Death Hath No More Dominion

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Romans 6: 9

Death has dominion over every one of us. It is appointed unto man once to die, and the prospect is not a happy one.

Death, in fact, has pursued us from birth. Only by the goodness of God—doubtless also by the skill of some physician— have we resisted its claims thus far. Others have been defeated in their desire—and effort—to live. We have outlived them but we have not yet conquered death. One day death will claim us. Our tongues will be stilled; our activities will cease.

This conquest by death is not what God intended for us. We were created to live, not to die. Death was unknown to Adam— before he sinned. But Satan deceived Eve and overcame Adam. So, death entered by sin.

Many centuries after Adam, a Child was born to a virgin. Because God was His Father, this child was without hereditary sin. Never did sin infect His nature. And while He lived, never did He commit a sin.

Because this Second Adam knew no sin, it was not possible for death to exercise dominion over Him, the Prince of Life. However,. Christ Jesus lived among a dying race, and His great purpose was to destroy man's arch enemy, sin, and man's last foe, death.

In order to befriend and help us, He became obedient unto death. The soldiers did not kill Him on Calvary; He had already offered Himself to God a sacrifice for sin, tasting death for every man. In and through that dying, He conquered sin and overcame death itself. We inherit that twofold victory.

We are not, therefore, the helpless victims of sin, its pride, violence, and deceit. We are more than conquerors over sin, our first enemy.

Neither are we the victims of death, our last mortal enemy. Because He conquered sin and death, this Easter we experience deliverance from the bondage of death—fear. Moreover, we are confident that when death does overtake us, we shall be captive only a little while—until the shout of that great Resurrection Morning.

"Up from the grave He arose!" By His decree one day we too shall rise to die no more. Oh glorious Easter morning yet to come— the day of our resurrection; for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

-George E. Failing