The Sting : When Death Reigned, Christ Came

By Pastor John Mateos Ong

Romans 7:14-20 says, “So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.”

Why is it that even when we try to avoid sinning, sin still happens? There is no question about knowing what’s right and what’s wrong. But why do we still do it? We have received Jesus but we still disobey what God wants us to do. What if in the last minutes of your life, God takes you in your sin?

Romans 7:21-25 says, “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”

Do we delight in reading the word of the Lord? When things go wrong in our life, only one things stands true - thank God He sent Jesus.

Hebrews 10:26-27 says, “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.” Do we lose our forgiveness when we sin? When we ask thatC it is evidence that the Holy Spirit is in us. As long as we are convicted, then this verse is not for us.

Don’t play with what can destroy you. The Bible does not tell us to stay away from sin. It tells us to flee from it. Sin promises freedom but delivers bondage. Once you begin, there is a tendency that you cannot stop. Sin feels good but will feel bad afterwards. Not because we believe in God, we are exempted from sinning.

Stop counting your failures and start trusting God’s grace. Romans 5:20-21 says, “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God’s grace is always enough for you. When sin increases, grace also increases. The enemy wants us to believe that our failures are bigger than God’a grace.

Stop letting fear run your life. Hebrews 2:15 says, “Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” You cannot let fear run your life. Take the step. Christians don’t have peace because they know the future. We have peace because we know the Father. The enemy doesn’t always need to kill you. Sometimes, he just needs to keep you in your own fear. Most of the time, the fears that we have are only in our head.

Death is not the end because of Jesus’ resurrection. Hebrews 2:14 says, “That through deathe He might bring to nothing him who haf the power of death.” The grave is not the end of the story. It is the waiting room for resurrection.

STOP PLAYING WITH WHAT CAN DESTROY YOU.

Because sin always leads to death.

STOP TRYING TO SAVE YOURSELF:

Because only Christ can save.

STOP LETTING FEAR RUN YOUR LIFE.

Because Christ broke fear's chains.

STOP LOOKING AT DEATH AS THE END.

Because resurrection is coming.

Death is not permanent for those who believe. Death is the beginning of something better.