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The Final Enemy. 1 Corinthians 15:25,26. "For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death ". Genesis 3:19.
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1 Corinthians 15:25,26 "For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death"
Genesis 3:19 "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return"
1 Corinthians 15:21,22 "For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die..."
"Skeptics ridicule the biblical narrative regarding the commencement of death. It is viewed as an absurd myth that belongs to the Stone Age. But no infidel can explain why death occurs. If ‘life’ had the ability to ‘jump-start’ itself, as evolution’s theory of spontaneous generation asserts, why can’t it sustain itself within the individual?" (False Ideas Regarding Death, Wayne Jackson p. 2).
Helps Clarify Some Things • If death is simply something natural, then it was God’s will that people die, suffer, get all sorts of lingering and painful diseases and so on. • However, if death is an intruder, a consequence of sin entering into the world, then God did not create man to die or suffer.
John 8:44 "He was a murderer from the beginning"
Helps Clarify Some Things • God is pictured as the giver of life and the One who has devised a way to be liberated from spiritual, eternal& evenphysicaldeath. (1 Corinthians 15)
Romans 8:20-22 “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
Consider… • Because of Adam’s sin, the physical universe was put under a curse (Genesis 3:17). • The physical creation, including the animals have often paid the price for man’s rebellion (Genesis 8:20-22; 7:21-23).
Romans 8:20-22 “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it [in hope]; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
Romans 8:23 "we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body"
Revelation 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death."
Consider… • This verse would seem to answer the question, "If man had neversinned, howwouldhe then gettoheaven?" • This verse reveals that God had a method of moving people from earth to the spiritual world without the suffering, agony, pain and discomfort which is so frequently associated with death.
1 Corinthians 15:21 “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.”
Genesis 3:16-19 “To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” 17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.”
Genesis 3:16-19 “Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Consider… • If death is simply natural, then are we being unspiritual for not being really eager to die? • "Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives" (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Consider… • Righteous people in the Old Testament had a fear of death. • David and other Psalmists often cried out to God for Him to deliver them from an early death; • (Psalm 88 "A Petition to Be Saved from Death"; 116 "Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death"; 116:3 "The cords of death encompassed me, and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow").
Philippians 1:21-24 "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed fromboth directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake"
Consider… • The only thing which makes death "useful" is the fact that Jesus died and arose again, and that we have become a Christian. • "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27) • “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell". (Luke 12:4,5)
1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But we do not want you to be uninformed brethren, about those who are asleep (dead), that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope"
Hebrews 2:14,15 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Consider… • Even the Old Testament made clear that God is in control of death (Deuteronomy 32:39 "It is I who put to death and give life“). • It seems clear that the devil didn’t have the inherent power to inflict death upon people at will, for if he did have such power, then why didn’t he kill men and women right after they sinned and hence cut off any opportunity for repentance?
“To this day, the devil still uses death as a tool to enslave people!”
People are so afraid of death… • That they simply refuse to talk about the subject and hence they never make the preparations needed, especially the spiritual preparations. • Yet, in the gospel we are told what to do so we can face death with confidence (Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
People fear death… • Because they feartheunknown. • However what lies beyond death is nomystery for the person who overcomes their initial fears and starts reading the Bible • "and brought life and immorality to light through the gospel“ – 2 Timothy 1:10
People fear death… • Because they fear the pain& sufferingwhich is often associated with dying. • God doesn’t promise an easy death or painless death, even for the Christian. • John the Baptist, Jesus, and Stephen all experienced unpleasant deaths.
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
People fear death… • As it is linked with the corruption of their body, the darkness, and the loneliness . • Paul pointed out that death can’t end the relationship we have with God (Romans 8:38-39). • Dying is simply going to be with the Lord. (Philippians 1:23).
People fear death… • Because they fearthepunishment or consequences for how they have lived or not lived in this life. • “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” – 2 Thess. 1:7-9
People fear death… • Because they have accepted the idea that death means a cessationofexistence, that it is truly the ultimate end of one’s existence. • However, Jesus pointed out that an eternalexistenceliesbeyonddeath, and that the deadareveryconscious (Luke 16).
Ask yourself… • Do I fear “death”? • Have I made death “useful” in applying the body of Christ? • Do I live “in hope”?
