Memento Mori

…it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…

(Hebrews 9:27).

Memento mori is a Latin phrase that means “remember death”, or “remember you must die”. Historically, Christians spoke these words to one another not to be morbid or frightening. The phrase was actually used as an encouragement to reflect deeply on one’s mortality so that one might live more fully and authentically in the present. 

This is a far cry from the macabre fixation on death that is so visible in our neighborhoods during the month of October. I can only imagine what a visitor from another country must think when they see the skeletons, cadavers, zombies, witches, and tombstones that decorate our yards. 

Halloween takes its name from the day that follows it: All Saints’ Day. Originally called All Hallows’ Day (“hallows” is an old word for saints), November 1 was intended to honor the saints of God, the living and the dead. Through the centuries, October 31 (All Hallows Eve, or Halloween) thus became an occasion to celebrate all that was unholy, a sort of anti-saints day. 

So, how should Christians think about death? As we approach the darkest celebration of the year, this is a question worthy of meditation. The Bible actually encourages us to think about death, but in a way that is healthy and good. Let me explain. 

When I was a teenager, the boys in our neighborhood loved to gather on Sunday afternoons, choose teams, and play football. It was great fun and the competition was often fierce. However, because there was no official clock, it was often hard to know which team actually won the game. We never quite knew when the game was over. The team that was losing always begged for just a little more time. Football just isn’t football if you have no clear signal to mark the end.

God has given us a clear signal to mark the end of life. It’s called death. When the buzzer sounds, the game is over. However, there is one major difference between football and life. Football players know exactly when the final buzzer will sound. The clock is visible for all to see. Not so in life. No one knows the day of his death. This means we must play the game as if the buzzer could sound at any moment.

In an earlier generation, people prayed that they would not die suddenly, or in their sleep, lest they face death unprepared. Today, people want to die in their sleep, they want to go quickly, so that they don’t have time to think about it. It is difficult to imagine someone traveling to Europe without taking time to think it through and prepare, and yet many approach the most important journey of all with little or no preparation!

Those today who do talk about death typically use sentimental language intended to offer reassurance to people as they face the great unknown. They pretend that all will be well and that death should be accepted as something natural, as if it were a friend. The Bible, however, treats death very differently. Paul describes it as “the last enemy” (I Cor. 15:26). Death is not a friend, but an adversary that is meant to be resisted through the power of the gospel!

The Bible, in fact, speaks of two deaths. The act of physically dying is the first death. But tragically, for those who do not know Jesus Christ, there is a “second death” as well, when they are cast into hell and separated eternally from God (see Rev. 2:11; 20:14-15; 21:8). Only those who have been born again into the family of God will escape this second death. In other words, those who are born twice die once. Those who are born once die twice.

For the believer, death is not a black hole, but a doorway that leads to eternal life. Because of his resurrection from the dead, Jesus has delivered “all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:15). Skydiving is a pleasurable experience for the one who has a parachute! The jump may have some anxious moments, but the parachute makes it possible for the one in free fall to actually enjoy the experience. Falling to earth without a parachute, however, would be sheer terror. In this life, as we anticipate death, faith in Christ works something like a parachute. It assures us of a safe landing.

The last time I checked, the death rate is still 100 percent. Our ignorance of the date is God’s way of urging us to live in a constant state of readiness: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). 

Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:6-21 is the final passage in the Bible. Last words are important, and these concluding words of Scripture convey one final opportunity to hear God’s call and respond, so that we are ready when death comes. Jesus himself is speaking – no, he is pleading – not just with humanity in general, but with you in particular. There is both urgency and tenderness in his voice.

Heed my warning. “I am coming soon!” Just to make sure we understand, Jesus repeats it three times (vv. 7, 12, 20). Whether our last day on earth will be marked by biological death or by Jesus’ Second Coming, we will all suddenly be called to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Is this a threat? Or a marvelous promise? It all depends on the condition of your heart.

Receive my blessing. The book of Revelation contains seven blessings (see Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14) and two of them are found in this final passage.

• “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (v. 7).

• “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” (v. 14). 

Say yes to my invitation. “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’… And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (v. 17). Are you thirsty? Then you qualify! You are invited to become a member of God’s own family, a citizen of the City of God. Drinks are on the house! Come, not because you are worthy, but because you are invited. And come now. Tomorrow may be too late.

But wait. There is an RSVP attached. Christ’s invitation to you must be met by your invitation to him. As he receives you so now you must receive him. The next to the last verse in the Bible helps you know what to say: “Come, Lord Jesus!”. When his “come” is matched by your “come,” there is only one thing left to say: “Amen” (v. 21).

So, my dear friend, memento mori. Remember that you must die. Yes, you. If you think about death in the way God intends, it will lead you to life – every time!  

This article is a slightly edited excerpt from my book One Life (Seedbed, 2025. pp.171-173, 182-183). 

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