Continuing Church of God Funeral Service

by COGwriter

Here is the general format of a Continuing Church of God funeral eulogy for someone not believed to be part of the Church of God.

(Make comments about the life of the deceased and family if you have knowledge--this is often the best way to begin.)

Humans have sought solace in many ideas about death conjured up many philosophies about death in an attempt to escape the reality of death!

Jesus said:

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32, NKJV throughout unless otherwise noted).

Many do not know the truth about death.

Many have been misled by unbiblical teachings and traditions, such as those in Dantes' 14th century writing known as the Divine Comedy.

There are three general schools of thought: 1) atheists, who believe “death ends all,” no life, no hope after death, 2) various religions who accept the non-biblical doctrine of the immortality of the soul, with their various theories as to how and where the soul continues on after death, and the biblical teaching of the resurrection.

Real comfort, real understanding about death can only come from the true Creator God as revealed in His Word!

What happens after death has never been answered by science. It cannot be learned through test tubes, microscopes or telescopes. Neither the atheist nor the pagan conceptions have proper basis, neither is, nor can be, proved.

The Bible teaches:

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Hebrews 9:27-28)

So all die--and turn to dust. And we all should realize this:

19 ... For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19)

5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

17 The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the Lord From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 115:17-18)

The dead are not suffering nor looking down upon us now.

Those of us who take a literal approach towards scripture teach that death is like sleep.

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; (Psalm 13:3)

Jesus taught that those who were asleep would be reawakened (Matthew 9:18-26). {The deseased} will one day awaken.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

"Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:13-14)

Long ago, the Patriarch Job asked the eternal question:

14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
(Job 14:14-15)

14 If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. 15 You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. (Job 14:14-15, NIV)

Job knew the truth about death!

Job knew that every one who walks this earth is God's workmanship.

God created people and placed them on this earth as part of His plan for good work:

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

But all those works are NOT in this life, but for a time after the resurrection.

Job realized that.

Notice also

21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? (Ecclesiastes 3:21)

Upon death, the spirit of humans returns to God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:8). The human spirit is there, sort of like a saved computer file of your memory and character--in a sleep-like state (Psalm 13:3; 76:6)--and is saved to be reunited with the body with the resurrection (Ecclesiastes 3:21; John 3:13; Ezekiel 37:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

Jesus taught:

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth (John 5:28-29)

Jesus revealed the truth on this all important question about life after death (see also What Happens After Death?). There WILL be a resurrection of all who live and die!.

The Bible speaks of multiple resurrections. And all not in the first one will be resurrected in the second one

Early Christians like Polycarp of Smyrna, Theophilus of Antioch, Polycrates of Ephesus, and Pionius of Smyrna all taught a future resurrection of the dead. Even though it is out of fashion now, People such as Hippolytus of Rome and Martin Luther taught that they dead were asleep and would be raised (see What Happens After Death?).

After what is called the second resurrection, here is what happens:

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. (Revelation 20:12)

Yes, all will sit before God's judgment.

Yes, the Bible teaches that "Sin is the transgression of God's Law" (1 John 3:4, KJV) and "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death, but {it also teaches} the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

But God has a plan.

The Bible teaches that "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13).

That is why He sent His Son:

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

Everlasting life is a tremendous, fantastic reward and heritage beyond any human goal.

This is the opportunity that awaits {the deceased}

The Bible teaches "God is love" (1 John 4:16). "The LORD is good" (Nahum 1:7).

The truth of God brings real comfort! His loving plan will give all an opportunity for a fantastic eternity.

As Job said, yes, one day soon God will have a desire for the work of His hands - for the character, service, and loyalty {the deceased} built and infused in his/her life.

Some wonder why God allows people to die. But notice what the prophet Isaiah wrote:

1 The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
Merciful men are taken away,
While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil.
2 He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness. (Isaiah 57:1-2)

So, God's people are taken away for evil to come--as well as to cease their state of suffering. God gives them rest until the resurrection.

After the resurrection, God will actually plead with humankind. Isaiah 3:13 shows:

13 The LORD stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people.

Ezekiel 20:33-38 states:

33 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you," says the Lord GOD.

God will plead with all so that all will have a real opportunity to have a fantastic eternity and not face the second death--which unlike our physical deaths is permanent.

Because of the resurrection our physical deaths are only temporary.

There is a time for many things as Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born,And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down,And a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; 8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

This is a time of mourning of our loss.

But not as people without hope if we accept His purpose.

Why?

Jesus taught:

4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)

How can we be comforted?

One way we who believe the Bible will be is because we believe, as the Apostle Paul wrote, "that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Notice also:

13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works. (Psalm 33:13-15)

God has a plan for ALL. This should be comforting to all.

God's plan includes a resurrection--{the deceased} will be seen again. This is not some myth, but a reality.

We will see {the deceased} again.

This is part of the real hope the Bible proclaims.

Now, many people do not know why God created the universe, including why He made humans.

Well, the reason that God created anything was so that eternity could be better.

The reason He created YOU is so that you would help make eternity better.

The reason He created {the deceased} was for him/her to make eternity better.

All (the deceased) went through has helped prepare him/her for his/her eternal role.

Let us take another glimpse into that glorious, undefiled reward - the eternal Kingdom of God.

It is revealed in Revelation 21:1-4:

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 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."

This is the world and kingdom {the deceased} can know.

This is the new world {the deceased} and all the rest of us have an opportunuty to be part of.

A place where all will help make eternity better. That is a hope we can all share.

20 He who testifies to these things {Jesus} says, "Surely I am coming quickly."

{Apostle John} Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)

(Funeral procedures, and a slightly different service, can be found at the following: Funeral Issues.)

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