alter the destiny of his/her soul, or the soul of anyone else, once the soul has departed the body at the moment of physical death. This includes all that takes place during post modem activities and arrangements here on Earth. There are benefits that such arrangements can offer to the ones left behind, but such things do NOTHING for the soul that has ALREADY departed and has ALREADY gone on to ONE of two locations and environments.
Whatever (if any) arrangements made for bodily remains of a believer has got nothing to do with God's ability to raise it up again when the Rapture takes place (1Thess. 4: 16). In the meantime, there is NOT one soul in ANY morgue, casket, urn, or cemetery, only the decaying (Gen. 3:19) bodily remains. Being the last place of visual contact or association, the grave is traditionally visited by those left behind, but the truth is that NO ONE is there. As of the Church Age, the soul that DID (past tense) indwell the bodily remains present in the grave has gone on to either the 3rd Heaven if he/she was "born again John 3: 5,7)" , or had gone on to the Torments of Hades with nothing to look forward to other than the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15). This is strong language, but there is NO other issue that needs to be addressed here on Earth.
If the devil has you questioning the love of God, review again the extreme that He went though by taking on the form of Humanity at the First Advent, knowing what laid in store for Him. Keep in mind that although the physical pain and agony of crucifixion is more than what most human beings could ever endure, His greatest suffering on the cross was what could NOT be seen, His greatest agony was when God the Father placed the sin debt of the whole world on Him. This form of suffering is unique and more than we are able to comprehend.
Other than physical trauma, accidentally or intentionally imposed, or a physical defect in the humanity that our parents produced, GOD the aging process has been means that sets the stage for the departure of the soul from the body. This was clearly endorsed by God who, after expelling Man out of the Garden of Eden, denied (Gen. 3: 24) Man access to the tree of life that could have otherwise allowed man to live on in the natural body indefinitely (Gen. 3: 22). Rather or not anyone of us will die (physically) as the result of trauma, genetic predisposition, or from conditions associated with the aging process is dependent on the individual plan that God has decreed for each one of us, and for HIS purpose(s). We did not ask to be born, and God will consult us as to how, when, or under what circumstances we will depart our bodies. The ONLY thing we know is that each day we wake up here on Earth, we are day closer to the day we won't.
Physical death CAN be the result (Acts 5/1Cor. 11:) of divine discipline (Hebrews 12: 6), but the aging process is has nothing to do with any personal sin. It is a process that has been handed down to the generations of Man ever since the Fall of Man and his denial of access to the tree of life.
As far as trauma goes, individuals and groups of individuals has been killing each other in criminal activity and warfare as far back as recorded history, beginning with the murder of Abel. Fatal accidents of all kinds result in the death every day. Such things happen to good and evil people alike, but ALWAYS with a DIVINE purpose in the mind of God who has the final say in everything that takes place here on Earth.
God did not design Man to float for long distances, to fly, or to travel at great speeds. Much of what Man engineers or has discovered has improved his natural and environmental conditions, but there is always a price to be paid by some for the "progress" that Man achieves. There isn't any thing or any activity here on Earth that doesn't present a potential of illness, injury, or even death. There will always be those who would take the same engineering concepts and discoveries and use them for evil.
Long before Man was created, there was and continues to be a conflict between spiritual beings who indwell the physical creation. Man was born into the midst of it, for the primary purpose of glorifying God in the midst of it.
Nothing happens or will be prevented from happening that has not first passed through the filters of God's direct and/or permissive, or the opportunity for the His of over-ruling will to intercede. Accordingly, we may never know what events and activities we have and will encounter that are the direct result of our participation in the spiritual combat that takes place all around us, and what events come our way as a result of simply living in the times and age that God has chosen to place us. What we do (or should) know is that IF and WHEN we are living according to His plan, that, "...God causes ALL things (regardless of the source or motivation) to work together for (ultimate) good to those who love God, to those who are called (and fulfill) His purposes (Rom 8: 28 NASB parenthesis mine)." Among these " ALL things" are the circumstances and timing of the Earthly departure of any one of us.
