Up from the Grave
It is not in our realm of experience to see people live again after they are confirmed to be dead. However the hope we have in Jesus Christ includes our resurrection from the dead. Because Jesus lived, died and was raised to life again, we too have hope for life after death.
Jesus performed numerous miracles during His earthly ministry. He healed all kind of diseases, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the crippled to walk and on at least three occasions Jesus raised the dead. The widow’s son in Luke 7, the daughter of Jairus in Matthew 9 and Lazarus in John 11. And of course His own resurrection from the dead recorded in all four of the gospels. So what does that mean for you and me?
Paul addressed questions about the resurrection raised by the brethren at Corinth in I Corinthians 15. After confirming by way of witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, he wrote in verses 20-23 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even in Christ shall all be made alive. But each one in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
There is another form of life after death that must precede our being raised after physical death. It is the spiritual resurrection that is essential to our being raised to eternal life. Paul plainly teaches this in Romans 6:3-4 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. When we die to sin through repentance, are buried with Christ in baptism and come forth to live in newness of life, we have participated in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is then that we can look forward to eternal life after physical death.