August 21, 2019

BIBLE READING: I Corinthians 15

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul mentions SIX things in this passage that we are to take note of. Let me mention the first FIVE that are the subjects of Paul’s instruction.:
1. DEATH
2. STING
3. GRAVE
4. SIN
5. LAW

So let’s work backward on these this morning. The OT LAW was written and enforced because men decided that they wanted to rule themselves instead of having God be their king. The law was given, and God demanded that it be followed. The problem is that the Old Testament law was something that no man could perfectly follow. So, the failure of performing the law meant that sin would prevail. The law showed man that because man has a sinful nature, they could never completely follow the law. Remember:
* James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

So, the law shed light on man’s sin, and man’s sin lead to death, and death led to the grave. Death had power over man, or a sting, because of man’s sin. Sin is what gave death power.

But then Paul brings up the last subject:
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The reason the grave did not have victory in verse 55, is because God had victory over the grave in verse 57.
* “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord”

Today, death does not sting us, because Jesus defeated death. The grave does not have victory over us, because Jesus had victory over the grave. You can have victory as you serve God today, because Jesus had victory as He served the Father, and saved us. I guess all we can say to that is, “thanks be to God”.