The Sentence of Death
By Marsha Iddings
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in
God which raiseth the dead:
I picked up the newspaper last week and saw this headline: " 'Dead' Man Struggles to Get Life Back". Two men with similar names were recently mixed up. Now it wouldn't be so bad if it was just someone mixing their names up at a party, but that's not what happened. One man died and the living man was declared dead by mistake. A death certificate was issued and the ball started rolling. Social Security now has him listed as dead. Department of Licensing has invalidated his license. He is considered dead by all the legal institutions. He is legally dead and the dead man is legally still alive. He has had to hire an attorney to help prove that he is alive and the dead man is dead. It's a legal nightmare. He has the sentence of death on him legally. He is trusting his lawyer to resurrect his life legally.
We all have the sentence of death in us physically. Each day our bodies age and decay a little more. We are moving closer to physical death. Some of us seem to be moving that direction at a faster rate than others. J That's why the Psalmist says in Psalm 90:12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Are you trusting in God who raises the dead? This is the wisdom the Psalmist refers to. If we are not trusting God who raises the dead, then we have the sentence of death in us spiritually as well. Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Apostle Paul encountered many physical trials that brought him close to death. He said the purpose of it all was so that he wouldn't trust in himself, but in God who raises the dead. Who are you putting your trust in? Are you self-sufficient, trusting in yourself and your own works or are you trusting in God who raises the dead? Put your trust in Him and your life will end in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:52, 54-57 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.... So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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