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Because I Live
Before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus strove to prepare His disciples. He conveyed to them a powerful lesson by washing their feet (Jn. 13:1-17). He also sought to comfort and reassure them (Jn. 14:1-6). During this time of reassurance, He said, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also” (Jn. 14:19). Jesus would soon be betrayed and killed on the cross, yet that would not be the end of Him, He would live.
Jesus was raised from the dead and thereby proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4). His life after death is key to everything. It is because He lives, that we live also. His resurrection ensures our resurrection from the dead. Paul made an extensive argument on this very point in 1 Corinthians 15. Some will be raise to the resurrection of life, others to the resurrection of condemnation (Jn. 5:28, 29). However, we also know that since Jesus lives, we may also life—spiritually.
Without the resurrection of Christ, there would be no hope for salvation. Because He lives, we may also live eternally. We have the forgiveness of sins now by obeying that form of doctrine like unto His death, burial, and resurrection. Paul said, “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” (Rom. 6:4). Those who have done this have gone from death to life (Eph. 2:1-7).
We look forward to a home in heaven. Peter said,
Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
A home in heaven would not be possible without the living Lord Jesus. If He was still in the grave, all hope would be lost. Thankfully, He is alive and because He lives, we may live also. |
