“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56)
I’m struggling with fulfilling what I believe to be human standards so I thought to search for wisdom in this phrase for comfort. Am I right in thinking I’m suffering from being unable to fulfill the “law” as a result of sin in this context, hence “power of sin is the law”?
You should read the immediate context to know Paul’s meaning:
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (vv54-55)
Paul is saying that there will come a time when victory will be so complete that even death is eliminated. The larger context will tell you that this is when Christ comes again but the point is clear: death is a defeated enemy. There is nothing to fear from it and so the taunt:
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
This tells us to understand that although “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” is what we are in the meantime experiencing, we should respond to it in the light of that final victory. We should be able to say to death, sin has no hold over us; even when we have fallen into sin it is not a victory for death.
Right now you feel that sin is the strong power in you and that when you succumb to sin you feel defeated and condemned.
What Paul helps us to understand is that the power of sin is in us as long as we continue to live under the law. The simplest way of understanding law is that it is a standard which we must achieve before we are rewarded failing which we are condemned. As long as it is law that we are trying to obey (or people who are telling you what the law is), sin will gain power, because our failure weakens us and condemns us. If it is Christ we are trying to obey it will be a different experience because he has defeated sin and death.
So, looking at what you said, “Am I right in thinking I’m suffering from being unable to fulfill the “law” as a result of sin in this context, hence “power of sin is the law”?”, the answer is yes. Because as long as you are in this cycle (mustn’t do, have to do, you fail because you do, you should feel bad because you do and because you fail, God thinks you are a failure, he will never help you…) you are focusing on sin. Where is Christ? Do you know what he wants you to do? What is he focused on?
But note also that Paul immediately responds to say “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v57).
In other words, instead of letting Law condemn you, you look at the victory of Christ. Not YOUR victory (you sin, you sin lah), but Christ’s victory that results in no condemnation but forgiveness for you. BUT also (because this chapter he is talking about resurrection) lets you seek the power of God to overcome your weakness; the power of God that is able to raise Christ from the dead.
Paul in this chapter emphasises that resurrection is vital because if our theology is only about the Cross and what it has done to sin, without including the Empty Tomb and the new life that it promises us, then, he says, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
You will find that Paul is very much focused on the life in front rather than the sin behind. In a very real sense you leave the sin behind as you pursue the life in front of you: a life of love, of prayer and dependence on him, a life with the community of believers, a life of joy and peace, a life letting the fruit of the Holy Spirit dominate.
Yes we should deal with sin in our lives but only under the supervision of Christ and in the knowledge that death is a defeated enemy and life is ours to claim.
Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery: Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.