Beyond Death
The apostle John provides an account regarding the response of Jesus to the news that his good friend Lazarus is gravely ill. In the early part of the story, Jesus alerts his disciples, "This sickness will not end in death."
Now those of you even slightly familiar with the story might rightly point out, "But Lazarus did die." And indeed, he did. Quite dead. Definitely dead. Buried and in the grave four days dead by the time Jesus arrived.
Yes, but that wasn't the end.
You see, Jesus already knew, even before Lazarus died, that he was going to bring Lazarus back to life. That's why he told his disciples, "I'm going to go wake the dude up."
And he also tells Mary that Lazarus will live again. Now she, understandably, thinks Jesus is referring to the Great Big Getting Up Day. Uhm… actually he meant a good bit sooner than that. So then, he goes on to state that whoever believes in him will never die. Which isn't really true, right? I mean, come on, thousands—even millions—of believers have very definitely died since Jesus said that.
Or did they?
Okay, right, yes, the physical body which served as their primary conveyance in this world has ceased operations. Quite dead. Definitely dead. Buried and in the grave more than four days dead, most of them.
But is their physical body truly them? Their essence?
Per my current understanding and belief, when a plant or an animal dies, it's over. That's it. Gone. Deceased. Dead forever. No longer exists. There's no mention in the entirety of scripture that trees, bugs, squirrels, deer, moose, hawks, squash, whales, or any other critter, creature, or other such thing will ever live again once it has passed on. They cease to exist.
None of them, according to scripture, have a soul. We do.
And that soul will never cease to exist. So… if something continues to exist… it's not really dead, is it? Even if its form is spiritual rather than physical.
And so, no matter what is going on in your life as a believer, no matter how sickening, no matter how dreadful, no matter how painful, no matter how tormenting, no matter how upsetting, it will not end in death.
Per the promise of him who raised Lazarus—and others—you will live again. Now, how 'bout dat?!
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