Escaping Death Through Death

At the beginning, Man was created in God’s image and likeness. This special and distinct attribute made him indestructible. It seemed that everyone, but man, knew that the only way to destroy man is to make him do it to himself. We see this in several instances in the Bible, like in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), the judgment of Egypt (Exodus 14), and also in the story of Balaam and the children of Israel (Revelation 2:14).

In the garden, all the interrogation and subtle words of the serpent to Eve were to create an inward desire (a craving, lust) in her so that she could self-destruct. So Man fell from His ordination because of his own actions.

“The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:4-6.

After the garden experience, the original Man was lost. No matter how much man tried to return to that original state of God’s image, he could not. His actions always led to death, as the wages of sin is death.

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

The consequence of being under sin’s rule is death. This death comes at different levels, but the most critical is spiritual death. Sin separates us from God, who is life Himself. Paraphrasing, sin separates one from the source of life. The question now is, “If this is true, why don’t we drop dead immediately we sin?” “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die”. Ignoring the serpent’s deadly wisdom, one should understand that everything outside God is death both now and in the world to come (separation from God for all eternity in intense agony).

Sin can also result in physical death:

“Therefore, God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.” Romans 1:24

“And as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.” Romans 1:27

Sin works by first decapitating the spirit man, darkening the soul and then slowly decomposing the physical body. “so that their bodies would be dishonored among them [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin]” Romans 1:24 AMP. The Amplified Bible calls it the degrading power of sin. This power is at work in drug addicts or sexually indecent individuals, those who have contracted STIs and those whose members have been damaged in their service to sin.

Thankfully, God’s wisdom provided a way for man to break free from the rule of sin and have dominion. This provision also came as death. Death is the end of a thing and at the end of a thing is the beginning of another. This provision of death made by the Cross ends a man’s degraded and corrupted nature and imparts a divine and consecrated nature into that man’s spirit.

“Knowing this, that our old Man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” Romans 6:6-10

Dear Reader, the power of God at the Cross deals with the nature that produces the desires which entice you to sin. Once that nature dies, sin cannot have dominion over you because you are now dead to it and have the life of God in you. Your role is to work out that life by God’s Spirit until it flows out from your spirit into your soul and then your body (Philippians 2:12-13).

Satan tempted Eve through her eyes (body), thus creating a desire in her soul, which led to the fall of her inner man (spirit). God’s work begins in the spirit and flows outwards; Satan’s work begins in the body and flows inwards. This is the gospel of Christ that brings salvation, and I am not ashamed of it. With Faith, accept it, and you will see its power at work in your life.

So what do you think?

1. What are those things that prevents one from a life free from sin?
2. Is a life completely free from the power of sin actually possible?