THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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An aged lady left Buffalo by boat for Cleveland to visit a daughter living there. Soon a dreadful storm arose and many of the passengers, fearing death, gathered for prayer. Only the aged lady seemed unconcerned about the tempest as she sat with her hands folded and prayed.
After the storm had subsided, some of the passengers were eager to know the secret of her calmness. They gathered around her and asked her the reason.
"Well, my dear friends," she replied, "it is like this. I have two daughters. One died and went home to heaven. The other lives in Cleveland. When the storm arose, I wondered which of them I might visit first, the one in Cleveland or the one in heaven, and I just left it to the Lord; for I would be glad to see either."
(from A Treasury of Bible Illustrations Copyright © 1995, 1998 by AMG International, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by Permission.)
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John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
KJV
John 10:28-29
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
KJV
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The two sets of verses quoted above have two different Greek words which relate death.
In John 11:26, the word translated "die" is the Greek word apollumi. It means to be fully destroyed.
In John 10:28, the word translated "perish" is the Greek word apothnesko. It means to be dead, or to be without life.
Putting these verses together, Jesus is saying that the person who believes in Him shall never be fully destroyed, and shall never be without life!
Every soul has eternal existence. That began when God "formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7) But all souls do not have the "light of living." You see, only those who have Christ are truly alive....others are living in death. "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4)
Death is the result of sin; both physical death and spiritual death. Our bodies must die because we are sinners and corrupt. And the Bible says, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Cor 15:50) Death is actually separation from the living. And spiritual death is being separated from the Living God.
What a glorious promise Christ has given to the believer! Even physical death shall not separate the believer from LIFE! When the flesh that houses this spirit shall decay and fall, the spirit shall continue in LIFE with Christ!
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 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 thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Cor 15:53-57) KJV
Love ya,
Bruce