Lesson 14

Sin brings upon us a judgment of death.

The truths of God examined were as follows:

Because of the entry of sin into mankind through the first man Adam, the judgment of death came upon all men, because all men "sinned in Adam" (Romans 5:12, 18-19).
All men have thus inherited from Adam his sinful nature (the flesh), and all men sin, thereby coming under the same judgment of death.

The judgment of God on Adam's sin also caused the earth to come under a curse, so that man had to struggle with the earth's corrupted forces to earn a living (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:19-21).

Moreover, man lost rulership of the earth to the devil when he listened to the devil, and the devil at present controls all evil men and the whole world (Ephesians 2:1-3; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 John 5:19).
He also uses the forces of nature to destroy man (Job 1:1-19).
The sin of others, besides Adam, also brings the judgment of God upon the sinners as well as those associated with them.

The death of Jesus on the cross, His descent into Hades, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension and session at God's right hand provide the answer to all the judgment of God.
Everyone who has believed in Jesus need never ever suffer from God's judgment on sin again, for Jesus has suffered on our behalf.

Jesus came to this earth to pay the penalty of our sins.
He took the judgment of God for our sins on Himself.
This saved us from God's judgment when we believer in Jesus, and opened the door once again for us to enjoy God and His kingdom riches (John 3:16).

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believers in Him shall not perish (die) but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights as sons of God (Galatians 4:4).

Thus when Christ Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth, He

Though He was tempted by the devil, in a manner similar to all of us, Jesus never sinned (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15).
By the use of the word of God, Jesus was able to rebuke the devil whenever He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11).

For we do not have a High Priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who HAS BEEN TEMPTED in every way, just as we are - yet who WITHOUT SIN.
(Hebrews 4:15)

Because of his obedience to God, He could offer up His sinless life as a sacrifice, acceptable to God, for our sins (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the OBEDIENCE of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous.
(Romans 5:19)

God made Him who had NO SIN to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21)

When Jesus died on the cross and descended into Hades because of our sins, He paid the full penalty of our sins.
This penalty is spiritual death, which is separation from God and condemnation in the eternal fires of Hades (Luke 16:19-23).

For our sake, Jesus was separated from God's presence for three days and three nights in the midst of Hades.
After He was in Hades for 3 days and 3 nights, His death for man's sin satisfied the justice of God, and God raised Him from the dead (Matthew 12:40).

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
(Matthew 12:40)

Having satisfied the full judgment of God, death could no longer hold Jesus legally (Acts 2:24). Death had no more power over Jesus (Acts 2:24).
God would not leave Jesus in Hades, since the judgment on sin (death) has been paid for (Acts 2:26-27, 30-32).
Thus Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God.

But God raised Him (Jesus) from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE for DEATH to keep its hold on Him.
(Acts 2:24)

Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him (King David) that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was NOT LEFT IN HADES, nor did His flesh see CORRUPTION.
(Acts 2:30-31)

When we believe in Jesus, we will no longer face spiritual death (separation from God) but receive eternal life (John 3:16).
This is because Jesus has suffered death already on our behalf for our sins.
In other words, we no longer come under the judgment of death for our sins or for Adam's sin.

The devil controlled man because of the judgment of death on man.
The devil ruled man because He had the power of death.
But since Jesus has overcome death through His sacrifice on the cross and His descent into Hades, He has therefore also overcome the devil, who had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).

Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that BY HIS DEATH He might destroy him who holds the POWER OF DEATH - that is, the devil.
(Hebrews 2:14)

In other translations, the word of God says that through His death, Jesus "brought to nought and made of no effect him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14 Amplified Bible). Satan has been brought to nought by Jesus.
In other words, Jesus conquered Satan and stripped Him of His power and authority, as follows:

Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus personally disarmed all the demonic forces of darkness (principalities, power and authorities) (Colossians 2:15).
He took away the power of the devil and his forces over men because of man's sin and the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).
Jesus legally took away all their power to hurt man.

And having DISARMED the powers and authorities. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
(Colossians 2:15)

Philips Translation of Colossians 2:15 says that Jesus "exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated, in His final glorious triumphant act!"

In Christ, we also have won this victory over the devil.
He is a defeated foe without any power over believers of Jesus who live in righteousness.

Part of the powers of the devil that Jesus took from the devil were the keys of Death and Hades (Revelations 1:17-18).
In other words, it is no longer the devil who has the power to bring all men to death in Hades.

For those who have believed in Jesus, their sins are forgiven, and their souls redeemed from spiritual death (separation from God).
And when they die, they do not enter Hades, but into the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Thus the risen Lord proclaimed to John on the island of Patmos,

"Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! and I hold the keys of Death and Hades."
(Revelation 1:17-18)

As Jesus has paid the full penalty of our sins through His death and burial, the destruction of the redeemed by the devil is no longer legal.
Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroyed the devil's work.
(1 John 3:8)

The works of the devil in our lives, because of the judgment of death due to sin, are as follows: spiritual death, curses, sicknesses, poverty, fears, calamities and physical death.

