Who Wants to Live Forever?

One day each of us is going to die.

But when the time comes to face the final enemy that is Death, Christians have a marvelous confidence: our life in Christ will never end. At the moment of death, our souls will be taken up to him.

And that’s only the beginning. For the Bible looks beyond death to the full restoration of body and soul. The Apostles’ Creed teaches us to confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the body.” As Christ says in John 5:28-29, “An hour is coming when all who are in their tombs will hear my voice and come out.”

Jesus showed the truth of this during his ministry.

His friend Lazarus had become sick and died. Jesus was a long time in coming, and when He arrived, already four days had passed. Many Jews believed that the soul remained near the body for three days, and cherished the hope that it might yet return. But after three days, a person was completely and irrevocably dead.

On the fourth day, impossibly late, Jesus appears at Lazarus’ tomb. He simply speaks, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus does come out of his resting place, grave clothes and all. Alive in Christ!

In a similar way, on Judgment Day all those who are dead will hear Jesus’ voice. Hearing him, they will come out of their resting places, whether in the ground or in the sea, or wherever. And those who believe in Christ will live in blessedness forever.

Even if we die before the return of the Lord, our flesh, raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with our souls. For those who know the only true God, and Christ as Lord and Saviour, this is a sure hope and eternal comfort.

Do you want to live forever? Put your faith in him!

***

Scripture Reading: John 11:1-44

Prayer: LORD God, thank you for Christ’s power over death. By his resurrection, his believers may be raised up, perfectly restored, and live forever. Help me to always fix my hope on him! Amen.