Voiding the Death Certificate
The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26 NASB
Will be abolished is – If you read this verses in the NASB, it appears that Paul projects the destruction of death into the future. At some unspecified time, death will finally be overcome. It will be abolished. But the verb, katargeo, in this verse is a present, passive, indicative. This isn’t an action yet to be accomplished. According to Paul, it is a present reality.
How is this possible? Men still die. In fact, all men still die. How can Paul say that death is destroyed? The answer lies in the principle of “first fruits.” Paul begins this discussion of the implications and power of the resurrection by stating two unquestionable facts. First, Yeshua has been raised from the dead. If this were not so, our faith would be useless (verse 17). In fact, we would still be in our sins. The second undeniable fact is that Yeshua is the “first fruits of those who are asleep” (verse 20). What does this mean? The principle of “first fruits” would be well known to those in the Messianic community. It is the principle from the Tanakh that what is offered to God as the first of the harvest sanctifies all the rest of the harvest. In other words, God’s acceptance of the first accomplishes the same acceptance for all that remains. What this means is that Yeshua’s obedience and subsequent resurrection is accepted by God and distributed to all who follow Yeshua. What He accomplished is passed to all who call Him Lord. In other words, His resurrection is the guarantee that we who follow Him will also experience resurrection. Just as death could not hold Him, so it will not hold us. Death is no longer operative as a present reality because our true position is with the first fruits of Yeshua’s resurrection.
In fact, the verb that Paul chooses (katargeo) means “to condemn to inactivity,” “to make inoperative,” “ to destroy.” Yeshua’s resurrection makes death a non-issue. Death no longer holds sway over us. It no longer defines our lives. Of course, until His return death still occurs in this broken world, but it has been stripped of its power – now! I am not waiting for some future day for death to be made ineffective. That is true for me right now. I am not afraid to die. I am not afraid of death no matter how it manifests itself because death is done. Like the last grasps of a fish out of water, it is only a matter of time until we all see the end of the story. But just like that fish out of water, it is already finished!
The ESV and NIV translate this word “to be destroyed.” Perhaps that is a bit better. At least it doesn’t explicitly push the event off into the future. The NKJV does no better than the NASB. But the tense suggests that this is a present fact. Death receives its restraining order – “no longer in force.” Yeshua applies His first fruit principle to the final terror of Mankind and dismisses it as irrelevant. Some day all we see that this fact is already in place, but Paul knows it now, and so do we.
Topical Index: death, katargeo, first fruits, 1 Corinthians 15:26
Skip, your fish analogy was perfect, it really drives the point home with an emotional gasp.
This is why He is called the second Adam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOAlmLDi3m0
Carl, I prefer the hymns God always gave you.
After this, I will say it no more, I wish you’d not let those who are inundated with words stop you from pouring out into your posts all that is in your heart.
It is a fact that these days some (not all. yet.) minds have been trained to brief spurts — short blurbs/mere flashes of thought/composition — sort of like it must fit on the fluffy top of a cake.
The titles alone of the old books went on for many paragraphs.
Not many can bear that anymore. Nor pass the 8th grade exams of yonder year.
Here is an example of what I said above:
I cannot recommend this book, for I haven’t finished reading the title yet! LOL: http://oldbooktitles.tumblr.com/:
Some collections I CAN highly recommend are stored in the Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/sundayschool/
Of course, if you have decided, like Paul, (1 Corinthians 9:19-23), then God (continue to) Bless you, and full speed ahead!
Thank you Dorothy, I will continue to write as God gives me inspiration and TIME! (Time is “both” our enemy and our friend!), but “life” often gets in the way of living, and none of us gets to do what we want to do “all” the time; life is not all honey and no bees! lol!
Also, here lately, my chest cavity has become a temporary (I hope) home to some micro “bad-nasties” and the little critters are most certainly doing their dead-level best to put a crimp in my daily “ebb and flow,” and as for today, my “get up and go” has got up and left!
I’ll be back, but for now- it’s R & R and R! Time heals all wounds and wounds all heels, and I thank you so much for your kind, encouraging words that most certainly lift my spirits.
Right now, it’s ~ commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; (in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in wealth!) and He shall bring it to pass ~ Or, for those who might wish “a shorter scripture,” – …(no explanations are necessary are they?)
~and it came to pass! ~
I laid my fingers across your name and prayed for your soon improvement, — not forgetting to thank God for the healing rain from heaven that has already washed your soul clean.
Sending a bouquet of songs to you and your nurse 🙂
Some may read these as words on a page, but for those of us who know them by heart, the words sing themselves from the page. Enjoy.
O HAPPY DAY!
O happy day, that fixed my choice
On Thee, my Savior and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Refrain:
Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day:
Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away!
O happy bond, that seals my vows
To Him Who merits all my love!
Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
While to that sacred shrine I move.
It’s done: the great transaction’s done!
I am the Lord’s and He is mine;
He drew me and I followed on;
Charmed to confess the voice divine.
Now rest, my long-divided heart,
Fixed on this blissful center, rest;
Here have I found a nobler part;
Here heav’nly pleasures fill my breast.
High heav’n, that heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life’s latest hour I bow
And bless in death a bond so dear.
