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necessarily follow that it also prevailed in the world of rational and moral beings. And even if it
were established beyond the shadow of a doubt that all physical organisms, the human
included, now carry within them the seeds of dissolution, this would not yet prove that man
was not an exception to the rule before the fall. Shall we say that the almighty power of God,
by which the universe was created, was not sufficient to continue man in life indefinitely?
Moreover we ought to bear in mind the following Scriptural data: (1) Man was created in the
image of God and this, in view of the perfect condition in which the image of God existed
originally, would seem to exclude the possibility of his carrying within him the seeds of
dissolution and mortality. (2) Physical death is not represented in Scripture as the natural result
of the continuation of the original condition of man, due to his failure to rise to the height of
immortality by the path of obedience; but as the result of his spiritual death, Rom. 6:23; 5:21; I
Cor. 15:56; Jas. 1:15. (3) Scriptural expressions certainly point to death as something introduced
into the world of humanity by sin, and as a positive punishment for sin, Gen. 2:17; 3:19; Rom.
5:12,17; 6:23; I Cor. 15:21; Jas. 1:15. (4) Death is not represented as something natural in the
life of man, a mere falling short of an ideal, but very decidedly as something foreign and hostile
to human life: it is an expression of divine anger, Ps. 90:7,11, a judgment, Rom. 1:32, a
condemnation, Rom. 5:16, and a curse, Gal. 3:13, and fills the hearts of the children of men
with dread and fear, just because it is felt to be something unnatural. All this does not mean,
however, that there may not have been death in some sense of the word in the lower creation
apart from sin, but even there the entrance of sin evidently brought a bondage of corruption
that was foreign to the creature, Rom. 8:20-22. In strict justice God might have imposed death
on man in the fullest sense of the word immediately after his transgression, Gen. 2:17. But by
His common grace He restrained the operation of sin and death, and by His special grace in
Christ Jesus He conquered these hostile forces, Rom. 5:17; I Cor. 15:45; II Tim. 1:10; Heb. 2:14;
Rev. 1:18; 20:14. Death now accomplishes its work fully only in the lives of those who refuse
the deliverance from it that is offered in Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Christ are freed from
the power of death, are restored to communion with God, and are endowed with an endless
life, John 3:36; 6:40; Rom. 5:17-21; 8:23; I Cor. 15:26,51-57; Rev. 20:14; 21:3,4.
C. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEATH OF BELIEVERS.
The Bible speaks of physical death as a punishment, as “the wages of sin.” Since believers are
justified, however, and are no more under obligation to render any penal satisfaction, the
question naturally arises, Why must they die? It is quite evident that for them the penal
element is removed from death. They are no more under the law, either as a requirement of
the covenant of works or as a condemning power, since they have obtained a complete pardon
for all their sins. Christ became a curse for them, and thus removed the penalty of sin. But if this
is so, why does God still deem it necessary to lead them through the harrowing experience of