Death is but a departing; like loosening a ship from the shore or moving a ship to another coast (2 Tim. 4:6; Phil. 1:23). We must all be unloosened from our houses of clay, and be carried to another place, to heaven. Paul labours to sweeten so harsh a thing as death, by comfortable expressions of it. It is but a sleep (1 Cor. 15:20), a going home (2 Cor. 5:8), a laying aside our earthly tabernacle (2 Cor. 5:1), to teach us this point of heavenly wisdom, that we should look on death as it is now in the gospel, not as it was in the law and by nature. To be with Christ is a thing desirable of itself; but because we cannot come to Christ but by the dark passage of death, said Paul, I desire to depart, that so my death may be a passage to Christ; so that death was the object of Paul’s desire so far as it made way for better things. To be with Christ that came from heaven to be here on earth with us, and descended that we should ascend; to be with him, that has done and suffered so much for us; to be with Christ that delighted to be with us; to be with Christ that emptied himself, and became of no reputation, that became poor to make us rich; to be with Christ our husband, now contracted here, that all may be made up in heaven, this was the thing Paul desired.
Richard Sibbes, David B. MacKinnon, ed., Refreshment for the Soul: A Year of Daily Readings From ‘The Heavenly Doctor’ Richard Sibbes (The Banner of Truth, 2022), 29.
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Tony Phelps
Tony grew up in Rhode Island. He was educated at University of Rhode Island (BA) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He worked in the insurance industry for ten years. He planted a PCA church in Wakefield, RI where he served for eleven years. He has pastored Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Colorado Springs (2015–18), and Living Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Allentown PA (2019–25). He is currently pastor of Christ Our Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Charlestown, RI. Tony is married to Donna and together they have three children.
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