WHEN DEATH SHALL DIE!!!

A DAY WILL DAWN WHEN DEATH WILL BE ABOLISHED FOREVER

The last enemy to be abolished is death. Already our Redeemer has robbed the grave of its victory by rising from the dead on the third day. The empty tomb, the credible eyewitnesses, the transformed disciples, the observance of the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day—all this point to the reality of His resurrection. Yet death continues to overshadow us and ours. We receive new life as we believe in the Gospel and welcome the living Lord within, but mortality still affects us. The day will dawn, however, in the providence of God, when Christ shall return and the dead shall be raised. Because He lives, we too shall live see, (John 14:19)” A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. The scythe of death, the grim reaper, shall be sheathed forever. “O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

I love the way Apostle Paul puts it and he clarify deeply how, the resurrection of Christ and how our bodies shall be transformed. E.g. 1 Cor 15:12-28 “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up- if in fact the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile: you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen  from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also come the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order; Christ the firstfruits, afterwards, those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when he says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him that God may be all in all.”

Apostle Paul continues to warn us not to be deceived see, v33-58- “Evil Company corrupts good habits.” He further speaks thus, “A wake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame.” But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? He calls these foolish ones, “What you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain – perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of celestial is one, and the glory of terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

Just as there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, different of ministries but the same Lord and one body with different members, so the glory of the creation differs but One God is the creator of them all. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown in a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also those who are made of dust; and is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Paul continues to say, “That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold he tells us a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “O Death, where is your sting? O Hade, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, Apostle Paul and I Grace Favor urge you,” to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Hallelujah, Amen.” 

THE DEATH OF THE SAINTS—ACT 7:59, 60

Scripture affirms, and experience confirms, the universality of death. It comes to kings and commoners, saints and sinners alike. Stephen was a man filled with the Spirit of God, gifted with administrative abilities as well as the power to proclaim truth courageously e.g. (Acts 6:1-10). But even Stephen was not spared from suffering the insults of lying accusers and the death of a martyr. Christians die, as do non- Christians. This is a fact of life, with which we must reckon realistically.  The difference, however, is found the way we face death. Stephen shows us how to do it. He was faithful to the last, serving the Lord. He departed without resentment, praying for the pardon of his foes. He committed himself to the ascended Christ, knowing that beyond the grave there would be glory in His presence e.g. (Ps. 16:11; 31:5; 73:24) and Ps. 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

TRUE LIFE, TRUE DEATH- Job 14:1

In the Bible there are two kinds of life and two kinds of death. There is physical life, given by human mothers, and spiritual life, which can only come from God Himself. Nicodemus, a religious leader, was confused about these two kinds of life see, (John 3), as are many today. This ignorance also extends to physical and spiritual death. Both deaths can be defined by one word, and that word is “separation” Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body, while spiritual death is ultimate separation in hell from Almighty God forever. Compare Genesis 5:5 (physical death)”All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.” with Matthew 25:41 (spiritual death),”Then He will also say to those on the left hand,’ Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and His angels”. In the Book of Job the suffering patriarch had questions about life and death. During one speech (Ch. 3) he lamented the fact that he had even been born. His own wife had already advised him to simply give up and die (2:9). But through all his pain and suffering he displayed that kind of faith God desires in us all, especially illustrated by Job’s trust even if God were to take his life. Job was committed to wholehearted confidence in his future bodily resurrection by the power of his living redeemer (19:25).

NO MORE DEATH- JOHN 5:24-26

There is everlasting life to those who hears God’s Word and believe. “Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Again He says. “The hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has live in Himself, so He granted the Son to have life in Himself. “The first mention of death in the Bible is found in (Gen. 2:17), in which God warned Adam while still in Eden that disobedience to a specific command concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil would result in death. Adam did disobey and all mankind immediately became subject to both deaths (Gen 3).  But thanks be to God for sacrificing His Only begotten Son Jesus Christ the God man, known as the last Adam whose task was to undo the damage done by the first Adam. This He accomplished on the cross. When He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He meant the horrors of spiritual death would never be experienced by anyone who receive Him as Savior. But what of physical death? It is painfully evident that the grave still claims the most devout Christian. Will this fearful enemy ever be destroyed? Indeed it shall be, for at His second coming physical death shall be forever annihilated.

Let’s close with this prayer from, 2 Tim 4:18, “Abba Father and our Lord, may You deliver us from every evil work, and preserve us for Your Heavenly Kingdom. To You be Glory forever and ever, Amen! And Amen! And  Amen!”

“Grace to you and Favor from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen. “