The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Sin gives death its painful sting by ruining the body and exerting a fatal influence on the soul, and no disguise of godliness removes its deadly effect. To every transgressor the law is the strength of sin and a ministration of death, because it arraigns and convicts the lawbreaker and requires death for sin, leaving nothing in the sinner to save him from condemnation while he continues in sin. Christ in humanity died under that same death-requirement of the law in fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world. The serpent's sting is healed when the soul dead in trespasses and sins looks only to Jesus in justifying faith as righteousness and sacrifice, which brings life and peace with God just as looking at the brazen serpent brought life to the dying. By feeling death's pangs, paying humanity's full ransom, and breaking from the tomb in triumph, the risen Saviour conquered death and the grave, defeated Satan and his power over death, and took away death's terror so that the grave may hold the righteous for a little while but cannot hold them forever.
Sin, Law, and Death
Sin gives death its sting, ruining the body and exerting a fatal influence on the soul, and covering it over with a disguise of godliness does not take away its deadly effect. To all who transgress God's law the law is a ministration of death and the strength of sin, because in the heavenly council the lawbreaker is arraigned and convicted and condemnation to death is pronounced, and there is nothing in the sinner himself to save him from the sentence and penalty. Death is what the law requires for sin, so every transgressor who continues in sin must die.
Christ in humanity had to die under that same death-requirement of the law in fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world. The deadly sting is sin from the serpent bringing death, and it is healed when a person is justified by faith by looking only to Jesus as righteousness and sacrifice. That look brings life to the soul dead in trespasses and sins just as looking at the brazen serpent brought life to the dying, ending self and giving peace with God.
The risen Saviour's victory gives forgiveness, pardon, and peace to all who come confessing their sins, with the charge to sin no more. When sin is gone through righteousness and a righteous life in Christ, death loses its terror and grip and the grave its woe. It may hold a person in the grave for a little while but cannot hold that person forever, and because Jesus has passed through death those who follow Him may face it safely.
Christ's Victory Over Death
Christ felt death's pangs and endured the cross, paid humanity's full ransom by giving His life, and broke out of the tomb in triumphant victory, thereby conquering death and the grave. He endured the cross and conquered death and the tomb as the risen victor. By that victory He defeated Satan and broke the devil's power over death. Through Him people can overcome Satan in His name, and Satan's defeat means his power and kingdom will end and he himself will ultimately die.
His resurrection robs death of its former terror for the Christian. It assures the final resurrection of the righteous dead and of those who sleep in Jesus at His second coming, when He calls the just from their graves. Those raised with Him are samples of the redeemed who will rise at that call. In the morning of the resurrection when the dead come forth, the redeemed will cry victory over death and the grave, with the gates of heaven opened before them and the eternal reward given. This victory is God's gift of eternal life, immortal glory, happiness, and peace through the merits of Jesus Christ, who did not die in vain.
The chapter lays the full stress of the gospel on the resurrection of the flesh. That is the truth the apostles continually insisted on to excite diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness in the followers of God, and which primitive Christians believed. The hope of immortal blessedness at death has led to widespread neglect of that doctrine, until the glorious truth of the resurrection has been almost wholly obscured and lost sight of. Human history is marked by transgression and suffering but also by divine sacrifice and victory over death and sin. The future life is free from temptation and the possibility of sin because its inhabitants have withstood evil and are no longer vulnerable to its power.
That victory is won by overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil in a warfare in which Christ helps at every step, with angels around and heavenly agencies working with man. It is won by laying hold of His divine nature by faith, by surrendering mental, moral, and physical powers to His service to win souls, and by having Christ formed within as the hope of glory. It requires purified hearts, contrition, and steadfast, unmovable abounding in the work of the Lord, leading to dwelling in His presence, beholding the King in His beauty, and praising Him with an immortal tongue. His followers must therefore give intense, persevering effort to save the world from sin by living and working as He did. Jesus vanquished death while clothed in humanity and, now glorified as Chief Physician and God over all, stands beside every true earnest God-fearing physician to relieve suffering and prolong life when prayer will glorify His name, and gives endless life to all who believe in Him and endure to the end.
The serpent's wound of sin bruises soul and body, and Christ supplies the balm in Gilead to heal it, working through believers who in faith treat suffering bodies, watch for souls, and apply the prescription to the bruises sin has made. The hope of resurrection and deliverance soon to come brings consolation even amid grief, when death may hold a person in the grave for a little while but cannot hold that person forever. The risen Jesus and His victory over death and the grave is the hope and comfort behind His meeting with the discouraged disciples.
