John 11:25,26–The Resurrection and the Life Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Here we have one of the “I am” sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are a number in John’s account of the gospel and all are instructive. The words of Jesus on this occasion have to do with the resurrection of the body. The doctrine of the resurrection is one which the world generally scoffs at. Not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God unbelieving men are content with very vague ideas of the afterlife, if they believe in such a thing at all. When tragedy strikes, as it has done recently in America, their hope is that their departed loved ones are “in a better place.” Somehow, somewhere, the spirits of dead men live on, people imagine. But what does the Bible say about the world to come? What awaits us? Firstly we have the claim of Christ. He says boldly that He Himself is the resurrection and the life. Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say that He is the reincarnation and the life. This is an error of the East which teaches that we are repeatedly born again into this same sinful world, each time assuming a different body or form. Neither does Jesus say that He is the recreation and the life. This is an error from the West, teaching that when men die they cease to exist, but God will create again some men at the end of time. This is sometimes known as “conditional immortality.” It is an error followed by many of the cults. Resurrection means “to rise again.” The truth of a physical resurrection cannot be discovered by reason alone. Learned philosophers mocked Paul at Athens “because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18); the Sadducees denied the doctrine altogether (Matt.22:23). But it was revealed to Job, David and Daniel. The Bible says that believers shall be raised with the same bodies but having wonderful new qualities: incorruptible, glorious, powerful, spiritual (1Cor.15:42-44). They shall be raised to honour, but unbelievers to damnation and dishonour. Jesus is the resurrection because He is the life. His words reveal Him to be the Son of God in a human form. As the Creator Christ gives physical life to men; as the Redeemer He gives spiritual and eternal life. As the Judge of men Jesus will come again. “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And shall come forth” (John 5:28,29). There shall be no hiding place. What a day that shall be! Secondly we see the comfort of Christ. Remember, He is speaking here to a believer, Martha, whose dear brother Lazarus, also a believer, had just died. He tells her that Lazarus, though dead, will live. Jesus delivers His people out of the grave, which is the first death. Then He says that Lazarus will in fact never die. Jesus saves His people from hell, the second death (Rev.20:14; 21:8). On account of sin we are all spiritually dead and we deserve to be punished by God in hell. But by the grace of the new birth we begin to enjoy that life which is everlasting. We can say that believers are born twice and die but once, whereas unbelievers are born but once and die twice. Death will separate the soul of the saint from his body, but it cannot separate his soul from Christ. Finally we have the challenge of Christ. He makes application of His own teaching to sorrowing Martha. He says, “Believest thou this?” Do you believe the claim of Christ here? Are you comforted by what He says? Our faith must rest upon Christ alone, on the testimony of Scripture alone. The Saviour by His suffering has conquered death and hell and gives His victory to all who believe. Would you escape the wrath to come? Then turn from your sins and trust in Him with all your heart!