What is this power?
It is "...the power of sin that leads to death."
Romans 8:2
Sin causes physical death and a second death. Romans 8:10b says "...your body will die because of sin"
Scripture also tells us that after the earthly body dies, there is a perpetual destruction called "the second death."
Here is how the Bible states this:
“Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire.
This lake of fire is the second death.” Revelation 20:14
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 21:8
It is eternal:
"when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might," 2 Thessalonians 1:7b-9
You can see that there are 2 groups who suffer punishment of eternal destruction:
1. Those who don’t know God
2. Those who refuse to obey the gospel (good message) of our Lord Jesus
A passage in Mark 9:47-48 also demonstrates that the second death is endless.
"If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.”
"But I'm not a bad person" we might respond, "how can this be?"
It has to do with a privilege, but let me start by showing you that even with God's solution, people loved the darkness rather than the light.
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."
"Now this is the basis for judging: that the light
has come into the world and people loved the
darkness rather than the light, because their
deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil
deeds hates the light and does not come to the
light, so that their deeds will not be exposed."
John 3:17-20
This should help clarify.
Look at this razor sharp observation by pastor and author, Scott LaPierre, from his book Marriage God’s Way on page 71.
Read these two verses below.
The first describes God's love for us:
John 3:16 “For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
The other, only three verses later, describes our love for the darkness:
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
The same original Greek word for loved, agapáō, is used in both of these verses.
It’s the SAME kind of love. Why is this significant?
Scott LaPierre observes:
“Agape loves even when it’s not reciprocated. Man loves sin even though sin does not love in return. In fact, sin does the opposite, the wages of sin is death. Sin's response to those who love it is death.”
(*Note agape is the noun form and agapáō is the verb)
In exchange for our love, sin gives us death.
"For the payoff of sin is death" Romans 6:23
Yet each one of us has partaken.
"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3:23.
"as it is written 'No one is righteous, not even one'" Romans 3:10
Why are we even subject to the power of sin?
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” Romans 5:12
"Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners." Romans 5:19a
Scripture does not state that we were held guilty for Adam's sin. Rather, Adam's disobedience brought sin into the world and death through that sin.
When sin entered the world, it spread and rendered us sinners. It became the means that brought condemnation.
"So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind,"
Romans 5:18a NASB
Why did God even allow the possibility for sin?
We can see, at least in part, that it has to do with the purpose God has for mankind (see video Explain Evil) and the privilege you were granted because of it. It's the same one Adam received. Let’s look at Genesis 2 right after God created the first man (Adam). Ask yourself as you read, what did God give Adam here? Hint: it's not something visible to the eye.
8 “Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
15 “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
He gave him the privilege of free will. God gave him a warning command, but still granted him the choice to obey or disobey. You've received the same privilege but with free will comes the possibility for evil.
So who is responsible for sin? Who caused corruption in the world?
“These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” 2 Peter 1:4b
We are responsible. Our own desires caused the corruption.
Evil is a consequence of our freedom to choose. (See video Explain Evil)
How does sin happen?
It is a result of our own desire.
"But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." James 1:14-15
We choose sin which brings eternal destruction for the possibility of temporarily fulfilling our desires. Yet how many times have you heard “as long as you’re happy, that’s the most important thing?” We all want happiness, I understand. Hold that thought, we’ll come back to it. For now, just observe the risk in thinking that way.
What is sin?
"Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness"
says 1 John 3:4
That there is lawlessness tells us there is law and that God has requirements.
There is a bit of history to know about the law because it provides the basis for the course of your own life. Acts 17:25b-28a says:
“He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.
For in him we live and move and exist."
Originally, God gave the law to Moses for the people of Israel. God had chosen Israel to be a holy people and belong to him. He also did this to bless all the families of the earth through the promise he made to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3:
"Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great,
so that you will exemplify divine blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, so that all the families of the earth may receive blessing through you.”
As you will soon see, you have access to this blessing given to all the families on earth. This isn't just history. It applies to you now.
So why was the law given?
"Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." Galations 3:19 -22
The law was also protective until we could be made right with God through faith:
"Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.
Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Galations 3:23-26
People became aware of their sinful condition through the righteous standard of God's law. Romans 3:19-20 explains "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
But the law was designed to last only until
...the promised coming of the child (see Galations 3:19 above)
So is there a way to get free from the power of sin?