This is the third part of the devotional that looks at John 11:25-26, in which Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Last time we looked at the part where Jesus said, “whoever believes in me…” This time we will finish up by looking at the last part of these verses.
Jesus says, “If you believe in me, you will live and never die.” But what does he mean when he says that?
To understand this, we need to first understand what the Bible says about death. The word “death” literally means, “separates.” Scripture talks about two types of death. The first type is “physical death.” This is where the body separates from the spirit. The body goes to the grave, but the spirit does not. The second type of death is “spiritual death.” This is where the soul separates from God’s love, grace, and mercy (in hell).
So Jesus says that anyone who believes in him will die (physically), yet he will still live! How is that? He will live spiritually! Everyone who lives (in him) will never see (spiritual) death.
What is the implication of this?
There are many, but the most important one that comes to mind has to do with death. We are going to physically die someday. That is not something any of us can escape. We can’t buy our way out of it.
I was reading about the well-known baseball player Ted Williams. Before he died, he signed up to have his body cryogenically frozen. He hopes that in the future, he will one day be able to be brought back to life and cured of the disease that killed him. Sadly, reports have come out that his body is not being treated well in the cryogenic lab. His head has multiple cracks because of the fluctuating temperatures.
I do not blame Ted Williams for wanting to live longer. We all have a similar desire. Sadly, many of us look in the wrong place! Ted put his faith in cryogenics. I encourage you to instead put your faith in Jesus Christ.
Not only could he raise Lazarus from the dead. Not only did HE rise from the dead. But he says that he will do the same to us one day. And because of that, we don’t have to fear death.
I love how Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 15:55 when he taunts death by saying, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
For those in Christ, death has lost its sting. And that is good news! So let’s put all our faith in Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life!