O Death, Where is Thy Sting? O Grave, Where is Thy Victory? Read more...

• The Sting of Death is Sin - We find this statement in Eze 18:4, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die”. Jam 1:15 also expresses the same idea as it pinpoints the origin and progression of all sin: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death”. So we read in 1 Cor 15:56 that “the sting of death is sin ...”. The reason this is so is because, sin, by biblical definition, is the transgression of God’s Law – THE LAW OF GOD, WHICH IS THE HOLY BIBLE, as stated in 1 John 3:4, an exceedingly relevant verse. And how important is God’s Law? In Mat 5:18 we read, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”. You and I are fully aware that when we break one of the laws of our land there will be consequences, and in the case of sin the consequences are eternal and breaking one of God’s law makes us guilty of breaking all (Jam 2:10). In these verses, as well as many others in the Bible, we notice that God is linking death to sin. God had set up a test for Man in the Garden of Eden, which Man failed. God had declared that if Man were to sin, he would have to die. The death that God was talking about was not only physical death (which did result, however, as the evidence of man’s sin) – but something far worse, something unimaginable – eternal “second death” in Hell: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him [God] which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mat 10:28). We cannot begin to understand the depth of our sin and how our rebellion is such an affront to God Almighty, our Creator. Furthermore, we find this jarring truth in Rom 6:23, “For the wages of sin is [eternal] death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. May God have mercy on us as we cry to Him to deliver us from the just punishment we deserve.

Rom 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man [speaking of Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned ...”

1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Jam 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

1 Cor 15:54-57 “... Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• The Law of the Spirit of Life and the Law of Sin and Death - What is the Law? as we look in the Bible to discover the answer to this question, we find statements that can appear to be contradictory unless we harmonize them with what the whole Bible teaches to fully comprehend what God has in view. For instance, in Rom 8:2, it would seem that this verse is talking about two laws: “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” and “the law of sin and death”. Many people erroneously think that the Ten Commandments are the Law. While they are certainly part of the Law, they are by no means the whole Law. What is the Law that Adam broke catapulting this world into sin and death? We have just seen sin, by biblical definition, is the transgression of God’s Law. So, what is the Law then? It is actually the entire Bible. An outstanding example of this is Psalm 119, where the excellency of the Bible is highlighted. It is the longest Psalm (and the longest chapter in the Bible), and throughout its 176 verses all of God’s Word is described with the following terms (sometimes in both the singular and plural forms): statutes, judgments, testimonies, commandments, precepts, law, word, and ordinances. There is another crucial point that cannot be overlooked: In Eph 6:17 the Bible is referred to as, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. More evidence of this fact is revealed in Rev 1:16 as it portrays the Lord Jesus in majestic splendor and glory coming as the Judge and “out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword”. This helps to clarify the problem of the “two laws” which I mentioned previously in Rom 8:2. In essence the “Law”, or the “book of the Law”, refers to the whole Bible – the “sword of the Spirit”. The two edges of that “sword” signify its roles of either inflicting eternal damnation by the law of sin and death, or providing eternal life by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. These are the two main messages of the Gospel of Christ. Also it is important to recognize that the phrases “in the flesh” and “under the law” refer to one who is unsaved. On the other hand, the phrases “in the spirit” and “under grace” are speaking about one who is saved and set free by “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” from “the law of sin and death”.

Mat 4:4 “… It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is quick [or living] and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Rev 1:16 “And he [Lord Jesus as Judge] had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”

