Because of Calvary – Lesson 3 – (Death Has Been Reversed)

Downloadable Notes:    Becuase of Calvary – Lesson 3 – Death Has Been Reversed

Wednesday Bible Study  •  Because of Calvary

Death Has Been Reversed

Lesson 3

GOAL: To show what Calvary reversed about death, so we live free from fear of dying.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

1 Corinthians 15:55–56 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”

 

Because of Calvary, death has been reversed; it no longer separates, it reunites.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God takes something as horrible as death and works it together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

THE MEANING & EFFECT OF DEATH

DEFINITION:  In the Bible the term “death” is defined as SEPARATION.

Three Types of Death in Scripture

TYPE	WHAT IT IS	KEY VERSE
Spiritual Death	Separated from God while still alive — dead in trespasses and sins	Gen. 2:17  •  Eph. 2:1–5  •  Isa. 59:2
Physical Death	Soul separated from the body — it returns to dust	James 2:26  •  Gen. 3:19  •  Heb. 9:27
Second / Eternal Death	Permanent, everlasting separation from God — the lake of fire	Rev. 20:14  •  Rev. 21:8  •  2 Thess. 1:9

Spiritual Death — Separated from God While Still Alive

Genesis 2:16–17  …for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

When Adam sinned he died spiritually. He and Eve were separated from God in a way they had never experienced. They hid from Him. God had to kill an animal to cover them. They lost the freedom to simply live in the presence and fellowship of God.

Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Ephesians 2:1, 4–5  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.

1 Timothy 5:6  But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

You can have a heartbeat and still be dead. Spiritual death is separation from God — active, present, and invisible from the outside.

Physical Death — Soul Separated from the Body

James 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Genesis 3:19  …for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

1 Corinthians 15:42–43  It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

God designed us to live, but sin brought death into the world. Our bodies wear down and decay — the soul separates from the body and returns to dust.

The Second / Eternal Death — Permanent Separation from God

Revelation 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 21:8  …shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

2 Thessalonians 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

Everlasting

Permanent separation from the Lord

Suffering in torment

 

THE REVERSAL BECAUSE OF CALVARY

Because of Calvary, death has been reversed; it no longer separates, it reunites.

 

Reversal 1 — Spiritual Death

Because of Calvary, instead of being spiritually dead in our sins, we are alive in Jesus. We can die with Christ, and death unites us with Him.

Romans 6:3–5, 8  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection…Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2 Timothy 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him

• Planted together with Christ — joined at the root, inseparable.
• Christ lives in us — we are in direct union with God.
• The self that belonged to sin went to the cross. What rose is alive in Christ.

Reversal 2 — Physical Death

Because of Calvary, physical death unites us with our spiritual body and brings us into the full presence of the Lord and those we love who died in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:42–44, 52  It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body…the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

1 Corinthians 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

2 Corinthians 5:6–8  Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord…We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

• The body is sown like a seed — what rises is incorruptible, glorious, powerful.
• Physical death carries the believer straight into the presence of the Lord.
• Death reunites us with those who died in Christ before us.

Reversal 3 — The Second / Eternal Death

Because of Calvary, the second death is not possible for the believer. We are eternally united with both God and those who died in Christ — forever.

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope…the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 21:3  Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

• The verdict is already in — passed from death unto life.
• Jesus is preparing a place and coming to receive us to Himself.
• We will be caught up together — saints reunited, ever with the Lord.
• God dwelling with men — His original design at creation, fully restored.

DEATH	WHAT IT DID	CALVARY’S REVERSAL
Spiritual Death	Separated us from God while alive	United to Christ — hidden in God, alive in Him
Physical Death	Separated soul from body and loved ones	Soul goes to the Lord; body raised incorruptible
Second Death	Permanent, eternal separation from God	Eternally united with God and all the saints forever

 

Because of Calvary, death has been reversed; it no longer separates, it reunites.