Amazing - as I read 1 Cor 15, here is how Paul ends his first letter to the Corinthians, the very people he had to chastise for the silly things they were doing. As we read through his epistles, we realize that his tone was actually a lot harder to those who tried to keep the law, the Galatians, then to those who sinned. Let's have a look at these verses:
► 1 Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJV)
The sting of death is sin. Sin results in death and where does sin come from? From the law! God gave the law not for us to follow but for us to realise the standard He had set for us and that it is way too high for us!
How many of us have NEVER broken any of the 10 Commandments, much less the whole law given in the Old Testament? If we think that we can maintain our own righteousness before the Lord, then we are fools, for the Word says in Isaiah 64:6 that all our righteousness are like filthy rags.
Jesus went one step further even when He cam to earth - He said He did not come to do away with the law but to FULFILL it! (Matt 5:17). He was the answer to the law, the Lamb of God, to be sacrificed once and for all. To underline the sheer futility of trying to keep the law, He said in verse 20 that unless our own (so-called) righteousness exceeds that of the pharisees (who tithed even on mint and cummin - talk about splitting hairs), we would not be saved!
And we all recall the passage He preached after this, how if we are angry, we have committed murder, how if we looked at someone in lust, we have committed adultery, how if we divorce, we have committed sexual immorality etc.
How many times have you heard this preached as a standard for behaviour, how we should try not to sin as Jesus had "prescribed" here? That wasn't His point! It was to tell us the sheer futility of trying to keep the law! If we really took His teaching literally and really wanted to not sin, we should cut off the arm, pluck out the eye that caused us to sin. Yet, how many Christians do we see going back to the Lord voluntarily maimed for the sake of not sinning? No... thank God for His goodness:
► 1 Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
The sting of death is sin. Sin results in death and where does sin come from? From the law! God gave the law not for us to follow but for us to realise the standard He had set for us and that it is way too high for us!
How many of us have NEVER broken any of the 10 Commandments, much less the whole law given in the Old Testament? If we think that we can maintain our own righteousness before the Lord, then we are fools, for the Word says in Isaiah 64:6 that all our righteousness are like filthy rags.
Jesus went one step further even when He cam to earth - He said He did not come to do away with the law but to FULFILL it! (Matt 5:17). He was the answer to the law, the Lamb of God, to be sacrificed once and for all. To underline the sheer futility of trying to keep the law, He said in verse 20 that unless our own (so-called) righteousness exceeds that of the pharisees (who tithed even on mint and cummin - talk about splitting hairs), we would not be saved!
And we all recall the passage He preached after this, how if we are angry, we have committed murder, how if we looked at someone in lust, we have committed adultery, how if we divorce, we have committed sexual immorality etc.
How many times have you heard this preached as a standard for behaviour, how we should try not to sin as Jesus had "prescribed" here? That wasn't His point! It was to tell us the sheer futility of trying to keep the law! If we really took His teaching literally and really wanted to not sin, we should cut off the arm, pluck out the eye that caused us to sin. Yet, how many Christians do we see going back to the Lord voluntarily maimed for the sake of not sinning? No... thank God for His goodness:
► 1 Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
It is in living in this freedom, where we can say:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
Then Paul goes on to say
► 1 Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJV)
We have been set free, forever to be unshakeable, unmovable, without a consciousness of sin, for it says in Hebrews 10:
► Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. (NKJV)
and
► Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (NKJV)
so that we can do the work of the Lord, knowing that we will have a reward, that our labour is not in vain, that we won't one day find ourselves cast away. Everything we do now is followed with rewards from the Lord. In this power then is the ability to start walking and living according to what Jesus had said, but without the consciousness of the sin should we fail!
Walk with your head high, knowing He has made you clean! Free to do the work of the Lord!
For a deeper appreciation of this, read Romans 6,7 and 8 slowly and let the Word speak to you. Paul is reiterating this point there!
Be blessed!
Chris
Referenced verses:
► Mt 5: 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ (NKJV)
