HOW DEATH IS ON GOD’S SERVICE? IS GOD USING DEATH Josimar Salum

HOW DEATH IS ON GOD’S SERVICE? IS GOD USING DEATH Josimar Salum

A wonderful sister in Christ , a Burundian lady, asked me these questions. How death is on God’s service? Is God using death? 

I believe death is an entity, a spiritual being. The Holy Spirit calls death the last enemy. 

““But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:20-28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Here you find these astonishing truths about this theme:

1 - The resurrection of Jesus made Him the firsts fruits of those who have fallen sleep.

Who are those who have fallen sleep? Those who are born again that have died. 

It does not say first fruit, but first fruits, because we were all in Him when He was crucified and we were all in Him when He was raised from the dead. This is from a spiritual dimension more “real” than the things we can see and touch. As Jesus has died and was raised from the dead we also have already died and resurrected from the dead literally. The Kingdom is here, but the Kingdom is yet to come.

2 - By a man death came, but by a man, the resurrection of the dead. In Christ we shall all be made alive.

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.” Romans‬ ‭5:12-14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The One who came is Christ the first-fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. 

3 - Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

These words by themselves destroy all eschatology based on dispensations and extra happenings after Jesus comes. The end (the apex of human history) is when Jesus delivers the Kingdom to the Father destroying every rule and every authority and power at His coming. 

4 - Jesus must reign until he has put all His enemies under his feet.

Jesus will not reign on earth some day and years in the future. Jesus already reigns from generation through generation. Our King Jesus already reigns and rules in the whole universe, Earth included. The Kingdom of God is not some vague reality in the future. 

The essence of the Gospel is that Jesus reigns. Without this Truth there is no Gospel at all. 

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "The Lord reigns."” Isaiah‬ ‭52:7‬ 

5 - For Jesus must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Death is an enemy that can only be destroyed after the last believer in Christ is resurrected and/or transformed into His body of Glory. 

“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:50-57‬ ‭

6 - Death as an enemy is subjected to the rulership of Jesus, but also all men, spirits, angels, in the natural and in the spiritual world are subjected to Jesus.

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Hell).” Revelation‬ ‭1:17-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Romans‬ ‭11:36‬

7 - And finally, the plain truth is that  "God has put all things in subjection under Jesus feet."

“But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” 

That is the completed fulfillment of all redemption. That is the ultimate expression of all glorification. That is what the Bible calls “the end of the world” which is in fact the inauguration of the new heavens and new earth, the Kingdom, already prepared since the foundation of the world. 

“"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew‬ ‭25:31-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

#ASONE