Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/66

Contributor - Harvey Van Farowe

Title - "Worthy of Death"

Topic - Meditation

THEY WHICH COMMIT SUCH THINGS ARE WORTHY OF DEATH Romans 1:32

Sometime when you are in an especially thoughtful, serious frame of mind, perhaps thinking about God, the deeper things, and your own life, take your Bible and mark these three words - "worthy of death". Then go back a few verses and beginning at verse 29 of Romans 1 encircle every word descriptive of some sin that is true or has been true of your life. Then draw lines linking those encircled words with the phrase "worthy of death" and you will understand why the Saviour had to lose His life for you.

The writer of Romans, Paul, lists around 21 specific sins here. And it is indeed an impressive list but it is still only partial. In other pastoral letters he makes mention of many more. And Paul only wrote of those moral faults and sins that had come within the range of his observations. The full picture of sin is always an awesome, fearful picture.

Likely some of these sins have not existed in your life. You wouldn't quickly encircle the word "murder". It perhaps wouldn't be necessary to form a circle around "hater of God". Or would it? Indeed there would be quite a shocking array of red lines running to the words "worthy of death". As you came to the thoughts of "covetousness", "envy', "deceit", "whisperer" (detractor), "malice", "disobedient to parents", "a covenant breaker" (lack of loyalty to one's pledged word), you would begin to resign yourself to moving that pencil around each of these. And then as you saw those 3 words again "WORTHY OF DEATH" they would loom larger than ever. Sin, even in its more humanly tolerable forms, is far from trivial. Each sin is a "capital crime" and "capital crimes" as God must deal with them call for "capital punishment"-death.

What kind of death? Physical? Temporary? Something more severe. Paul was writing about the Greeks and generally about the Gentile world of his day. This world was not ignorant of the teaching of eternal retribution. Paul often spoke of the torments of the life to come for the unredeemed. Compare Romans 6 : 23, "For the wages of sin is death Eternal death was likewise the thought here.

Judgment there will be. The Irish preacher, Charles Wolfe, once said, "The judgments of God fall often enough in this world to let us know that God judges; but seldom enough to let us know that there is a judgment hereafter". "God is merciful, but He is likewise just; wherefore His justice requires that sin, which is committed against the most High majesty of God, be also punished with extreme, that is, with everlasting punishment both of body and soul" (Catechism Q. 11). A judicial sentence follows sin just as surely as darkness follows the daytime. When we sense that this judgment is pronounced upon us, we ought to search for a way out.

So can you not see why many people you know receive great blessing from reading of Christ's Passion and why they call a certain Friday - Good Friday? And, unsaved one, will you not try to comprehend and pray earnestly that you may understand with this Christian writer, Paul, that Christ did everything that He could do to pay your death penalty? God remains "just" and also becomes the "Justifier" of him who believes in Jesus. it is no wonder that many say without hesitation, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth".

But a final word: There are those who not only commit these sins that are "worthy of death" but they do them "KNOWING" of the ensuing punishment. And they even derive "pleasure" from them (verse 32). That is something like venturing into deep, dangerous water though unable to swim - and enjoying it. Or it is like driving dare-devil fashion while aware of the risk involved and acting as if you're having a hilarious time. What could be more silly? Some folks believe themselves safe when they are rejecting the principles of God and withholding faith and obedience. To God this is a senseless delusion. No one really fools with God. He has both the believer and the rejector in His Almighty Hand. Only the believer in Christ is rejoicing and is no longer under penalty. He is no longer "worthy of death".

Perhaps the following words, written under the portrait of Copernicus in the city of his birth, are fitting: "I[ do ask the grace which thou didst give to St. Paul; nor can I dare to ask tie grace which thou didst grant to St. Peter; but, the mercy which thou didst show to the dying robber, that mercy, show to me."

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.