The Man Who Destroyed Death

The Man Who Destroyed Death John R. Petrilli Perhaps the title caused you to do a double-take. I wouldn’t blame someone if they did just that! How can death itself die? Now that’s one question even the greatest minds wouldn’t have even a theory about. Truth be known, death has been vanquished. How? By a Man. Yes, but how can a man destroy death? By dying. What ???? Believe it or not, what I just stated is possible. Best yet, it already happened. “Jesus Christ has destroyed death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:10 OK, here’s how that worked. Jesus was a man. But He is also God. His death on the cross paid our sin debt, thus cancelling out the death penalty owed us by our sins. “Christ died for our sins” … “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 56-57 Death is more than a topic for philosophical discussion. It’s real. It’s powerful. It’s so real the Scriptures personify it … “O death where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 To most of us the word death implies the cessation of life or existence. But that is not at all what it means. Death involves a separation. Physical death involves one’s spirit being separated from one’s body. Spiritual death involves one’s spirit being separated from God. People who die without Christ continue to exist, they just live in a state of total separation from God and everything good (in the place we refer to as hell). When Jesus paid the penalty for sin, He cancelled out death’s capability to separate us from God. “By His death Jesus destroyed him who had the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Heb. 2:14-15 THE POWER OF DEATH HAS BEEN RENDERED INOPERATIVE, INACTIVE, OF NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER! We only fear the unknown. Through His resurrection Jesus showed us there’s life beyond the grave, so believers no longer have anything to fear. Besides, for the Christian, death is now only a shadow anyhow (“Yes, although I walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death, I will fear no evil.” Psalms 23:4) Keys in the Scriptures are symbolic of authority. After His death and resurrection, Jesus snatched the keys of death and hell out of Satan’s grasp. “Do not be afraid. I hold the keys of death and Hell.” (Revelation 1:17b-18) Now Jesus has all authority over death, and grants immunity from its power to all who repent and receive His gift of salvation by faith. But Jesus isn’t simply in the death-demolition business. He’s in the life-restoration business as well. Our key verse states that He’s also brought light and immortality to light. For millennia Satan has been blinding people, keeping them in the dark about who Jesus is and what He’s done to save them from their sins. But that darkness has been totally dispelled by the cross and empty tomb! On resurrection morning the light dawned as never before, clearly revealing that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God and Savior of the world! His resurrection also brought immortality to light. Because of Easter morn, we can now know with certainty that there is life beyond the grave. We possess an immortal inner nature, meaning, there is a part of us that will live on forever, long after our mortal, physical bodies expire. Some call it the soul or spirit. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that, for the true believer, death isn’t the end. Instead, it’s the beginning of an eternally blessed existence in the presence of God Himself. Now THAT’S good news!