What impact the intentional or accidental trauma, illness, that takes place around us every day will have on any one us an individual is the hand of God. Without a doubt, it is the ones who advance in the spiritual life that become the greater and more frequent targets of attacks from the devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. Events and activities that can result in trauma, illness, and physical death are certainly among the weapons of the devil's arsenal.
In closing, for the majority of believers, the Biblical answer to this question is not an "easy pill to swallow" if the plan of God calls for what human viewp0int would consider a tough cross to bear regarding any one believer's departing circumstances. Death and/or the process of dying might hit us on the blind side, never seeing it coming. Death, and/or the process of dying may be brief or a long and drawn out process with varying degrees of physical pain and suffering. One's departure may not even include physical death, if any one of us turns out to among those who are destined to be among the believers who are alive when the Rapture take place. Whatever it turns out to be, it IS the manifestation of God's direct, permissive, or overruling will.
The "Why?" part of this question is simply that God has determined it to be so. IF it turns out to be relatively easy to go through the plan of departure that God has for you, consider it blessing. If one's experience turns out to be more challenging than others, consider that the greater the challenge, the greater the glory that you can bring to God. For those who find this hard to swallow, I remind you of the rhetorical question that Job raised, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?
The day, the time, and the location of when and where our soul that God (NOT our parents) created (John 3: 6b) and placed it into the body that our biological parents reproduced (John 3: 6a), will depart in accordance with what God has decreed. Such events are exclusively in the hands (control) of God (Psalms 31:15) The God who created our soul, knew all about the gender, the race, the socio-economic environment, the political environment, the geographical location, the physical capabilities and/or disabilities that specific human body that HE chose to place us in at birth, and what (if any) changes there would be in the course of our time here on Earth. The freedom and opportunities that such things generate increase our responsibility and accountability (Romans 14: 10).
The body that God chose to place us in may not always provide us with all that WE would have wanted to accomplish, but it is the perfect one for which God's purposes can be fulfilled. The free will that God gave us allows us to make many choices, but the time of our arrival and the time of our departure is in the hands of God.
"My (arrival/departure) times are in your hand.....(Psalms 31: 15 NASN/parenthesis mine)."
Even an attempted suicide or homicide will not succeed unless God permits it to take place. There is NOTHING, either planned or of an accidental nature, that can happen anywhere or at any time that the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God is not aware of and cannot intervene IF He chooses to do so. The "untimely", as human viewpoint would view untimeliness to be, of a loved one will be used of the Satan to drive a wedge in the fellowship[ between God and those left behind if those left behind do not have the Biblical perspective about this subject.
The departure of the believer's soul is, "...precious in the sight of God (Psalms 116: 15 NASB)". On the other hand, there is no greater loss than the departure of an unbelieving soul, in light of where he/she has gone!
Most believers can comprehend the going Home part to "precious", but how does that square with all that can be involved in the process of dying and/or the experience and circumstances of one's departure. Even among BELIEVERS, the mental attitude experienced and exhibited by those in the final stages of life here on Earth can be greatly different. It is ONLY the spiritually mature disciple who CHOSE to "c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e in My Word (John 8: 31)" throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life that will experience the "peace that surpasses all (human ) comprehension (Phil. 4: 7 NASB/parenthesis mine), if the plan of calls for a long process of dying, or horrific circumstances.
Only a spiritually mature believer with the enabling (John 15: 5) power of God can comply with the Phil. 2: 14 COMMANDMENT to, "... do ALL things without grumbling and disputing (Phil. 2: 14 NASB)", and bring the maximum glory to God in the process.
All believers are equally saved, but to experience this type of "peace" here on Earth in times of challenging circumstances, one must choose to have prepared him/herself (Matthew 7: 24-27) ahead of time, by having growth in the grace and knowledge of God (2Pet. 3: 18).
In the secular armed forces, the most difficult and critical missions are assigned to "special forces" of one kind or another, as the requirements of such missions are beyond the training and capability of the rank and file of the ordinary soldiers. The same applies to the combatants of the spiritual warfare (Eph. 6: 12), as God will assign the most difficult missions and battles to the most spiritually mature believers.
