“The Sting of Death” 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

“The Last Four Things”

A Sermon Series

“The Sting of Death”

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Introduction

This four-week series helps us understand what the Bible says about the end of life and what follows after death. The congregation will finish the series confident that God is just and has good plans for those who love him.

Sarah Winchester’s husband had acquired a fortune by manufacturing and selling rifles. After he died of influenza in 1918, she moved to San Jose, California. Because of her grief and her long time interest in spiritism, Sarah sought out a medium to contact her dead husband. The medium told her, “As long as you keep building your home, you will never face death.”

Sarah believed the spiritist, so she bought an unfinished 17-room mansion and started to expand it. The project continued until she died at the age of 85. It cost 5 million dollars at a time when workmen earned 50 cents a day. The mansion had 150 rooms, 13 bathrooms, 2,000 doors, 47 fireplaces, and 10,000 windows. And Mrs. Winchester left enough materials so that they could have continued building for another 80 years.

Today that house stands as more than a tourist attraction. It is a silent witness to the dread of death that holds millions of people in bondage (Heb. 2:15).

Hebrews 2:15 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

 

 Death Defined

We begin our study at the beginning of creation, man was originally designed to live forever, but because of Adam and Eve’s sin of rebellion they were cursed by God, Genesis 3:22-23 “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.” Adam lived 930 years but eventually died. Death became apart of every person’s life because we all inherit a sin nature from Adam – and we cannot take of the tree of life.

Death is God’s grace so that we don’t have to live in a fallen state forever.

Death is inescapable, so in wisdom we face it as a reality. For most people death comes slowly, it the end of a process of decay or our mortal bodies. We are born, grow up, reach a physical peak, then we begin a downward progression. Out strength fades until the body fails. For some it comes quickly, and unexpectedly.

Jesus says in Matthew 10:28 (Luke 12:4-5), “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” In our being we have a physical body, and a soul. Ecclesiastes 12:7 “and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” So at death there is a separation of the physical body, and the spirit. James tells us that the body separate from the spirit is death (James 2:26). So death is not the end of one’s existence, but a transition from one state of existence to another.

“In addition to physical death, Scripture speaks of spiritual and eternal death. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body; spiritual death is the separation of the person from God; eternal death is the finalizing of that state of separation – one is lost for all eternity in his or her sinful condition.”[1] Both happened to Adam and Eve when they partook of the forbidden fruit; physical death hundreds of years later, spiritual death happened immediately after they sinned. From that point on, something had to die in order to cover their sin and shame.

Ephesians 2:1-2 tells us that apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing us unto salvation, we are spiritually dead “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—” Apart from a relationship with Jesus, you are spiritually dead (in your trespasses and sins).

The eventual eternal death is what Revelation 21:8 calls “the second death.” “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

There is a time while we are physically alive, that we can be made spiritually alive or remain spiritually dead, and in that state (while physically we perish) we transition on to eternal life (to be with God forever), or we transition to eternal death, the second death, where we remain apart from God forever. While we are alive physically we can choose spiritual life or remain in spiritual death, and upon our physical death we remain in that state for eternity.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All have sinned and fall short of God’s requirements to enter His presence and to live with Him in eternity. But in His grace He offers as a gift, eternal life through faith in His Sin Jesus. We earn death (eternal spiritual separation from God) because of our sin – God offers salvation through faith, by His grace. But again, the ability to choose eternal life is limited to this life, while we are alive.

For the unbeliever death is a curse, a penalty, an enemy.[2] Because it is what locks them into their state of rebellion and sin forever. That person is cut off from God not only in this life (the curse of sin), but also in the next (the curse of death). For the believer death still happens but the curse of death is gone. Jesus became the curse for us by dying on the cross (Gal. 3:13). When the believer transitions into eternal life, they are free from the curse of sin and death; they go to be with their heavenly Father.

In chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, after a lengthy discussion about Christ’s resurrection he turns his argument to praise and celebration. Once we understand that death has no hold on us, we sing this victory song with Paul.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

In this passage Paul is discussing Jesus’ return, and the resurrection of the dead. But it is also the final end for death. In order for believers to inherit eternal life, “There must be a change by death from the natural body to the spiritual body.”[3] Jesus after His resurrection appeared to the disciples, and His body was changed (Heb. 2:14) before He returned to the Father. So flesh and blood, that which is perishable cannot inherit the kingdom of God that which never perishes or diminishes.

