“ Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law ”
1 Corinthians 15:56
According to the Chapman University Survey on American Fears, Americans fear public speaking above all things! Next they fear heights, then bugs, snakes, and other animals! Amazingly not on the list is death! We are more afraid of rejection and judgment from our peers more than we are of losing our lives!
This fear survey reflects how much we've become disconnected from certain realties of the dangers we face everyday. It may sound like old-fashioned religion, or something you remember your Grandmother telling you about, but the thing we should really be concerned about is the thing Jesus came to save us from...sin.
Sin is not a popular word. It has become taboo in a lot of conversations because we are afraid of "not" being politically correct. We are afraid of offending someone or sounding like a religious fanatic.
The awesome thing is, is that God is not concerned with using the word because He loves us so much, He is willing to bring up the dangers we are unaware of. In 1 Corinthians 15:56, we learn exactly why we should be concerned about sin. Namely because sin is the sting that results in death. It is the thing that will hurt more than our feelings. It will inevitably cause us to face the judgment of God if we don't receive the anecdote!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about death. It's not about fearing sin. Yet it's not about living with fear! It's about God's love to rescue us from death! It's about life! God knows we've all sinned. It doesn't pay to try to hide it from Him. His eyes have seen all things. He knows we've all been bit by the sting of death!
God's love doesn't desire to judge us. He desires to save us. How? He has to separate us from our sin. He has to remove our "rap" sheet of sin.
Jesus, the Son of God, didn't ultimately come to the earth to simply teach morality, or to perform miracles of healings, or even to just die on the cross! He ultimately came to rise from the dead. Why? Because when Jesus died on the cross, He took our sin and destroyed it! The power of our sin was put on Him, and nailed to the cross! At this point though, the work was still incomplete. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day with new life demonstrating He overcame the power of sin and death! It's the ultimate picture of His eternal life.
God wants us to understand that we should fear sin if we are without Him, because it will kill us, and send us to eternal punishment in hell. This is why God the Father sent the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ! Jesus is the anecdote to that sin! He brings forgiveness and rescues us from the judgment of God!
Steve Hannett is the founding Pastor of Abundant Grace Christian Church and Jesus Reigns International located in NJ. He carries a powerful apostolic, teaching, and healing anointing with signs, wonders, and miracles. He serves as local faculty with the Antioch School of Leadership, and is an apostolic leader with Christ Covenant Coalition.
