Victory!

Victory!

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 AMPC

Context and Charge:

Paul must have heard a lot of things about the return of Christ, and he needed to emphasize the truth. The men of his time, and indeed Paul too had sought to please God by the acts of the law. Unfortunately, you cannot give what you do not have; the law could not deal with the problem of sin. Sin is the single limiting factor for man; the sinful nature cannot inherit the incorruptible nature of God and that is why a new nature is given at the new birth, and is the precursor to eternal life. This sinful nature cannot please God, and it will not try to. As God has laid it out so clearly, eternal death is the final destination for the sinful nature, and nothing I say or do will change that fact. All I can do is to take hold of the benefits of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. 

I must therefore look outside of my strength, wisdom, connection or influence, if I will inherit that which Christ has sealed for me by the cross. Only in and by Him is there permanent and lasting victory over all that sin represents. I must not fool myself into thinking that the sinful nature will just give up at conversion and salvation; it will keep trying to distract, discourage and dissuade, so it can destroy. The sinful nature under the control of Satan has been at work before I was born, so its experience makes it hard for me to overcome it by my own power. I need the help of the only One who conquered sin, Satan and death all at the same time, and supplies the grace required to walk in that victory on a daily basis. In who/what is my confidence? 

Conviction and Conclusion:

The victory Christ sealed for me at the cross is not the temporary version, but one that is valid for all earthly life. In that is a warning: you only get to access it whilst you remain on this earthly plane. There is no victory without a war; you do not declare victory until the enemy is surrendered. Today's verse then means that Jesus has already won; all I need to do is stand in that victory and maintain it. He is not going to fight this war over sin anymore; His life is already the cover from sin. All who receive his life receive the grace and strength to live above sin. The law, sin and death no longer have dominion over me; I have strength and grace to live in line with God's law on earth, and then experience the perfection of that life in eternity. That is victory. God's time of favour is here.