Where is Death's Sting?

I struggle to find a way to effectively write these thoughts; on the one hand, while I know that through grace there is, "eternal encouragement and hope," I'm also acutely aware of real pain, the real hurt, and the real sting of death.

I've been thinking about these things - death, particularly - over the past week. While I was thinking and praying for a friend, a verse came to mind: I Corinthians 15:55. And, because I tend to be a bit of a skimmer of sorts, these specific words came to mind, but not their context:

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

And I sat there and thought, 'I know where the sting of death is... I have experienced it. These words seem foolish and naive. What is Paul talking about?'

The context makes it abundantly clear. Paul is giving hope and encouragement to the people of Corinth as he encourages them to hold on till the promised day of redemption. And he says, in verse 54 - "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

Then the saying that is written will come true... how I wish those words applied today! How I wish there was no longer, "a time to mourn... and a time to weep." But it is not that time - not yet. Paul goes on in verse 56: "The sting of death is sin."

Where, o death, is your sting? Everywhere! Death was brought to the world through sin - and sin defines this world. In this cursed world, the sting of death is everywhere!

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Stop for a moment, and consider these words. Just pause, and let them sink into your heart.

Yes, death still has sting - here, on this perishable earth. Yes, death still reigns, here in this mortal, sinful world. But it is passing away.

But it is passing away!

The victory of Jesus Christ - tied directly to a historic action - his death and resurrection - provide for us concrete hope. Hope, tied not to whim or desire, tied not to chance or possibility, but tied to fact and reality, gives for us an assurance that this world apart from Christ cannot even consider! Through Jesus Christ, though we suffer under the sting of death yet - though for a little while we still have cause to mourn and weep, we are assured victory.

Listen to how Paul describes this truth: He says we have, "knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness — in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time (Titus 1:1-2)."

Christian hope is so different. Christian hope is founded on the character of God; on His truthfulness and His reliability. It is not a whim. It is not a wish. Hope is concrete. As Christians, we can go so far as to say that hope is fact!

And this should encourage, and reassure us. While we taste and feel death today - we hope in the day where we will proclaim, "Death has been swallowed up in victory!" And we hope in assurance and trust, and reliance. And faith.

So hope.

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If you're interested in doing a little study yourself, go ahead and turn to I Corinthians 15 and read verse 58 - the passage immediately following the one we just spent time in. Think about what our hope through Christ might have to say about our lives now; Paul has strong words to say about our current responsibility.