When trying circumstances of one's dying or death allow for it, one's verbal and non-verbal testimony is among the most revealing concerning what one actually believes. Accordingly, the verbal and non-verbal testimony of one's final chapter here on Earth it is one that can be a powerful tool in the hand of God or in the hand of the devil.
As is any other phase of one's post salvation spiritual life, the devil and his Ephesians 6: 17 forces of evil, as well as our own self-centered fallen nature, will have us focus on the here and now instead of all that is about to take place in the spiritual realm. Focusing in on what lay ahead for the believing soul can go a long way in shouting down the voice of the devil, his agents, and our own self-centered fallen nature.
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart (mind) of Man,
all that God has prepared for those who love Him (1Cor. 2:9/Isa. 64:4 NASB/parenthesis mine)."
Let's take a look at the final hours that set the stage for the departure of the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly, if anyone "earned or deserved" a pleasant departure, it was He. Yet, His departure anything but pleasant.
Knowing what lay ahead, He prayed so intensely to God the Father that He had bloody sweat (Luke 22: 44). The medical term for this rare, but documented condition is hematohidrosis. Hematohidrosis is brought on from extreme stress that results in the rpturing of blood vessels in the area of the sweat glands. Very few people can truly claim to have prayed with such intensity that their body responded in this manner.
He asked that if there might be another way than the cross for Him to accomplish the goal of providing salvation for a lost world, but the self-determined answer to this prayer was, "No!". I believe that it was not the physical agony of the cross that our Lord dreaded the most, but it was the last three hours on the cross that He was to be separated from fellowship with God the Father, as the sins of all Mankind was placed on His Humanity.
Does this mean that we are NOT to make prayers for self and others to have the best possible, as huan viewpoint would define "best,"experience during the process of death? What I believe to be the appropriate prayer under such circumstances is to pray for success in carrying out God's plan for the individual (including self) involved, knowing that for many, this will be the most impacting testimony that one many ever have to offer.
Such a prayer, however, can not come from the heart if the one involved has never reached that stage of spiritual maturity BEFORE the onset of circumstances that would call for it. This principle is found in Matt. 7: 24-27 and John 8: 31, 32. The majority of believers will NEVER reach this stage of spiritual maturity. All believers are forever and equally saved, but the confidence and freedom from anxiety that John 8: 31, 32 speaks of wil only be an eathly experience for those who have continued in the Word, making it their lifestyle and top priority.
When I was diagnosed with stage three cancer, many fellow believers prayed for a healing. I thank the for their concern, but I did not join them is such praying. What I did pray for was the wisdom and the courage to apply the appropriate doctrines that I already had (Matt. 7: 24-27), and to make use of the (John 15:5) power that God had a-l-r-e-a-d-y given to me (and any other bekiever). Long before I received the compete diagnosis, I chose to leave the outcome totally in the hands of God.
In doing so, I knew that I would glorify God, no atter what the final outcome would be. The more one advances in the spiritual life, the more that the glorification of God becomes the "bottom line" in all that chooses to do or not to do. I have now been cancer-free for more than ten years. While I would not wish such a trial on anyone, I can tell you that it provided with the experience of putting into action all that I had come to believe, and has prepared me for whatever my earthly departure may finally involve.
It is my belief that no one leaves this world one second before God's direct or permissive will establishes or allows. On one hand, I believe that a spiritually mature disciple should have NO desire to leave this world until he/she has completed all of the work that God has for him/her to do, but on the other hand, should NOT desire to remain here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6) one second longer than what is necessary to complete the work that God has given him/her to do.
Sad to say, many believers never do identify the specific spiritual gift and ministry that God has in mind for him/her (1Cor. 12: 6, 11, and 18).
There is nothing wrong with enjoying all the legitimate things that the human experience can offer, but there is something wrong in one's spiritual life when he/she cannot let go when the time comes. As a result, his/her focus is on all that is coming to and end, rather than what is going to continue on and take place during all of eternity future.
