Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 NKJV
God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the Source and Creator of life. There is no life apart from God, here on earth or in eternity. The life we have is a gift from Him. Jesus has power over life and death, as well as the power to forgive sins. Through His death on the cross, He conquered death and imparted His resurrection life to those who believe in Him. Death can never conquer this life! Even if your body dies, you will continue to live on in His presence. You will never experience the sting of death!
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:24-30 NKJV
Jesus said that the dead would hear His voice – He is talking about the spiritually dead who would hear, understand, and accept Him as Savior. The moment you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are “born again” – at that very moment, you pass from death to life, and His resurrection life is activated in you. You are “revived” and eternal or everlasting life is yours from that moment on.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:3-11 NKJV
When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are baptized – immersed – into Christ. In God’s eyes, you (and your sins) were in him when He died. You were resurrected with Him, but your sins, and your sinful nature, remained in the grave. Now you walk in the newness of life – resurrection life! Jesus has dominion over sin and death – consider yourself dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord!
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NKJV
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. [The body] that is sown is perishable and decays, but [the body] that is resurrected is imperishable (immune to decay, immortal). 43 It is sown in dishonor and humiliation; it is raised in honor and glory. It is sown in infirmity and weakness; it is resurrected in strength and endued with power. 44 It is sown a natural (physical) body; it is raised a supernatural (a spiritual) body. [As surely as] there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. 1 Corinthians 15:42-45 AMP
Physical death is inevitable, but it cannot keep you down – God promises that when Christ returns, you will be resurrected with Him and live forever in a glorified, supernatural, eternal body.
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NKJV
“We shall not all sleep” means that we will not all die – but we will all be changed. When Jesus returns, all believers – whether physically dead or living – will be resurrected into an incorruptible body in a twinkling of an eye. (See also 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Death and the grave will never have complete victory over the child of God!
And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40 KJV
