DELIVER THEM. Hebrews 2:15 Death results from sin, and the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ for sin, when He died as a sinless substitute for us on the cross, is the key to freedom from the fear of death. “Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free, for God the just, is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me.” Death has been conquered. Physical death is not the end of our existence. Believers in Christ have been given new life to live for God, free from the fear of death.
Death for the believer in Christ is a gateway that leads to a fuller experience of eternal life than we currently have. The new life awaiting us will be lived in a glorified body that will not be affected by the effects of sin that “has passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” Believers will continue to experience the effects of sin until the Lord returns or death removes us from these bodies of sinful flesh.
It was sin that brought humanity under the power of death. Physical death is the penalty for sin, and it also symbolizes spiritual death, which is the ultimate separation from God. We can’t even begin life with the possibility of living a sinless life. We start life with a sinful nature that we inherit. “Death has passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” The law of God gives sin its power because it reveals our sin and condemns us because of it.
The writer encouraged Jewish believers that victory over sin and the condemnation of sin brought by the law has been won through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fear of death does not enslave us, but we can live purposeful and meaningful lives. Our service and lives are dedicated to His victorious cause. He will reward faithfulness when He comes to take us home to be with Him.
Sadly, the fear of death has led humanity to create its own gods in imagination. Some try to convince themselves that nothing follows death. Others build religions to align with their views of what they need to eliminate the fear of death. The more they do, the worse the fear becomes until they decide to block out thoughts of death with “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!”
The voluntary substitution of our sinless Lord Jesus Christ has completely broken the power of death. He holds the keys of life and death. By dying, “He slew death.” Now, “death is swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Because He could and did defeat death, we have been set free from the fear of death. Death is not the end but the door to new life with Christ [Phil.1:23], absent from the body [2Cor.5:6-8] with a new body at resurrection [Phil.3:20-21], and death done away with [1Cor.15:26].
We surrendered to death when we realized, “Jesus died for me.” The result is that we now abandon sinful living, die to ourselves, and live for God. The power of Christ's death and His victory over sin and death work in us so we can live for Him.
We experience deliverance and victory when we live by faith in the law of life in Christ Jesus. Each day, the new life He gives us works within us to bring this about. The foundation of the Gospel allows us to live by faith “in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Now, we can walk in the Spirit and avoid fulfilling the desires of the flesh, instead producing the fruit of the Spirit.