In the closing hours of HIs time here in the flesh, our Lord was betrayed by one "friend (Matthew 26: 50)", denied even being known by another (Matt. 26: 69-75), and abandoned by all of His closest followers (Matt 26: 56). He was falsely convicted of blasphemy by the religious authority of His day (Matt. 26: 65. 66), and falsely condemned and sentenced to die a horrific death by the very secular authority that previously had found no guilt in Him (Luke 23: 4/John 19:6).
He was spit upon, severely beaten beyond human form (Isa. 52:14), beard plucked, scourged, had a crown of thorns pressed down into His scalp, and eventually crucified for six hours (John 19: 14-Luke 23: 44), before He dismissed His Spirit (Luke 23: 46). In all of His physical and spiritual agony, the only response He made concerning His tormentors, was that He prayed for their forgiveness, for they (His tormentors) did not know what they were doing. They (His tormentors) were unwittingly accomplishing the plan of God, fulfilling in detail, many of the messianic prophecies. Note that NOTHING that was done to Him resulted in the timing of His death, as it did not take place until HE dismissed His spirit, placing it in the hands of God the Father (John 19: 30).
Scripture (Isa. 53:10) teach that God (The Father) was "pleased" to put the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ through all that He endured leading up to and while on the cross. God (The Father) was not pleased in the sense that He enjoyed what was taking place, but was "pleased" by all that it accomplished. Likewise, when we suffer in any manner in order to fulfill OUR part in the plan of God, God does not enjoy seeing any one of His children suffering in any form, but IS pleased with what it accomplishes.
It is often said that we are the ones that should be crucified, but the truth is that such a personal sacrifice would NOT save us, as not one of us would have qualified as an acceptable sacrifice for self or others, as did the Lamb of God (John 1:29 ). The concept that we, by ANY means, can take part in atoning for our sin via good deeds or prayers of penance is not only false doctrine and practice, but amounts to blasphemy. Good deeds can serve as evidence to confirm what has ALREADY taken place in the spiritual realm, but are NEVER the means to secure, retain, or maintain salvation.
Crucifixion was one of the prescribed manners of execution of that day, and it was reserved for the "worst" of criminals. Roman citizens, for instance, could be be-headed, but were spared crucifixion. Death by crucifixion could take days, and the breaking of the legs to expedite the process was scene as act of mercy.
Next, take a look at the various ways that many of the earliest martyrs were executed for taking a stand for the faith. Some were burned at the stake, others were crucified, be-headed, stoned, sawn in two, fed to starved animals, etc., etc. etc..
God loved the whole world (John 3: 16), but the love of God did/does not prevent these persons from enduring rather horrific earthly departures, nor will it prevent God from tossing the souls of unbelievers into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15). One cannot take one attribute (love) of God and disregard others (justice).
This is one of the great errors of human thinking who contend that a God of love cannot or will not send a human soul to "Hell", or at least not provide the means for after (physical) death atonement and salvation. "Religion has come up with a few ideas,The Bible offers no such hope.
There ARE false doctrines and practices WITHIN various sectors of the Christian Community that support this idea. But according to a correct interpretation of Scripture, there is NOTHING that ANYONE can do (or have done) to alter the destiny of his/her soul, or the soul of anyone else, once the soul has departed the body at the moment of physical death. This includes all that takes place during post modem activities and arrangements here on Earth. There are benefits that such arrangements can offer to the ones left behind, but such things do NOTHING for the soul that has ALREADY departed and has ALREADY gone on to ONE of two locations and environments.
Whatever (if any) arrangements made for bodily remains of a believer has got nothing to do with God's ability to raise it up again when the Rapture takes place (1Thess. 4: 16). In the meantime, there is NOT one soul in ANY morgue, casket, urn, or cemetery, only the decaying (Gen. 3:19) bodily remains. Being the last place of visual contact or association, the grave is traditionally visited by those left behind, but the truth is that NO ONE is there. As of the Church Age, the soul that DID (past tense) indwell the bodily remains present in the grave has gone on to either the 3rd Heaven if he/she was "born again John 3: 5,7)" , or had gone on to the Torments of Hades with nothing to look forward to other than the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15). This is strong language, but there is NO other issue that needs to be addressed here on Earth.
