I Corinthians 15 has brought some new revelation to me, and I would like to share, specifically from verses 56-58. “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Here’s some food for thought…
The futility of legalism was really brought home to me this week by something my pastor’s wife, Shirley, shared about the instance where Jesus cursed the fig tree (Matthew 21:19). That story had always puzzled me as it seemed that Jesus was just irritated that there was no fruit on the tree because he was hungry, and since it was not the time of year for figs any way, I just didn’t know what to make of this story. However, the Lord never does anything without purpose and reason, so with that in mind I considered what Shirley said. In Genesis, when Adam and Eve made clothes out of leaves after they had sinned (Genesis 3:7), the leaves they used were from a fig tree. This was their human effort to cover their sins. So, looking at the story in Matthew about the cursing of the fig tree it certainly seems that Jesus used this opportunity to hark back to the first sin, when the works of man couldn’t cover the sin, as they still can’t today. The fig tree had no fruit. In Matthew 12:33, Jesus tells us a tree is known by it’s fruit. As a little side note, we are to be instant in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). Just some thoughts it consider…
I Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Again, Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. If “the strength of sin is the law”, according to vs. 58, then let our strength be found in our Savior, who is the strength and hope of our salvation. He is the same yesterday today and forever. He will always be enough.
Let the law have it’s proper place in your life; as instructor, but not dictator. Let it teach you, but not condemn and squeeze the life out of you, driving you to perform and keep up appearances. Christ has come that we may have life and it more abundant (John 10:10) The Life of Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). The Law deals with the outward appearance, but the Lord is concerned with the heart, “He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me…There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” Mark 7:6-15
Lastly, to wrap up, vs. 58…”Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Free from the law, sin, and death, let’s live for Christ; He died for us.
