The Power of Death

Death is a two-fold definition in the Christian vocabulary: (1) physical and (2) spiritual. The word of God says that “the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life”, which is both physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23 KJV). The physical aspect of this death is exactly what comes to mind: heart stopping, breath eliminating, tragic, sorrowful, death. The only thing that God hates is sin (trespasses; any action or though against God’s word or the nature of God) and if we, as human beings, continue in it He will allow sin to engulf us into its own destination: a burning hell. The spiritual aspect is derived from the second part of this scripture, “but the gift of God is eternal life”, in conjunction with several others including Romans 6:2-4, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein...Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…even so we also should walk in newness of life”. In order to have eternal life we must die out to sin first. We must become fully focused and sold out to God. The lusts of this world must be totally forsaken. When the name of Jesus Christ is applied (stated) when submerged in water (baptized) we are buried into Christ’s death and all of our past sins are washed away and buried. This is the spiritual death because we have now died out to sin. When we come up from the water, we are new creatures without sin. In this state, having forsaken sin and having a mind and heart that desires and is focused on God, He is able to complete his salvation plan (please read Acts 2:38, John 3:5, Acts 19:1-7). We have the option to choose whether to use this power of death for life or for destruction.

Like all powers (power of words, art, music, love, etc.) death can be and is used for both good and bad. And like all powers, the conductor is the one who ultimately makes the choice of utilizing his/her power for the good or for the bad. What is wonderful about God is that we have the choice to do as we please with our powers. If we choose to use words to build someone up, we can; if we choose to use words to tear down and destroy, we can. If we choose to use music as a platform to uplift and encourage, we can and vise versa. Like wise, every human being can also choose a life of sin, which equals to physical death or can choose to die out to the lusts of this world and live a rejuvenated life unto Christ. Through something so free and beautiful as choice, men and women around the world hold a vital responsibility to employ this power that we have with keen wisdom because life depends on it. We can choose to employ death in a way that would lead to an end or we can choose to use death as a means to a beginning. The choice is ours. Choose wisely.