If the devil has you questioning the love of God, review again the extreme that He went though by taking on the form of Humanity at the First Advent, knowing what laid in store for Him. Keep in mind that although the physical pain and agony of crucifixion is more than what most human beings could ever endure, His greatest suffering on the cross was what could NOT be seen, His greatest agony was when God the Father placed the sin debt of the whole world on Him. This form of suffering is unique and more than we are able to comprehend.
Other than physical trauma, accidentally or intentionally imposed, or a physical defect in the humanity that our parents produced, GOD the aging process has been means that sets the stage for the departure of the soul from the body. This was clearly endorsed by God who, after expelling Man out of the Garden of Eden, denied (Gen. 3: 24) Man access to the tree of life that could have otherwise allowed man to live on in the natural body indefinitely (Gen. 3: 22). Rather or not anyone of us will die (physically) as the result of trauma, genetic predisposition, or from conditions associated with the aging process is dependent on the individual plan that God has decreed for each one of us, and for HIS purpose(s). We did not ask to be born, and God will consult us as to how, when, or under what circumstances we will depart our bodies. The ONLY thing we know is that each day we wake up here on Earth, we are day closer to the day we won't.
Physical death CAN be the result (Acts 5/1Cor. 11:) of divine discipline (Hebrews 12: 6), but the aging process is has nothing to do with any personal sin. It is a process that has been handed down to the generations of Man ever since the Fall of Man and his denial of access to the tree of life.
As far as trauma goes, individuals and groups of individuals has been killing each other in criminal activity and warfare as far back as recorded history, beginning with the murder of Abel. Fatal accidents of all kinds result in the death every day. Such things happen to good and evil people alike, but ALWAYS with a DIVINE purpose in the mind of God who has the final say in everything that takes place here on Earth.
God did not design Man to float for long distances, to fly, or to travel at great speeds. Much of what Man engineers or has discovered has improved his natural and environmental conditions, but there is always a price to be paid by some for the "progress" that Man achieves. There isn't any thing or any activity here on Earth that doesn't present a potential of illness, injury, or even death. There will always be those who would take the same engineering concepts and discoveries and use them for evil.
Long before Man was created, there was and continues to be a conflict between spiritual beings who indwell the physical creation. Man was born into the midst of it, for the primary purpose of glorifying God in the midst of it.
Nothing happens or will be prevented from happening that has not first passed through the filters of God's direct and/or permissive, or the opportunity for the His of over-ruling will to intercede. Accordingly, we may never know what events and activities we have and will encounter that are the direct result of our participation in the spiritual combat that takes place all around us, and what events come our way as a result of simply living in the times and age that God has chosen to place us. What we do (or should) know is that IF and WHEN we are living according to His plan, that, "...God causes ALL things (regardless of the source or motivation) to work together for (ultimate) good to those who love God, to those who are called (and fulfill) His purposes (Rom 8: 28 NASB parenthesis mine)." Among these " ALL things" are the circumstances and timing of the Earthly departure of any one of us.
What impact the intentional or accidental trauma, illness, that takes place around us every day will have on any one us an individual is the hand of God. Without a doubt, it is the ones who advance in the spiritual life that become the greater and more frequent targets of attacks from the devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. Events and activities that can result in trauma, illness, and physical death are certainly among the weapons of the devil's arsenal.
In closing, for the majority of believers, the Biblical answer to this question is not an "easy pill to swallow" if the plan of God calls for what human viewp0int would consider a tough cross to bear regarding any one believer's departing circumstances. Death and/or the process of dying might hit us on the blind side, never seeing it coming. Death, and/or the process of dying may be brief or a long and drawn out process with varying degrees of physical pain and suffering. One's departure may not even include physical death, if any one of us turns out to among those who are destined to be among the believers who are alive when the Rapture take place. Whatever it turns out to be, it IS the manifestation of God's direct, permissive, or overruling will.
The "Why?" part of this question is simply that God has determined it to be so. IF it turns out to be relatively easy to go through the plan of departure that God has for you, consider it blessing. If one's experience turns out to be more challenging than others, consider that the greater the challenge, the greater the glory that you can bring to God. For those who find this hard to swallow, I remind you of the rhetorical question that Job raised, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?