The Sting of Death

There are dangerous insects all around us which can sting and hurt us, sometimes fatally. Some are very ugly! But when such insects lose their sting, they can no longer harm us, and they become safe creatures. Paul compares death to such insects.

Death is like a stinging insect which frightens us and causes us to want to run from it. Death has the sharp sting of sin. Paul intends to say that if there were no sin there would be no guilt, and death would not have its hostile character. But death is so dreadful because it is a punishment for sin. Paul knew about this personally. He says in Romans 7 that sin slew him when its sting stung him, figuratively speaking. He felt worthy of death because of the damning sin in his life.

Is sin really that bad? Is its sting that terrible? Yes, the strength of its sting is very great, for its strength comes from the law. Sin is a breaking of God's law, and therefore the guilt of sin is so great and the sting of death has such strength. Paul would not have found sin so corrupt if he had not recognized that the commandment of the Lord condemned him. He wrote expressly in Romans 7:9: “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”

We know therefore that Paul experienced what he was writing about. He died, as it were, before death came. Therefore he also knew what life is, because he knew victory. As one worthy of damnation, he looked to Christ. His Savior also endured the sting of death, and He merited life for all His children. He took the sting out of death, and therefore death is no longer so terrifying for God's children. When death stings them, it will be better for them than they expect. Its sting is now harmless and cannot damage them anymore. It is no wonder that Paul called out, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He knew from what death he had been delivered, and true thankfulness arose in his heart.

What a deliverance! Now death is no longer so terrifying, but a special exercise of faith if God's child may look that far ahead. That is not always the case with every one of God's children. They all know that they deserve death, and they have all felt its sting. All of them have taken refuge in Christ as the only Way to God. Some experience this further or deeper than others do. Here Paul looked to the other side of the grave, and he called out, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

In order for us to see this, the Lord makes us look more deeply into our depravity, there to see more of the suffering and dying of Christ, and to enjoy more of the victory in Christ. Oh, how deeply the soul is then humbled and amazed that God did so much to save sinners. What love and astonishment then fills the heart! Then God receives all the honor. “Thanks be to God.”

Do you know of such a grace? Oh, there is such abundance, and therefore it does not have to be hopeless. Beg God for His grace; seek to know your lost state through the Spirit and Word. Flee to the Savior, and do not rest until you taste of that grace. The Lord is so willing to give it. Hold fast onto that. He is not a hard Master, who reaps where He did not sow.

Not in Word, but in Power

How soon the Savior's gracious call
Disarmed the rage of bloody Saul!
Jesus, the knowledge of Thy Name
Changes the lion to a lamb!

Zacchaeus, when he knew the Lord,
What he had gained by wrong, restored;
And of the wealth he prized before,
He gave the half to feed the poor.

The woman who so vile had been,
When brought to weep o'er pardoned sin,
Was from her evil ways estranged,
And showed that grace her heart had changed.

And can we think the power of grace
Is lost, by change of time and place?
Then it was mighty, all allow,
And is it but a notion now?

Can they whom pride and passion sway,
Who mammon and the world obey,
In envy or contention live,
Presume that they indeed believe?

True faith unites to Christ the Root,
By Him producing holy fruit;
And they who no such fruit can show,
Still on the stock of nature grow.

Lord, let Thy Word effectual prove,
To work in us obedient love!
And may each one who hears it dread
A name to live, and yet be dead.

— J. Newton

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen