Death, my friend, is evidence of life LIVED. The death to self preceeds physical death, and both are resisted, both bring momentary pain. But, this is the means through which we enter greater life, the mysterious but inimitable entrance to eternity. Only those who’ve drank from its cup know the sweetness it yields. Only those who’ve tasted realize THIS is for what their hearts have been longing since birth, beautiful in its time.

What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever. But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. When this happens–when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die–then at last the Scriptures will come true:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
~1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NLT)