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Paul is telling us mystery, not all who believe in Jesus will die. When Jesus returns, all those who are alive will not die, but he says, “we shall all be changed.” Those who are believers will receive the resurrection body. But this also includes all who have put their faith in Christ and have already died. They too will be changed.

(v. 52) “in a moment,” this is from the word “atom” – which at the time was thought to be the smallest indivisible There will be a moment in time when Jesus returns.[4] There are three phrases used, “in a flash,” “in the twinkling of an eye,” and “at the last trumpet.” All are instantaneous (not a process). When you hear the war[5] trumpet everything changes. When the trumpet blasts, instantly all those Christians will be given incorruptible bodies – prepared for eternity.[6]

1 Thessalonians 4:16; “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” Matthew 24:31 “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”[7] 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?[8]”

There has to be a time in the future when every believer must change from this earthly body, and “put on,” to put on as a garment, their new spiritual body. They will move from perishable to imperishable.

 (v. 55) When Jesus was raised from the dead, he broke the power of death for those who put their faith in Him. But it still remains our enemy. It breaks up relationships, it causes grief and loss, it disrupts families, etc. We don’t fear death, but it still torments us.

But upon Jesus;’ return, we will say “O death, where is your sting,” – scorpions have stingers, bees have stingers, snakes have fangs with poison, “the serpent death has lost his poison fangs. “Death still stings because of sin and the law, and death continues to reign over the believer in this age; but God promises the final victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (15:57).”[9]

Paul is giving us a vision of “a stingless death because Jesus has absorbed the sting on the basis of how his death and resurrection addresses the problem of human sin and law.”[10] Christians still die, but we go to be with God, the sting of consequences of sin have been removed. The fangless serpent death strikes, but it has no fangs.

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

(v. 56) “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Where there is law, there is rebellion against that law, which is sin. The law tells us what sin is, and we are not able to keep the law. Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because wall sinned—” Sin means “to miss the mark;” the mark is set by the law.

So, we cry out to God in thanks, that we have victory over sin through Jesus. “We cannot live sinlessly and thereby fulfill the law, nor can we remove sin once we have committed it, or remove the consequences, which is death. But on our behalf Jesus lived a sinless life, fulfilling the law, removed our sin by Himself paying the penalty for it, satisfying God with a perfect sacrifice; and conquered death by being raised from the dead.” [11]

(v. 57) “who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Paul is not referencing a future victory over sin and death, when Jesus returns and we enter into eternity – instead, God gives us the victory, and even better “he keeps on giving us the victory” “The victory is bestowed upon us hour by hour.”[12] God keeps giving and our proper response is thankfulness, “But thanks be to God.”

(v. 58) Therefore, “be steadfast, immovable,” “to continue on, keep on becoming steadfast, unshaken.”[13] It has the idea of being seated, motionless. We approach the mission that God has given us with a steadiness and assurance. There is nothing that can pull us away from, “always abounding in the work of the Lord.” We are pulled away by false doctrine, fear of death, or the sense of failure. Our hope in Jesus’ resurrection and in His return is our motivation to remain faithful. Don’t allow your heart to be drawn away from the work of the Lord – be steadfast in it.

We must remain connected to our moorings in faith because we know that “your labor is not in vain.” Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”

Paul’s view on Death

Philippians 1:20-23 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

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[1] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, Second Ed. (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academics, 1998) 1175.

[2] Erickson, 1177.

[3] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures In The New Testament, Volume IV (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 198.

[4] Robertson, 198.

[5] W. Robertson Nicoll, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume II (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967) 941.

[6] See Acts 7:59; Phil. 1:23

[7] Isa. 25:8

[8] Hos. 13:14

[9] Mark Taylor, The New American Commentary, 1 Corinthians (Nashville, Tennessee; B&H Publishing, 2014) 411.

[10] Taylor, 414.

[11] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Corinthians (Chicago, Illinois; The Moody Bible Institute, 1984) 446.

[12] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1963) 751.

[13] Robertson, 199.