However, all believers in Jesus have been set free from the works of the devil.
In other words, we no longer have to suffer the attacks of the devil in our lives.
However, this is only operational and effective for believers who are walking in righteousness, and who believe in the work of Jesus on the cross for them.

The devil no longer has any legal rights to touch a child of God who is walking in righteousness.
Instead, we rule over the devil and everything else on this earth in Christ.
In Christ, we have the authority over the devil (Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17; James 4:9).

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all the power of the enemy (the devil); nothing will harm you.
(Luke 10:19)

Thus after repenting of our sins, we are exercise our authority in Christ and break the power of the devil's work in our lives.
We can then begin receive by faith all the blessings of our life in Christ, including healing and health, protection and guidance, riches and wealth, peace and joy, etc.

Having broken the power of the devil over man, Jesus recovered the authority of man to rule over the earth from the devil (Matthew 28:18-20).
And al those who believed in Him have the right to use this authority (Matthew 18:19; 18:18; 28:18-20).

Although the earth is still under God's curse, man in the proper use of his spiritual authority over the earth can set creation free from its bondage to decay and rule the earth for the glory of God (Romans 8:19-21).

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be LIBERATED from its bondage to decay (corruption) and brought into the glorious FREEDOM of the CHILDREN OF GOD.
(Romans 8:21; 9-21)

Thus creation around us can be liberated from its curse when believers begin to enter into their glorious liberty as sons of God.
In other words, when believers begin to know and use their authority to rule this earth in accordance with the will of God, creation will be set free from decay, and will work for the good of God's kingdom.

Thus, in the name of Jesus, by faith in the promise of God and by using his spiritual authority, man can rule over nature, e.g. commanding rain to stop, tress to bear fruit, commanding recreation of body parts, etc.
According to our level of faith, we can nullify the natural calamities that the devil brings about to destroy the people of the earth (Job 1:1-22).

Because of the unrelenting decay of the earth through the curse of God, man will still die physically, for man is made of the earth.
Physical death is the last enemy yet to be conquered (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).

Nonetheless, the devil no longer controls the believer's physical death.
Our earthly lives are in the hands of our Lord, who can call us home anytime after our work on earth is done.
No believer ever need to die physically from the oppression of the devil (sicknesses, poisoning, accidents, etc).

Physical death is ultimately defeated when the Lord Jesus comes again.
At that time, we will be raised from the dead with a new glorious, spiritual body at His second coming (1 Corinthians 15:20-57).

We have learnt in the previous lesson that the sins of others can cause the judgment of God come upon us if we are closely associated with those who sin.
However, when we believe in Christ, we have become children of God.
We are now citizens of heaven, with a different destiny, and with the authority to change all circumstances around us on this earth.

We can therefore reverse the judgment or the impending judgment of God through repentance and prayer (Luke 13:3,5), or escape from it.
as children of God, we have the privilege of coming before God in prayer to ask Him for everything we need (John 16:23-24; Hebrews 4:16).
Our repentance on behalf of our group, city or nation causes God to forgive us our sins, and stop or stay His judgment.

When we repent on behalf of our nation, city, family or church, God forgives us and the people of our nation, city, family or church.
His judgment would then be stayed.

E.g. When the city of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, God did not destroy that nation, although it was God's plan to destroy that wicked city within 40 days from the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 1:1; 3:1-10; Joel 2:12-27).

When God wants to bring judgment on a nation or city or on a group of people, He will warn the righteous to leave (Revelation 18:4-5).
We must thus be obedient to the specific instructions of the Holy Spirit or of His angels, and flee from the nation, city or group.

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
     "Come out of her, my people,
          so that you will not share in her sins,
          so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
     for her sins are piled up to heaven,
          and God has remembered her crimes.
(Revelation 18:4-5)

E.g. When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent His angels to warn Lat, a righteous man, to leave the city (Genesis 19:1-29; 2 Peter 2:6-9).
And Lot obeyed, although reluctantly.

Without  an understanding of the judgment of God, many believers blame God when they fall into calamities and tragedies, in their personal lives, families, work and ministry.
Rather than seeking the face of God in repentance, for their own sins and the sins of others associated with them, they "self-righteously" claim that it was God's good will to put sicknesses, tragedies and disaster upon their lives.

What utter rubbish and hogwash!!! Sanctimonious sophistry!!!
No father on earth will do that to his children; what more our heavenly Father.
He is better than any earthly father, and He only does what is good (Matthew 7:11).

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.
(Matthew 7:11)

If we never learn from the judgments of God upon sin in our lives, and upon sin in those associated with us, we will never learn repentance, and the tragedy of God's judgment will repeat itself.
Neither will we learn of our exercise our victory over sin, dearth and the devil in Christ if we keep on blaming God for our tragedies.
And neither will we rule this earth in Christ Jesus for the glory of God.

Your thought

1. Do you face problems in nay of your life? List out these problems.

2. List out the true causes of these problems.

3. Has Christ provided an answer to these problems? If so, how?

4. List out the steps you would take to receive God's victory for yourself over these problems.
   (NOTE: Some of our problems come from persecution for the sake of Christ. Rejoice!)