The Sting of Death

The Sting of Death

“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” 1 Cor. 15:56.

Death does not have a sting without sin. If your life is Christ, then death is gain. Phil. 1:21. We can see this so clearly when there is someone who is afraid to die. But when he breaks through to the forgiveness of sins, he enters into death with praises on his lips. It is the sting of the scorpion that is poisonous and causes so much discomfort and death. Rev. 9:5, 10. When sin is out of the way then the sting with its poison, discomfort, and death is also done away with.

Jesus Himself is the best evidence of this. It wasn’t just that Jesus did not commit sin—transgress the law—so that He had a good conscience and as a result did not have to fear death, but His flesh also did not see corruption. It wasn’t just that death did not have power over His spirit; death also did not have power over His flesh.

David prophesied about this when he said, “Moreover my flesh will also rest in hope.” Acts 2:26-32. Jesus was born of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3), and sin was condemned in Jesus’ flesh. Rom. 8:3. All the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily. Col. 1:19, 2:9. When Jesus partook of the flesh and blood like the children, it became a way on which He had to go. Heb. 2:14. This is a completely new way to life. This is the new and living way which Jesus consecrated, and this way went through the veil, that is, His flesh. Heb. 10:20. When Jesus had completed His walk on this way, He did not just have a clear conscience (Heb. 10:2, 9-10)—for the sting of death had never reached that far in Jesus’ life—but the sting of death in the flesh was also taken away. Sin was condemned in the flesh. Death did not have power over His body. His flesh did not see corruption. He went the way to life. No wonder this way is called the new and living way. He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim. 1:10.

Jesus did not go the way instead of us, but He consecrated it for us. He tried it—He consecrated it—He opened it up for traffic. Now He says, “Follow Me.” Paul says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” We, too, have these exceedingly great and precious promises about partaking of divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:4. Subsequently, it is not sufficient for our sins that weigh on our conscience to be cleansed away by the blood of Jesus; we must go the way to life daily. We must take up our cross daily by suffering in the flesh to cease from sin. 1 Pet. 4:1. In order to go this way, we have to receive the Spirit of Christ—be baptized with one Spirit to be one body. 1 Cor. 12:12-13. Then if we are led by the Spirit, sin will also be condemned in our flesh. Then we are not only one Spirit with Jesus, but we are also one flesh with Him. That is the bride of Christ. Paul says that this is a great mystery. Eph. 5:30-32. Christ is the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, but afterwards those who are Christ’s will be made alive at His coming. 1 Cor. 15:23. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal. 5:24. They, too, have the sting of death in the flesh taken away. However, none of them have gone the way to the very end so that their bodies might not see corruption. Yet Paul pursued it that he might attain it. Phil. 3:10-11.

All those who are Christ’s go on the new and living way. They partake of divine nature and have become one with Jesus to some degree. They walk in the Spirit of Christ in constant victory over the sting of death—also in the flesh—by presenting their bodies in the ministry of righteousness as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God. They are the ones whom Jesus can make alive at His coming whether they have fallen asleep or are alive. Death does not have power over them when Jesus comes to fetch His body. Eph. 5:23-27. However, death continues to have power over those who do not go or have not gone on this way and who do not belong to Christ. This applies to those who have fallen asleep and to those who are still alive. Death and Hades will only be cast into the lake of fire after the final resurrection. Rev. 20:13-15.

Those who have not had the sting of death in their conscience taken away by Jesus’ blood do not have their names written in the Book of Life, and they, together with death and Hades, will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

From this we understand how great is the glory of those who follow Jesus on the new and living way. Paul even praises God for the Thessalonians who had been taken out for salvation through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and faith in the truth, because they would gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. 2:13-14. Jesus is not ashamed to call them brethren who partake of sanctification. Heb. 2:11.

There are not just two groups—those who are saved and are along in the rapture, and those who remain and are lost. We see clearly that from among those who were not along in the rapture, nor in the first resurrection, and who were not made alive before the end of one thousand years, there also are many whose names were written in the Book of Life. Rev. 20:4-6. What is the difference then between those who are along in the rapture and those who remain behind, but who have their names written in the Book of Life? The difference is that the first have presented their bodies in the ministry of righteousness so that the sting of death (the law of sin in their members, Rom. 7:23) was also condemned in their flesh, and they had partaken of divine nature, whereas those who remained behind had only the sting of death removed from their conscience by the blood of Jesus.

The last had partaken of Jesus’ imputed righteousness, whereas the first are members of the body of Christ and have been conformed to His image. This is the right of the firstborn. Many people have sold it for the greatness of this world and a good life. May Paul’s prayer be fulfilled in the lives of all those who are in the church, and in the lives of many more: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” Eph. 1:17-20.