Online Bible Verses - 1 Corinthians 15: 55-57 Bible Study: Victory Over Death

““Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 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: 55-57

Two deaths scripture speaks of. The first, physical. Almost everyone will experience it. I say almost for two reasons. First, the Bible tells us that Enoch and Elijah may have been swept up directly from earth by God. The qualifier “may have been” is used because I have seen arguments and debates to the contrary by individuals who have apparently studied scripture in much greater detail than I. So I can’t say for sure.

There is a another group who may not die physically. Upon Christ’s return, whether it be via rapture or otherwise, some may not die physically. Again, there are a few different viewpoints on this matter as well, by those more theologically qualified than I . That said, the thought of Him coming back while I am still here is a hopeful one. Current events, considered in concert with prophecy, seem to make the possibility not altogether unrealistic. Check out Daniel and Revelation.

The second death spoken of is spiritual. It is a death which might prompt any and all of us to consider the potential reality of Gospel truth. The prospect of it is more frightening to me than the scariest of scary movies. The first time in my life that I considered it is still clear in my memory. I was on a camping trip with my family. My dad used to load us up in the station wagon with our camper in tow. I think we were at a state park in NY or NJ. I slept in the top bunk, where there was not enough clearance to the ceiling where I could even sit up. As I lay there at night, the cramped confines of the bunk made me feel trapped. For reasons that only He knows, God spoke to me. His message, the trapped feeling I had was akin to eternal separation from Him. At that moment, I knew that feeling was one I did not ever want to experience. He had planted a seed in my heart that would not be fed and grow until much later, but I would never forget it. That feeling would grow over time, and would later prompt me to seek Him in earnest. But it wasn’t really me doing the searching, it was Him doing the calling.

As I often say, “Gospel” means good news. And the good news is that nothing has power over God, including the second death. And because of Him, death has no power over me either. There is no reason to fear either form of it.