Death Destroyed by Death, Death is Swallowed up in Victory (Romans 3:23, 1 Corinthians 15:54-56)

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” – 1 Corinthians 15:26

“I am the resurrection and the life.” – Jesus, John 11:25

We saw earlier how the wages of sin were paid, and the sin that divided man from God overcome. Paul writes that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23; sin is the just effect of man’s original sin) and that “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). That is, since death is the effect of sin, death depends on sin for its power. So when Christ’s death paid the full and final price for sins and satisfied the demands of the law (see “Atonement,” Hebrews 10:12, 9:15), he stripped death of its sting – it’s as if Christ ripped Death’s fang’s out in the act of dying (Colossians 2:15). Death was destroyed by death. We arrive at this beautiful paradox simply by combining Paul’s two powerful statements, just cited. Death couldn’t handle Christ – the evil one couldn’t overcome God’s deeper wisdom and greater power (1 Corinthians 1:23-24) to bring victory out of the cross.

“‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

“God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” – Acts 2:24

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” – Colossians 2:15

“…Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

And thus it was that on the third day Jesus Christ the Son of God rose from the dead, bursting forth in triumph and glory and shining his light on all creation. The Son has risen, and he rose because his death had defeated Death. This is the power behind the resurrection which compelled the apostle Paul (Ephesians 1:19-20, Philippians 3:10), and it is rooted ultimately in God’s character, in his sacrificial love and commitment to justice and to his own holiness. With infinite wisdom God designed the cross, revealed himself more than he could have any other way, atoned for our sin, defeated death, and destroyed evil finally and completely. It is finished. God has suffered. The price has been paid. Death is defeated. The Son has risen.