The Sting of Death & the Promise of Life

“So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being: the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the man made of dust, so are those who are made of dust; like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

Death is not a natural part of life. In our present age, it must occur, yes, but it is not natural or the intended order. It is the symptom of an alien intrusion into God’s creation known as sin. When Adam rebelled against God by trusting Eve and the serpent, he brought death into the world.

“And He said to Adam, ‘Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.’” (Genesis 3:17-19)

So through Adam, the curse spread to all of creation. We were no longer permitted to eat from the tree of life, which gives life eternal. Thus was born the human struggle against sin, against the agony of work, and against God. Thus was born the certainty of death.

But as Scripture says in 1 Corinthians, God provided the means for escape from our sinful flesh into His Holy Grace. He sent His Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to atone for our sin with His precious blood. In Adam we die, but in Christ we live. Thus we are born to our mothers first, then—when we give ourselves to Christ—we are born again of His Spirit.

Our bodies are not fit for the Kingdom of God, but the soul and the Spirit He gives us will inherit eternal life. And, one day, we will receive new bodies, clothed in His righteousness, forever.

“Brothers, I tell you this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption. Listen! I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will all be changed. For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality. When this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:50-57)

There is a day coming when the Lord Jesus Christ will return. There is a day where a trumpet will sound and the dead will rise up to meet Him. On this day, the living and dead in Christ will be joined with Him. They will receive new bodies, new flesh. The Lord’s children will rejoice in His Kingdom and once again we will have access to the tree of life.

“Then he showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life was on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.” (Revelation 22:1-3)

So the next time someone tries to tell you that death is part of a circle of life, correct him/her. Show them the truth that death is a consequence of sin and it is not the intended order of creation. Instruct them in the ways of the Lord, in the knowledge that Christ Jesus has conquered death and that all who believe on Him shall be saved.

Tell them the greatest story that will ever be told. The Author of our lives has already written it on our hearts. Listen to His wise counsel. From the beginning, He has ordained our reconciliation with Him. God made man in His image on the sixth day. Man rebelled against God and abided in the serpent’s deception. But how great is our merciful Lord, whom loved us so that He told of His coming promise:

“So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

From the beginning, God prophesied the coming Messiah. He told Satan, the cunning serpent, that because of what he’d done, there would be one who would strike his head. Satan, whose pride knows no bounds, thought he had victory when Christ died on the cross, but Jesus rose again, removing the sting of death and providing His people with salvation and eternal life.

And now we know that there is a time when our troubles will end. There is a day coming, the Lord’s coming, that will bring with it a new creation, a new heavens and earth, and in the Kingdom of God, we will be as we should’ve been in the Garden of Eden, free from death and sin, in fellowship with our Creator.

Praise God today, knowing that even as we mourn our loved ones, His coming has and will eradicate the lingering stench and foothold of death.

Thanks for reading, God bless, and have a great weekend.