content/12/25.md
---
pagetitle: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
date: February 19, 2020
prev_url: /westminster-daily/12/24/
prev_date: Dec 24
this_url: /westminster-daily/12/25/
short_date: "1225"
this_date: Dec 25
next_url: /westminster-daily/12/26/
next_date: Dec 26
---
#### Shorter Catechism
<span class="q">Q 37.</span> What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
<span class="q">A.</span> The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness,[^fnref:wsc1] and do immediately pass into glory;[^fnref:wsc2] and their bodies, being still united to Christ,[^fnref:wsc3] do rest in their graves, till the resurrection.[^fnref:wsc4]
[^fnref:wsc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>Hebrews 12:23</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p58012023.01-1">and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Luke 23:43</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42023043.01-1">And he said to him, <span class="woc">“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”</span></p> </div><h5>2 Corinthians 5:6</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005006.01-2">So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,</p> </div><h5>2 Corinthians 5:8</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p47005008.01-3">Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.</p> </div><h5>Philippians 1:23</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p50001023.01-4">I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc3]: <div class="esv"><h5>1 Thessalonians 4:14</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p52004014.01-1">For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc4]: <div class="esv"><h5>Daniel 12:2</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p27012002.01-1">And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.</p> </div><h5>John 5:28-29</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p43005028.01-2"><span class="woc">Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice</span> <span class="woc">and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.</span></p> </div><h5>Acts 24:15</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p44024015.01-3">having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
#### Larger Catechism
<span class="q">Q 85.</span> Death being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?
<span class="q">A.</span> The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it;[^fnref:wlc1] so that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love,[^fnref:wlc2] to free them perfectly from sin and misery,[^fnref:wlc3] and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon.[^fnref:wlc4]
[^fnref:wlc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>1 Corinthians 15:26</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p46015026.01-1">The last enemy to be destroyed is death.</p> </div><h5>1 Corinthians 15:55-57</h5> <div class="esv-text"><div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p46015055.01-2">“O death, where is your victory?<br /> <span class="indent"></span>O death, where is your sting?”</p> </div> <p class="same-paragraph" id="p46015056.01-2">The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.</p> </div><h5>Hebrews 2:15</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p58002015.01-3">and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.</p> </div><h5>John 11:25-26</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p43011025.01-4">Jesus said to her, <span class="woc">“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,</span> <span class="woc">and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”</span> (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Isaiah 57:1-2</h5> <div class="esv-text"> <div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p23057001.04-1"><span class="chapter-num" id="v23057001-1">57:1 </span>The righteous man perishes,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and no one lays it to heart;<br /> devout men are taken away,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>while no one understands.<br /> For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;<br /> <span class="indent"></span>he enters into peace;<br /> they rest in their beds<br /> <span class="indent"></span>who walk in their uprightness.</p> </div> </div><h5>2 Kings 22:20</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p12022020.01-2">Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc3]: <div class="esv"><h5>Revelation 14:13</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p66014013.01-1">And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”</p> </div><h5>Ephesians 5:27</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p49005027.01-2">so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc4]: <div class="esv"><h5>Luke 23:43</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42023043.01-1">And he said to him, <span class="woc">“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”</span></p> </div><h5>Philippians 1:23</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p50001023.01-2">I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>