Let's close out our time by reading an interesting passage from the Old Testament. It is possible that Paul had this Old Testament passage in mind when he wrote Romans 6.
In Job chapter 3, we find Job lamenting the day he was born. He has suffered so much loss (Job 1:13-17), so much sickness, and the death of his loved ones (Job 1:19, 2:4-7), and he wishes he had never been born (Job 3:3). In his mind, if he were dead now, he wouldn't be going through so much suffering. Listen as Job laments the fact that he wasn't stillborn, that he didn't perish in the womb, and begins to list off the benefits of death. Let's read it together:
"Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? 17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. 18 Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout. 19 The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners" (Job 3:16-19 NIV).
Question 6. Please list the benefits of death that Job lists in Job 3:16-19 NIV:
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Sue is rejoicing in gospel freedom, and she writes the following in response to the above question:
"The wicked would cease from turmoil
There the weary are at rest.
Captives enjoy their ease.
They no longer hear the slave drivers shout.
The small and great are there.
The slaves are freed from their owners.
As stated in the comments below, I can have those benefits now since I am dead to my old nature. Amazing correlation and application. I no longer hear the slave driver’s shout to eat, eat, eat! Amen to that. I see so much of these truths in my life now, such freedom. It’s been 39 days of freedom and I am so enjoying my freedom of ease."
Friend, while you are physically alive, the benefits you just wrote out are true of you today. The reason is, "our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin" (Romans 6:6-7).
Yes, right now, you can find relief from years of slavery to sin, for because of the cross, "the weary are at rest." Yes, because of the cross, "captives enjoy their ease," and "you no longer hear the slave driver's shout," commanding you to obey the desires of the flesh. And yes, because of the cross, you are now "freed from your previous owner." Through His death on the cross, Jesus sets captives free!
Think of it; the only way that Jesus could come to live in you, is through the death of your old self and your resurrection to new life. This is the glory and power of the cross!
I encourage you to wash at the cross just now, rejoicing in these powerful truths and thanking God in worship, and then truly live in light of them.
Question 7. As you think of the cross in worship, what thoughts do you have of Jesus who went so far, clear to death and back, for you?
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I so appreciate Wende's answer to the above question:
"I am moved deeply in my heart lately as I have have been practicing and learning to look at Jesus who went to death and back for me on the cross. I am looking many times a day. I cannot explain it, but somehow, when I look into His eyes, the temptations just fade away. It is so simple, so powerful so perfect and so complete. Yet I missed it for many years. He is the one who has done the work to the point where He could say, "It is finished." There is nothing that I need to add to it. No amount of striving is needed from me. I simply look and receive."
And Monica's answer below really touched my heart also:
"I am grateful that He was strong enough to do something I could not do. I would be willing to be tortured and die for all mankind's salvation but I would not be able to go through with it. I would be far too weak to handle the lashings and the abuse and the cursings. I would be too weak to handle the nails in my hands and feet and to hang from a cross in pain. I would crumble at God turning His face from me. Even if I knew the joyful outcome I wouldn't be able to go through with it. My little heart just cant love that much. But Christ came knowing full well what would happen. He asked for another way but accepted the only way. He was strong enough. He defeated the flesh's desire to walk away. He defeated the flesh's desire to give into temptation. I used to think Jesus lived as an example to us. His actions are our example on how to behave. But the Spirit just revealed to me that He is more than an example. He is the strength in us to be able to follow Him. We cant do what He did. We are far too weak. But He lives in us and He can do it. He proved it. It is right there in the gospel for us to believe and rely on. We cant but He can. Where we are weak, He is strong."