Understanding 1 Corinthians 15:56 - What Does It Mean That The Strength of Sin Is The Law?
1 Corinthians 15:56 says that the strength of sin is the Law. Does it mean that the Law is evil? It does not mean that. An analysis of verses in context together with real life application will help us understand what it means. Strength here is "dynamis" or "δύναμις" which we get the word dynamic. Dynamic means "a force that stimulates change or progress within a system or process".
I remembered a sermon by Pastor Robert Charles Sproul who specified that the more something is banned, the more people want to do it. The very first instance was when Eve was enticed by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, she saw it was desirable and she ate it. Later in Exodus 32, the Israelites were just given the command back in Exodus 20 not to make any false gods, they broke the command and worshiped the golden calf. There is always the natural tendency in fallen man to rebel ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.
Today's world is no different either. You can see how some homosexuals admit they aren't born homosexual but they do it anyway, even if biology clearly prohibits same-sex unions. Some scientists have discarded God-given ethics to pursue the delusion of unlimited human progress - even if the dangers of genetic engineering is already as clear as day, they still do the same foolishness because they are in rebellion against God. They want to do what is forbidden as a rebellion against God.
Romans 1 states about the fallen state of man and their rebellion against God. They know God exists but atheists choose to deny Him and say He isn't there. They know God exists but they choose to be ungrateful because they want to live their lives. It was just like Cain and his offering - whatever God told him to do, he refused to it. It took just one sin to instill everyone with the sin nature.
Isaiah 64:6 calls the righteousness of man as filthy rags. These are not kitchen rags or rags you use to clean your house up but the equivalent of the sanitary napkins women use during their menstruation period. That means, man is so tainted in sin, the total depravity of man is at work. Man is so tainted in sin that even their best is not good enough for God. We need the Law to expose our sin, we need the grace to overcome our sin as Titus 2:11-14 says that God's grace is what teaches godliness and holy living.
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10 that by God's grace that "he is what he is" and not by his own effort that he's a changed person. He refuses to take credit for any good work. Good works in the believers are a necessary proof of salvation and change but again, even sanctification of the Christian is the work of God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 states that the Holy Spirit works the sanctification of the believer. Man is only destined to fall down should they try to keep the Law perfectly because James 2:10 states it only takes one sin to break the whole Law.
I remembered a sermon by Pastor Robert Charles Sproul who specified that the more something is banned, the more people want to do it. The very first instance was when Eve was enticed by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, she saw it was desirable and she ate it. Later in Exodus 32, the Israelites were just given the command back in Exodus 20 not to make any false gods, they broke the command and worshiped the golden calf. There is always the natural tendency in fallen man to rebel ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.
Today's world is no different either. You can see how some homosexuals admit they aren't born homosexual but they do it anyway, even if biology clearly prohibits same-sex unions. Some scientists have discarded God-given ethics to pursue the delusion of unlimited human progress - even if the dangers of genetic engineering is already as clear as day, they still do the same foolishness because they are in rebellion against God. They want to do what is forbidden as a rebellion against God.
Romans 1 states about the fallen state of man and their rebellion against God. They know God exists but atheists choose to deny Him and say He isn't there. They know God exists but they choose to be ungrateful because they want to live their lives. It was just like Cain and his offering - whatever God told him to do, he refused to it. It took just one sin to instill everyone with the sin nature.
Isaiah 64:6 calls the righteousness of man as filthy rags. These are not kitchen rags or rags you use to clean your house up but the equivalent of the sanitary napkins women use during their menstruation period. That means, man is so tainted in sin, the total depravity of man is at work. Man is so tainted in sin that even their best is not good enough for God. We need the Law to expose our sin, we need the grace to overcome our sin as Titus 2:11-14 says that God's grace is what teaches godliness and holy living.
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10 that by God's grace that "he is what he is" and not by his own effort that he's a changed person. He refuses to take credit for any good work. Good works in the believers are a necessary proof of salvation and change but again, even sanctification of the Christian is the work of God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 states that the Holy Spirit works the sanctification of the believer. Man is only destined to fall down should they try to keep the Law perfectly because James 2:10 states it only takes one sin to break the whole Law.