Devotional | From Death to Life
Death is not the final word. There is a biblical event and historical fact that literally means life OVER death. As believers, we are part of something absolutely astounding in human history that forever altered the world through Jesus—His life, His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
Resurrection Sunday is more than celebrating a single day, or a historical event. We are celebrating a Person, and His triumph of life over death. Jesus is proof and undisputable evidence that death is not the final word. JESUS is God’s final word to all of humanity.
Because of Jesus and our faith in Him, we are no longer dead IN our sins and trespasses, but we are dead TO sin as the people of God. We’re free. He whom the son sets free is truly free indeed. We are free from sin and death because of the power of the resurrection of Jesus.
‘Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.’ Genesis 1:26-27
Faith in who Jesus is and what He did saved us from our sins and raised us from the dead. When we mix faith with the power of the resurrection, we experience His freedom, in this life AND in the life to come.
‘Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.’ 1 Corinthians 15:1-6
Jesus’ resurrection is founded on infallible evidence—He is who He said He is. The things He promised, He fulfilled. Our faith is not misguided when we put it in Jesus.
‘For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.‘ 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the declaration of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ—the word of God. We cannot hear about the goodness of God, or how much He loves us, too much.
The power of the cross goes beyond just the forgiveness of our sins. It starts there, but it doesn’t end there. We receive all of the good things of God because of the power of the resurrection, but when we mix it with faith, we receive something new from God every day!
From Adam through Abraham and Moses, all the way to Jesus, the shedding of innocent blood has covered the sins of the guilty. Jesus is the innocent lamb who was sacrificed once for all. Death no longer has any hold on us, because we have Christ in us, the hope of glory.
‘I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”’ Romans 1:16-17
God is a just God and sin must be judged, but He’s a merciful God as well. Justice and mercy meet at the cross. We benefit from God’s judgment through Jesus, who was sacrificed for the world’s sins, and He is our mercy.
‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.’ Galatians 5:1
We have been set free, and we can STAY free. We are no longer bound by the flesh, but we can walk daily in the freedom we received from salvation. The power of the resurrection that raised us from being dead in sins and trespasses has broken the dominion of sin in our lives forever.
‘But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.’ Galatians 6:14
By our faith in Jesus, we have overcome the world. As we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all things will be added to us. Let’s learn to stand fast in the liberty of WHO Jesus is and WHAT He did for us—overcoming death to give us new life.
Brother Duane has taught in depth about power of the resurrection on his broadcast, which you can watch on our website, app, YouTube, or on TV. Check out our website for books, video teachings, resource materials, and more.
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