THE POWER OF DEATH

Jesus Christ is the last sacrifice for the saving of mankind. Nevertheless, it is most important that we truly understand how this sacrificial offering actually saved us from damnation. Consider Romans 5:9-11 :

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received theatonement.

This is very important. “We have now received the atonement.” That is the part of the gospel that is landing in many theologian’s gray areas. But there is no need for confusion. We will simply take our time and break down the facts as the scriptures convey them.

Romans 8:12-16

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Let us be sure to keep the intent of the writer here in context. The theme throughout these passages is the flesh and our relationship with it. Having been born again, we are warned to mortify or put to death all the deeds of the flesh we once walked in. It is not expedient for the children of God to use the body of Christ to satisfy their own lust. For it is made clear to us that the body is the bone of his bone and the flesh of his flesh. (Eph.5:30).

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Jesus said to the rulers of Israel, “You are of your father the devil; and his works will you do.” It was the spirit of satan that lived in us before salvation. He lived in our flesh, initiating the law of sin and death in the flesh.

This law of sin in the flesh, made it impossible for us to walk in righteousness. There was no way we would be able to please God. Paul said it like this;

Romans 7:22-24,

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Thank God for his faithfulness. He has taken possession of the body. It belongs to Him now. It is His temple. But we also need to see the deliverance the writer here called for. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

This passage of scripture also forces us to look a little closer at our definition of death. We know that God warned Adam and Eve that to disobey God would mean certain death for them. But this is another gray area for some that need to be cleared up. For that cause we will start with the Bible’s exposition on death.

Romans 5:12-14

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

That one man we know to be Adam. Here is where we discovered that God truly deals with seed, whether it be righteousness or unrighteousness.The man Adam sinned, and his seed became corrupt. This meant that Adam’s sin was passed down to all men. With sin also came death. Therefore, death too was passed down to us all. The ‘spirit of death’ brought about corruption to flesh, taking away its health and eventually bringing it down to the grave. But it is also worthy to note here that this was the plan of the enemy; because death was able to enter the world through sin.

Hebrews 2:14

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

the point of focus now is that Satan has the power of Death. He used this power to separate man from his God, and to destroy his body at will. Thus, sin and death became a law in the body of men.

13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

There was no law given in the days of Adam in his generations before the flood to identify each act of sin. They were all considered the children of disobedience. Therefore, the scripture declares in

1 Peter 3:19-20;

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. Though there was no Civil Law that would identify sin per say,...

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

It is very important that we understand the concept given here. Disobedience is the child of Satan. He is the author of sin and a murderer of the creation through the power of death. Death ruled mankind on the earth and in the grave. That is the power of the grave, ‘the spirit of death.’

Listen to Solomon’s knowledge of death.

Ecclesiastes 8:8

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

The children of Adam have no power to withstand death; and once they enter the grave, there is no release or dismissal. They are powerless.

Death is a prison for the body and souls of all who reject God. Consider these passes from the prophet:

Isaiah 24:22

And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Isaiah 42:7

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

There is but one who can deliver both body and soul from the grave. His name is Jesus. He has earned the right to do so. He overcame sin with righteousness. He overcame the grave by the power of the right of resurrection. Therefore, the prophet foreseeing these events, speaks of them in Hosea,

Hosea 13:14

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: …