The Biblical Definition of Death

Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Ezra 7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
**Death in these verses was the ultimate penalty. It was a form of punishment for the worst of crimes. The purpose of the death penalty was to deter crime. The message was not only to send a message that these things are wrong, but to remember God's commandments. These are God's laws, and these laws are not meant to be broken.

Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 9:13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Psalms 18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
**Oftentimes in the Book of Psalms, death and depression went hand in hand. Death is eternal sleep. It is no more. There is no remembrance in death. It was truly the opposite of life. There was no peace whether or not it was because of one's own sin or persecution. Death is lonely. Not only can you not take your memories, but you can't take anything else with you to Heaven or Hell.

Proverbs 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Luke 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
**Death is the eternal punishment. Death became the penalty for man's sins. Our eternal destination is chosen by us, not by God. God is a loving God. He gave us the freedom of choice. We are saved by faith, not by works or any other means. We are, however, justified by our works. Simply put, "........I will show you my faith by my actions." (James 2:18)

John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Acts 22:20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
**Those who were true believers were often persecuted for their faith. Many were arrested, even killed. However, with our faith comes persecution, for Jesus prophesied that we (Jews and Christians) will be hated by the world because we are not of this world. Death is seen in this case as honorable for true believers are sacrificing their lives for what they believe in and they know their eternal salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Revelation 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
**The Good News of the Gospel: Christ died for us so that we might live eternally with Him. We are dead to our sins because we have repented of those sins. Death has been conquered. Death was thrown into the Lake of Fire. (from Revelation 20:14)

Hopefully, this teaching has cleared up how the Bible, as we as believers should, view death. There are things more important than life. One thing that's more important is the Truth.