“”O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NLT
What is the “sting of death”? Perhaps we can consider the analogy of a scorpion or a bee. A bee is frightening because of its stinger; if the stinger is removed, the bee can still buzz around, but it can no longer truly harm us. The Bible teaches that death only has a sting because of sin. Without sin, death would not be a punishment or a source of spiritual “poison”—it would simply be a transition.
Paul wrote, “the law gives sin its power”, This means the Law (God’s moral standards) highlights our sin, making the “sting” feel even sharper because we realise we have fallen short of those standards. But to which law was Paul referring? Usually, when we refer to the Jews and the Old Testament, the “law” we have in mind is the Mosaic Law, as found in Exodus 20, and all the rules and regulations found in the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. Human beings love structure, such as that contained in the Law, because otherwise a lawless existence results. Imagine the chaos if there were no laws in our society, and everyone behaved as they saw fit. Because of sin, society would very quickly disintegrate. Moses gave the Israelites God’s Law, as revealed to him on Mount Sinai, as a covenant, to reveal His holy character, set them apart as His chosen people, teach them righteousness, reveal their inability to save themselves, and guide them in worship and daily life. An unbeliever is justly condemned in God’s sight by the Law that was given to His servant Moses. But what about those who are not Jews? Paul wrote about them in Romans 2:14-15, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right”. Jesus Himself said this about the Law, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved” (Matthew 5:17-18).
The problem with the Law is that even when it is in place, no one can keep it in a way that fulfils God’s requirements. All it does is expose the sin that is ingrained within us. Jesus exposed the intent of the Law when He taught, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment’” (Matthew 5:21). The Pharisees were very good at keeping the outward aspects of the Law, and in this case claimed a tick in the “do not murder” box. But Jesus pricked their righteous bubble when He said, “But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell” (Matthew 5:22). In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said, “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”
Paul wrote that “the law gives sin its power” and regardless of the law, human beings, Jews or otherwise, can never be good enough to meet God’s standard on their own. We all know the verse in Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”. But rather than leave us in a hopeless situation, God sent His Son, Jesus, to take on the punishment for sin that we deserve. Paul wrote, “He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” God’s plan was for mankind to be reconciled to God. Jesus took on Himself our sins and gave us His righteousness so that we can truly be God’s children, able to enter His presence.
This is exciting for us pilgrims because we have the assurance that one day we can enter Heaven, crossing the Great Divide free from the sting of sin and death. We lived a life that started when we responded to God’s call and repented of our sins, believing in our wonderful Saviour. A quote from “Gotquestions.org”, “Christ became the end of the Law by virtue of what He did on earth through His sinless life and His sacrifice on the cross. So, the Law no longer has any bearing over us because its demands have been fully met in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ, who satisfied the righteous demands of the Law, restores us into a pleasing relationship with God and keeps us there. No longer under the penalty of the Law, we now live under the law of grace in the love of God”.
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?“
The sting of sin and death no longer appears in the hearts and minds of us pilgrims. Can we feel the flood of God’s love and grace pouring over us? Can we truly claim that the “things of earth go strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace”? According to what we believe, Jesus took the “sting” (the penalty of sin) upon himself. Because Jesus rose from the dead, death is viewed as a defeated enemy. It may still happen physically, but its “poison” (eternal separation from God) is gone. Forever.
Father God. We thank You that we never die but instead transition from this life into eternal life, where we will be in Your presence. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 