DAY BY DAY
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.
For other brothers and sisters for whom the page doesn’t sing: 🙂
http://youtu.be/Ixy7M7oDwQc
Carl,
Praying that you will find wholeness and rest in the beloved King.
YHWH is King!
Dorthy,
What is your point to write on this blog? What is your agenda for continuing your verbose?
Why do you seem to want to create dissension for what is the direction and emphasis of Skip’s teaching?
Why do you seem to discredit most who write on this blog?
Do you walk in fellowship with any who write on this blog?
Do you think insulting others is an effective way to communicate or make your point?
Brian, it has not been my intention to insult you. I regret than you feel I have done so and ask forgiveness from you and any and all who feel I have plotted to insulted them.
None should feel discredited who think differently than me, and I cannot (really) believe they do feel that way. Certainly NOT Skip! I think most are mature and can stand their own ground in discussions.
2 Peter 1: 2
Dorothy,
You are still avoiding my questions snd I would appreciate a reply. I am not seeking a personal apology from you. I am not insulted by you. I am angry that you seem to bring intentional dissension to the group.
By the way, I have noticed a patterns of yours when confronted with questions like this. You answer with an apology and still avoid the actual questions. I would appreciate if you would quit doing this and answer the questions.
YHWH is King!
Then to not further upset you, Brian, I withdraw my apology to you.
I WILL answer your shotgun-spray of questions, IF you will first answer mine.
If you do not, then neither will I answer you.
Are you my Lord? What makes you assume I am answerable to you?
If you see my name on a post, why not skip reading the content and do something else more profitable to you?
Why are you afraid/huffy of someone disagreeing with you?
Remember, I did not contact you except for that time I offered you a book that I thought might be of help. I’m not, in the least, bothered that you didn’t care for nor accept it, (you’re free!) but I still think I did what I was supposed to by offering it. (And that, little brother, is between me and God.)
What is your point to write on this blog?
I seek to share what I have learned and am learning, and hope in the process to ask questions that cause others to think differently and allow them to pursue further research and needed questions.
What is your agenda for continuing your verbose?
I seek to be succinct in my words and have no hidden agenda (I am frustrated with Christians’ lack of understanding of the beauty and grace of Torah).
Why do you seem to want to create dissension for what is the direction and emphasis of Skip’s teaching?
Please show me a specific instance and I will evaluate and clarify if needed. I do not write to cause dissension, but encourage and edify.
Why do you seem to discredit most who write on this blog?
I know that there have been times that I have responded inappropriately to others . . . I will work on this and not take others’ posts or questions personally.
Do you walk in fellowship with any who write on this blog?
Yes, I walk with others in a community who read here and know Skip personally.
Do you think insulting others is an effective way to communicate or make your point?
Again, please show me where I have done this and I will seek to reconcile or clarify my words and position.
YHWH is King!
You didn’t answer MY questions, Brian.
(You answered most of the ones you asked of me!)
Now I see — you know Skip personally, that makes you better than me. Right?
And you are sick and tired of Christians who don’t know how to walk in beauty and love like you do ???
I would like to clarify what I meant by, “Yes, I walk with others in a community who read here and know Skip personally.” I have talked to Skip on the phone, but do not know him personally. Although, I fellowhip in a community with people who know Skip personally.
Hi Dorothy,
“It is a fact that these days some (not all. yet.) minds have been trained to brief spurts — short blurbs/mere flashes of thought/composition — sort of like it must fit on the fluffy top of a cake.”
This really do not sound gracious.
I am one who dislike long posts, preferring not to distract from Skip’s Word of the day, rather, to focus and meditate what he is trying to teach. Many I’m certain know and remember and love the old hymns, but I do prefer Hebrew Scriptural worship songs these days.
Would you like me to post some here for you, but that would take up too much space? Heaps of them on Utube.
Perhaps you and Carl ought to correspond privately to share and reminisce those songs, just a suggestion.
Blessings to you.
Thanks for the link Carl…probably ought to watch that every day.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ (the second Adam) shall all be made alive.
Thanks Dorothy! just beautiful! I do love each of these songs and would love to sing each and all of them more often! Just put me in the choir!- (please!) lol!
I believe my favorite (danger, y’all- were are entering into the arena of ‘personal preference!’) singer of “O Happy Day” is one Larnelle Harris from one of my favoritist albums (CD’s?) of all time: “From A Servant’s Heart”- very rare and hard to find, he gives me “gospel-bumps,” but lo’ and behold,- it’s all good,- isn’t it?
Yes, Dorothy.. “if only” – if only we would pay just a little bit more attention to the lyrics of these “old,” (yet somehow timeless!) hymns- (these folks knew the ONE they wrote about,) – not a doubt, in this man’s finite mind.
Amazing isn’t it? How God always gives us what we need and when we need it (Grace for the moment!) and how God always speaks TO a human heart THROUGH a human heart; in this case dear sister,- it was you! Thank you for caring and thank you for sharing. I might be just one “well-rested” night of sleep away from waking up tomorrow- “new and improved!”
~ Now may the God of peace–who brought up from the dead our LORD Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood–equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in all of us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.~ (Hebrews 13.20,21)