All the gospel writers tell us that Jesus died on the cross.
Jesus died. The fact is so commonplace it seems strange to even
mention it. Almost hollow. Almost as if we’ve said nothing new or
meaningful. But “new” and “meaningful” are two very different
things. We’re sometimes too accustomed to thinking that meaning comes
from newness. Old truths are still true, and therefore still very
meaningful. Because a thing is familiar, because we’ve heard it before,
does not mean we can pass it by without reflecting on its meaning.
Jesus died. What can it mean to say the Son of God died? And how should the Christian respond to that news?
The death of Jesus Christ means the death of death itself. The death
of death in the death of Jesus Christ also means victory over death for
those who trust in Christ as their God and Savior.
What Exactly Is ‘Death’?
Six things.
First, death is a curse.
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:15-17)
Second, death is a wage.
“For the wages of sin is death….” (Rom. 6:23)
Third, the Bible calls death an enemy.
“Death has climbed through the windows and has entered our fortress; it has cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.” (Jer. 9:21) Death is an enemy that stalks us and threatens us. This is why we hate it so. We deserve death because of our sin, but we hate it “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:26)
Fourth, death is agony.
“In hell, where he saw he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’.” (Luke 16:23-24) “But 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)
Fifth, we can speak of both a physical death and a spiritual death.
“As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air…. We were dead in transgressions…” (Eph. 2:1-2, 5) Continue at Thabiti Anyabwile
