Transcript The Last Enemy

The Final
Enemy
"For He must reign until He has
put all His enemies under His
feet. The last enemy that will be
abolished is death"
"By the sweat of your face you
shall eat bread, till you return to
the ground, because from it you
were taken; for you are dust, and
to dust you shall return"
"For since by a man came
death, by a man also came the
resurrection of the dead. For as
in Adam all die..."
"Skeptics ridicule the biblical narrative
regarding the commencement of
death. It is viewed as an absurd myth
that belongs to the Stone Age. But no
infidel can explain why death occurs.
If ‘life’ had the ability to ‘jump-start’
itself, as evolution’s theory of
spontaneous generation asserts, why
can’t it sustain itself within the
individual?" (False Ideas Regarding
Death, Wayne Jackson p. 2).
Helps Clarify
Some Things
• If death is simply something natural, then it was
God’s will that people die, suffer, get all sorts of
lingering and painful diseases and so on.
• However, if death is an intruder, a consequence of
sin entering into the world, then God did not
create man to die or suffer.
"He was a murderer from
the beginning"
• God is pictured as the giver of life and the
One who has devised a way to be liberated
from spiritual, eternal & even physical death.
(1 Corinthians 15)
Romans 8
“For the creation was subjected to futility, not
willingly, but because of Him who subjected it
in hope; 21 because the creation itself also
will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. 22 For we know that the
whole creation groans and labors with birth
pangs together until now.”
• Because of Adam’s sin, the physical universe
was put under a curse (Genesis 3:17).
• The physical creation, including the animals
have often paid the price for man’s rebellion
(Genesis 8:20-22; 7:21-23).
“For the creation was subjected to futility, not
willingly, but because of Him who subjected it
[in hope]; 21 because the creation itself
also will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. 22 For we know that the
whole creation groans and labors with birth
pangs together until now.”
"we ourselves, having the first fruits
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting eagerly for
our adoption as sons, the redemption
of our body"
“And God will wipe away every tear
from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the
former things have passed away.”
Hebrews 11
"By faith Enoch was taken
up so that he should not
see death."
• This verse would seem to answer the
question, "If man had never sinned, how
would he then get to heaven?"
• This verse reveals that God had a method of
moving people from earth to the spiritual
world without the suffering, agony, pain and
discomfort which is so frequently associated
with death.
“For since by man came death,
by Man also came the
resurrection of the dead.”
“To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your
sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring
forth children; Your desire shall be for your
husband, and he shall rule over you.” 17 Then to
Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice
of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which
I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall
eat of it all the days of your life.”
“Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth
for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat
bread till you return to the ground, for out of
it you were taken; For dust you are, and to
dust you shall return.”
• If death is simply natural, then are we being
unspiritual for not being really eager to die?
– "Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through
death He might render powerless him who had the
power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver
those who through fear of death were subject to
slavery all their lives" (Hebrews 2:14-15).
• Righteous people in the Old Testament had a fear
of death.
– David and other Psalmists often cried out to God for
Him to deliver them from an early death;
– (Psalm 88 "A Petition to Be Saved from Death";
116 "Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death";
116:3 "The cords of death encompassed me, and the
terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and
sorrow").
"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will
mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know
which to choose. But I am hard-pressed
fromboth directions, having the desire to
depart and be with Christ, for that is very
much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is
more necessary for your sake"
• The only thing which makes death "useful" is the
fact that Jesus died and arose again, and that we
have become a Christian.
– "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once
and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27)
– “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of
those who kill the body, and after that have no more
that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear:
fear the One who after He has killed has authority to
cast into hell". (Luke 12:4,5)
"But we do not want you to be
uninformed brethren, about those
who are asleep (dead), that you
may not grieve, as do the rest who
have no hope"
Hebrews 2
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken
of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared
in the same, that through death He might
destroy him who had the power of death, that
is, the devil, 15 and release those who
through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.”
• Even the Old Testament made clear that God is in
control of death (Deuteronomy 32:39 "It is I who
put to death and give life“).
– It seems clear that the devil didn’t have the inherent
power to inflict death upon people at will, for if he
did have such power, then why didn’t he kill men and
women right after they sinned and hence cut off any
opportunity for repentance?
“To this day, the devil
still uses death as a
tool to enslave people!”
• That they simply refuse to talk about the subject
and hence they never make the preparations
needed, especially the spiritual preparations.
– Yet, in the gospel we are told what to do so we can
face death with confidence (Philippians 1:21-23;
2 Timothy 4:6-8).
• Because they fear the unknown.
– However what lies beyond death is no mystery
for the person who overcomes their initial
fears and starts reading the Bible
– "and brought life and immorality to light
through the gospel“ – 2 Timothy 1:10
• Because they fear the pain & suffering which is
often associated with dying.
– God doesn’t promise an easy death or painless death,
even for the Christian.
– John the Baptist, Jesus, and Stephen all experienced
unpleasant deaths.
“For I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us.”
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our
outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day. 17 For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the
things which are seen are temporary, but the things
which are not seen are eternal.”
• As it is linked with the corruption of their body,
the darkness, and the loneliness .
– Paul pointed out that death can’t end the
relationship we have with God (Romans 8:38-39).
– Dying is simply going to be with the Lord.
(Philippians 1:23).
• Because they fear the punishment or consequences
for how they have lived or not lived in this life.
– “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the
Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who
do not know God, and on those who do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power,” – 2 Thess. 1:7-9
• Because they have accepted the idea that death
means a cessation of existence, that it is truly the
ultimate end of one’s existence.
– However, Jesus pointed out that an eternal existence
lies beyond death, and that the dead are very
conscious (Luke 16).
Conclusion
• Do I fear “death”?
• Have I made death “useful” in
applying the body of Christ?
• Do I live “in hope”?