Rom 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

• The Strength of Sin is the Law - Sin, as we have just learned, is the transgression of the Law. Our problem with sin, and its well-deserved consequence – punishment in Hell forevermore – has to do with the fact man – though sinful – are nonetheless accountable to God for their sin, since they were created in the image of God. Also it has to do with the fact that we are married to the Law of God (Rom 7:1-6). We read in 1 Cor 15:56, “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law”. One is “under the law” or “sold under sin” according to Rom 3:21. In other words, the Bible, as the Law of God , is our enemy because we have disobeyed it, and it stands to accuse us and hold us liable to the consequences of having broken it: “... the law worketh wrath” (Rom 4:15a). Make no mistake about it God will prosecute sinners to the full extent of the law – which is eternal damnation in Hell. Num 32:23 warns “... ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out”. There is no alternative or plea-bargaining available – the Law has to be upheld by the Judge, if He is indeed a righteous Ruler. God is absolutely just and righteous both in character and in everything He does. In Deu 33:2 we find this portrait of God’s Law, the Bible: “... he [The LORD] came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them”. This amazing declaration gives us a glimpse of how binding and authoritative the Bible is. Notice how it is called a “fiery law”, and “fire” has everything to do with the justice and judgment of God, as stated in Deu 4:24, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”. Jer 23:29 underscores this as well: “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”. Not one human being will escape their rendezvous with the Judge – unless they first have a Savior. We know of course from Isa 45:21, “... there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me”. Rom 2:5-6 describes how the accumulation of sin in a person’s life will serve as the evidence for why God has to punish each person individually. Rom 2:11-13 declares: “... not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified...”. The “doers of the law” are those whom God saves, in other words, those who are set free by “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” from “the law of sin and death”. In fact, Rom 4:15a says, “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression”. Furthermore we understand from Rom 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet”. So, the reason the Law (which is the whole Bible) is called “the strength [power] of sin” is because it exposes our sin and guilt before God. Moreover, because “by the law is the knowledge of sin”, it drives God’s elect to see their overwhelming need for a Savior, as Gal 3:24 explains: “... Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ ...”. Also it is important to recognize that the phrases “carnally minded” and “the hearers of the law” refer to one who is unsaved. On the other hand, the phrases “spiritually minded” and “the doers of the law” are speaking about one who is saved.

Rom 2:5-6 “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds ...”.

1 Cor 15:54-57 “… Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Rom 7:5, 14 “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members [our body] to bring forth fruit unto death. 14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

Rom 8:6-9 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Rom 2:11-13 “For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified ...)”

Rom 3:19-20 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Gal 3:22, 24 “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”

• Death is Swallowed Up in Victory - We find these words of comfort, which reflect the hope of the Resurrection in Christ in Isa 25:8, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it”. The unfolding of God’s wondrous salvation plan is beautifully illustrated in Gal 4:4-7. God is indeed to be praised for defeating sin, spiritual death, and Hell, as 1 Cor 15:54-57 so magnificently reveals. Not only Christ redeemed us from the “curse of the law” but has also fulfilled the law for us as Rom 5:19 declares, thus ending “enmity”, or hatred, that existed between man and God because of man’s sin (Eph 2:14-17). The Greek word for “swallowed up (katapinó 2666)” is translated as “drowned” in Heb 11:29, recounting God’s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian forces at the Red Sea: “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned [or swallowed up]”. The same Greek word is also used in 2 Cor 5:4 – a parallel account to 1 Cor 15 – and relates the believers’ desire to be rid of their sin-cursed bodies and to receive their glorified spiritual bodies on the Last Day: “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life”. The resurrection of the dead will occur on the Last Day, or Judgment Day, which coincides with the end of this world, the end of time, and the ushering in of eternity for both the saved and the unsaved. Isa 14:11, which depicts Satan’s downfall, declares the ultimate destiny of Satan and all who are unsaved in Hell: “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee”. The born-again Christian has “boldness in the day of judgment” because his salvation is totally dependent on the work and faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderfully, he can rejoice in what 2 Tim 1:9-10 proclaims: “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel ...”

Rom 5:19 “For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.”

1 Cor 15:20-22 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Gal 4:4-7 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Eph 2:14-17 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

1 Cor 15:54-57 “... Death is swallowed up (katapinó 2666) in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• Thanks be to God, which Giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ - Thanks be to God! It is worth noting that the Greek word for “thanks (charis 5485)” is translated over 80% of the time as “grace (charis)”. In other words, it is God’s grace that provides salvation for every child of God through the work and the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:32). We must never forget the enormous price that the Lord Jesus had to pay to secure salvation for each Christian, as 2 Cor 8:9 declares: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich”. In reality, the Lord Jesus voluntarily became sin; and, consequently, He was guilty of us violating the Laws of the entire Bible and had to endure the penalty of eternal Hell to obtain our eternal forgiveness, which is demanded by the Law of God – the Bible (2 Cor 5:21). Bear in mind that the “death” spoken of in this quotation is eternal damnation. The only person who has actually suffered the rigors of Hell is the Lord Jesus, as Mat 12:40 portrays: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”. The phrase “heart of the earth” is a reference to eternal Hell.

1 Cor 15:54-57 “... Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks (charis 5485) be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Eph 1:6-7 “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

Heb 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

Rev 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Rev 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection [born again] : on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years [for eternity].”