![]() This doesn’t mean starting a comment war on social media or losing all sense of tact in the presence of someone’s deep sense of loss. And the Peace that surpasses all understanding is found in Christ Jesus.Ĭhristians shouldn’t look to micromanage the used of “RIP,” rather, look for opportunities to share the gospel of Christ because of it. God created rest when He was done creating the earth, everything in it, and us. “Rest in Peace,” though now widely used with a more casual tone, still communicates two very important aspects of the Christian faith. RIP may be one of the most meaningful phrases in the English language, but it’s often hidden within culture and all its trends and lost traditions. We live in a society brimming with creative hashtags, each day full of new expressions and fresh definitions of phrases and words. “ Fangirls” often hashtag “RIP” when talking about their favorite famous people. “RIP me” can also mean we’ve been absolutely wrecked by how good looking or put together someone appears in their social media post. RIP is also used as a pop culture term to express feeling overwhelmed by everything from an overload in homework, the cancelation of a favorite TV series, or to express embarrassment or frustration. The National Retail Federation predicted $8.8 billion in retail sales centering around the Halloween Holiday in 2019. “RIP” litters fake gravestones and decor, as a quick and recognizable reference to death in order to cast a spooky or scary mood. The term has taken a sharp secular turn as the Western commercialized Halloween holiday increases in popularity. In memorandum, the term is still widely used to wish those who have passed from this earth well, and to extend condolences to the friends and relatives they have left behind. Catholics still use the original Latin verbiage at funerals, and many other Christian denominations use the English “Rest in Peace” in funeral and memorial services. “Rest in Peace” is still used in the traditional sense, but also in a wide variety of other ways throughout modern culture. Why Do People Still Say "Rest in Peace" Today “We often associate the phrase ‘rest in peace’ with death and the loss of a loved one,” wrote Mary Sutherland in May She Rest in Peace, “When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we enter into true peace.” The Bible reminds Christians that we are citizens of heaven, not of earth. “Paul called death ‘gain,’” said John Piper, founder and teacher at desiringGod, “not because he will be unconscious, but because he will be in the presence of Christ.” “This may either refer to the peaceful rest of the grave,” notes Barne’s Bible Commentary, “or to that which awaits the just in a better world.” According to, “The Latin phrase (as requiescat in pace) began appearing on Christian gravestones in the 8th century, and became widespread on Christian grave markers by the 18th century.” Biblical roots of “rest in peace” appear in Isaiah 57:2: “He enters into peace They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.” (NASB) This verse is promising relief in death, an “escape from turmoil” as the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Guide notes. The phrase began as a prayer, wishing those who died had found right standing with God, and were now resting eternally with Him. “There is no ‘R.I.P.’ without the ‘R’or ‘P,’” wrote Barnabas Piper of Ligonier Ministries “and Jesus is the only way to both.” For Christians, we are reminded of the peace God brings from the pain of death for those who follow Christ. Secularly, it communicates a general respect for the one whom has died and condolence for friends and relatives who were close to that person. Though the term occasionally drifts from its original use, RIP is still widely used in conversation when someone has passed away. But RIP has also become a pop culture catch phrase with many different connotations. RIP, an acronym for “Rest in Peace,” is a common condolence at funerals and a general response to someone’s death.
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