The same God who spoke the universe into being also has the power to raise the dead and give them life. it’s His promise to us.

¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He [Abraham] is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Romans 4:17

Yesterday, we looked at the Incarnation. Today, we continue our look at “WHEN life beyond death begins for us.” There is a key passage in John 5. The first part sets up the second part, in which we find our key.

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

• The Son (Jesus) mirrored the Father (God), which is another indication of Jesus’ divinity. In fact, the nature of the Trinity is described in verse 20, “The Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” They share everything in an atmosphere of love.
• In the Philippians 2 passage we studied yesterday, we learned that Jesus humbled Himself and emptied Himself of His glory in order to become human. He and His Father’s relationship was dynamic. And, everyone was amazed at what Jesus did as He saw His Father working.
• Death is not a barrier for God; He raises whom He desires. This ability is innately Jesus’; He gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. To whom does He please to give it? To whoever believes in Him (John 3:16).
• The Father has left all judgment to the Son–but Jesus chose NOT to judge, but to forgive and to have mercy on everyone. Now, the only way people are judged is by not choosing Christ (John 3:17-18), exchanging the truth about God for a lie (Romans 1:25).
• The goal is for all to honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Those who do not honor the Son do not honor the Father, who sent Him. They cast themselves out of the Father and the Son’s manifest presence.

The second part of this passage is the subject of tomorrow’s Proverbs. In it lies the key to knowing when life for us truly begins.

Abba, I receive by faith what You have said through John to us in this passage. I believe You are telling the truth because of the works of miracles that You performed as evidence of that truth. I did not see or experience those miracles, but I believe through the testimony of those who wrote about them, those who passed those documents on to other believers, and those who translated them so that I would believe, too. Thank You. Amen.