Sin gives death its painful sting by ruining the body and exerting a fatal influence on the soul, and no disguise of godliness removes its deadly effect. To every transgressor the law is the strength of sin and a ministration of death, because it arraigns and convicts the lawbreaker and requires death for sin, leaving nothing in the sinner to save him from condemnation while he continues in sin. Christ in humanity died under that same death-requirement of the law in fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world. The serpent's sting is healed when the soul dead in trespasses and sins looks only to Jesus in justifying faith as righteousness and sacrifice, which brings life and peace with God just as looking at the brazen serpent brought life to the dying. By feeling death's pangs, paying humanity's full ransom, and breaking from the tomb in triumph, the risen Saviour conquered death and the grave, defeated Satan and his power over death, and took away death's terror so that the grave may hold the righteous for a little while but cannot hold them forever.
Sin, Law, and Death
Sin gives death its sting, ruining the body and exerting a fatal influence on the soul, and covering it over with a disguise of godliness does not take away its deadly effect. To all who transgress God's law the law is a ministration of death and the strength of sin, because in the heavenly council the lawbreaker is arraigned and convicted and condemnation to death is pronounced, and there is nothing in the sinner himself to save him from the sentence and penalty. Death is what the law requires for sin, so every transgressor who continues in sin must die.
Christ in humanity had to die under that same death-requirement of the law in fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world. The deadly sting is sin from the serpent bringing death, and it is healed when a person is justified by faith by looking only to Jesus as righteousness and sacrifice. That look brings life to the soul dead in trespasses and sins just as looking at the brazen serpent brought life to the dying, ending self and giving peace with God.
The risen Saviour's victory gives forgiveness, pardon, and peace to all who come confessing their sins, with the charge to sin no more. When sin is gone through righteousness and a righteous life in Christ, death loses its terror and grip and the grave its woe. It may hold a person in the grave for a little while but cannot hold that person forever, and because Jesus has passed through death those who follow Him may face it safely.
Christ's Victory Over Death
Christ felt death's pangs and endured the cross, paid humanity's full ransom by giving His life, and broke out of the tomb in triumphant victory, thereby conquering death and the grave. He endured the cross and conquered death and the tomb as the risen victor. By that victory He defeated Satan and broke the devil's power over death. Through Him people can overcome Satan in His name, and Satan's defeat means his power and kingdom will end and he himself will ultimately die.
His resurrection robs death of its former terror for the Christian. It assures the final resurrection of the righteous dead and of those who sleep in Jesus at His second coming, when He calls the just from their graves. Those raised with Him are samples of the redeemed who will rise at that call. In the morning of the resurrection when the dead come forth, the redeemed will cry victory over death and the grave, with the gates of heaven opened before them and the eternal reward given. This victory is God's gift of eternal life, immortal glory, happiness, and peace through the merits of Jesus Christ, who did not die in vain.
The chapter lays the full stress of the gospel on the resurrection of the flesh. That is the truth the apostles continually insisted on to excite diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness in the followers of God, and which primitive Christians believed. The hope of immortal blessedness at death has led to widespread neglect of that doctrine, until the glorious truth of the resurrection has been almost wholly obscured and lost sight of. Human history is marked by transgression and suffering but also by divine sacrifice and victory over death and sin. The future life is free from temptation and the possibility of sin because its inhabitants have withstood evil and are no longer vulnerable to its power.
That victory is won by overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil in a warfare in which Christ helps at every step, with angels around and heavenly agencies working with man. It is won by laying hold of His divine nature by faith, by surrendering mental, moral, and physical powers to His service to win souls, and by having Christ formed within as the hope of glory. It requires purified hearts, contrition, and steadfast, unmovable abounding in the work of the Lord, leading to dwelling in His presence, beholding the King in His beauty, and praising Him with an immortal tongue. His followers must therefore give intense, persevering effort to save the world from sin by living and working as He did. Jesus vanquished death while clothed in humanity and, now glorified as Chief Physician and God over all, stands beside every true earnest God-fearing physician to relieve suffering and prolong life when prayer will glorify His name, and gives endless life to all who believe in Him and endure to the end.
The serpent's wound of sin bruises soul and body, and Christ supplies the balm in Gilead to heal it, working through believers who in faith treat suffering bodies, watch for souls, and apply the prescription to the bruises sin has made. The hope of resurrection and deliverance soon to come brings consolation even amid grief, when death may hold a person in the grave for a little while but cannot hold that person forever. The risen Jesus and His victory over death and the grave is the hope and comfort behind His meeting with the discouraged disciples.