Resurrected together

Many Christians believe, as do most Jews, that there will be a resurrection in the last days. Martha stated this belief in her dialogue with Jesus after the death of Lazarus. But Jesus responded to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who is believing in Me, even if he should be dying, shall be living (Jn.11:24-26 CLNT). Jesus changed the focus from resurrection being an event in history to Himself as the embodiment of resurrected life. In Him, we are dying yet living.

Like the first man Adam, whatever Jesus did as the second Man affected all humanity after Him. Adam’s actions brought death to all, but Jesus brought Life. When He died, God says He did not die alone, we died together in Him. When He arose from the grave, we arose with Him. We have been “vivified”, “roused” from death to life together in Him for the ages (Eph. 1:5,6; Col.2:13; 3:1).

This is the wonderful truth the original Greek calls the “evangel”. God gave it to Paul by revelation and charged him to dispense it to the world. Sadly, this evangel has disappeared through the years of theological revisions since the days of Constantine. Now Christian teachers tell us to await this life in Jesus. They tell us to be faithful until we die, so that we can obtain this age abiding life. But God says we have it now. Even while living in these decaying bodies, we have the power and exceeding abundance of resurrected life in Jesus. We just do not realize it!

But don’t we still die? Yes, even resurrected Lazarus did not live forever. Even while being raised together with Christ, we are still dying. But this death is not the end, but simply leaving our earthly bodies, the temporary tent for our earthly existence. We still live on, existing always in Jesus. Our real life goes on, never ceasing. One day Jesus will give us a new body that will never decay or perish. I am looking forward to that new “super body”.

Roused together in Jesus should be the clarion message of Easter. I do not want to hear that I need to wait for life for the ages. I do not need a message of hope in a coming resurrection. I have it now! I have the Life of Jesus in me now by faith in Him. He is my life forever. Even in this temporary house I live in, I realize more everyday His life in me, as me. I live raised together with Him.

Live on together in Him