ATTRIBUTES—-

VICTORIOUS

OVER DEATH

WHO IS GOD? VICTORIOUS OVER DEATH

God is the creator of life. So where does death come from? ­Sin—­that which is in complete opposition to God’s way of ­life—­is what brings death. Sin’s chief consequence for our world and our individual lives is our ultimate death and separation from God, the creator of life. It is important to remember this because we live in a world where death is both so normal and so hauntingly ultimate. When sin entered the world, humans started to experience broken­ness, decay, and sickness that was never intended when God made Adam and Eve.

But then God gave us hope, even when death seemed inevitable for every human who has ever lived: Jesus came and suffered death on our behalf to deal with the problem of sin. He did this so that He could also be resurrected to new life and give it to all who would receive it. The apostle Paul wrote, “So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). God became victorious over His (and our) main enemy by sending His Son to conquer death’s power over us. He rose again! Death could not keep Him dead. And now He offers eternal life to anyone who will trust Him and receive this gift.

WHO AM I? WEAKER THAN DEATH

No human has ever figured out how to cheat death. People have searched for ways to keep from getting older. Folks have looked for the ­so-­called fountain of youth. Our generation is furiously trying all kinds of ways to stay young, sexy, and alive in every sense of the word. But time passes, and death comes to every man and woman. It is both predictable and not. It is a constant threat. On our own, we feel very helpless when facing death. We sense inwardly the deep reality that our lives on earth are temporary. Each of us knows that our life span will be a hundred years or so at best. Tomorrow is not promised to us. Each person’s life is “like the morning ­fog—­it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14). And this leaves every human with a very troubling question: What happens to me and my loved ones after we die? Christ came precisely to take care of the answer to that big life question, and that is the Good ­News—­the gospel.

WHAT DO I DO? RECEIVE JESUS’ GIFTS

It’s ironic that even though death is inevitable, we still very easily ignore it and decide to only live in the moment: Eat, drink, and be happy, for tomorrow we die! If we don’t get pleasure right now, what else is there?

God’s Word answers that question in 1 Corinthians 15. He offers a solution to our impossible situation: There is eternity, life after death, and hope to be ours. That is what Christ earned through His death and resurrection two thousand years ago and now offers to us. He passed the test and defeated the most undefeatable enemy we all have: sin against God and its chief punishment, death. Now He offers eternal life with open hands for all to receive.

Have you received His forgiveness for your sins? Do you believe that Christ can give you hope after death through eternal life? It sounds like an otherworldly, unbelievable gift . . . and it is! But it’s true. Every man, woman, and child who believes in and confesses Jesus Christ as their Lord will be forgiven for their sins and given eternal life. This isn’t a fairy ­tale—­Jesus has entered our real world to solve our most urgent problem. Receive Him today and have hope in the face of death.