The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Anjela Paje of Spokane, WA, from the tape, GC 1301-Q, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 19." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1980. All Rights Reserved.
Question
In James 1:15, it says: “When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin,
and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.” I’ve heard three different
versions of that particular one. Is that a lifestyle type of death or is that a
physical death? I know it’s not a spiritual, but is it a physical?
Answer
Take it in the broadest possible sense. No matter what kind of sin exists, it brings forth death. All sin, ultimately, brings death. All sin committed by everybody, every time it’s ever committed, ultimately, brings death. You can take it any way you want to take it.
Lust brings forth sin, and sin, when it’s finally reaches its ultimate end, brings forth death. And, you can look at that every way.
1. First of all, all sin, ultimately, brings physical death, right? Every single person in the world is going to die. It’s appointed unto man once to die? Why? Wages of sin is what? Is death. Now, the only elimination of that reality is in the rapture. But, apart from the people who are raptured, the norm is that all sin brings death, physical death. Physical death is a reality in the world because sin is a reality. Okay?
2. All sin also brings forth spiritual death because all sin cuts us off from God.
3. Thirdly, all sin brings forth eternal death. In other words, if I sin, I am condemned to Hell, right?
Now, a physical death I will go through. The spiritual and eternal death can be reversed by faith in Jesus Christ. But, even in that sense, Christ had to die my death for me. And, Christ died, not only a physical death, but, listen to this, He died a spiritual death, too, because He said on the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou"...what? "Forsaken me."
So, all sin brings death. The benefit to the Christian is that the death that it brings for us was borne by Christ. So, all we will endure is the physical death.
So, the point of the verse is a very general, very broad thing.
Now, all sin brings spiritual death. All sin brings physical death. Take the example of a Christian: we’ll still die physically, but if we go on in sin, as in the case of 1 Corinthians 11, when the believers profaned the Lord’s table and some of them slept. Sometimes, God will use death as a chastening. But, the principle is still the same. If you are talking about an unbeliever, it brings death. If you are talking about a believer, it still brings physical death. If you are talking about a believer, it still brings spiritual death, though Christ dies that death. If you are talking about a believer sinning, it could, again, bring death as a chastening from God. The point that James is making is just that sin brings death.
Question (continues)
The reason why I asked was that the whole thing is talking about being
tempted in that particular portion.
Answer
All he was saying is don’t mess with sin because no matter how you cut it, sin brings death. Why would you, who possess life, want to do that?
Now, if you follow the text down to the verse 21. Now, you are talking
specifically to Christians, of course. “Put away all filthiness and overflowing
of wickedness.” How do we know it’s Christians? Verse 19, “Wherefore my..."
what? "Beloved brother." Verse 21, “Put away all filthiness and overflowing of
wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save
your...." the Greek word is "lives." And, here, I believe, he’s saying, that you
better stay away from sin, because it will save your life. And, there he’s
talking about the punitive or the chastening element of death that God brings in
the life of a believer.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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