John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.
I want to open my comments on this verse with this: to live to love with the Son is to live to love with the Father. I derive this conclusion from Jesus’ statements like this one. He continued to drive home the point to the Jews that Jesus’ works were the Father’s works and will.
In this verse, Jesus exalted His Father as the life-giver. He raises the dead and gives them life. Was Jesus referring to physical resurrection such as Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, or the widow’s son or to spiritual new birth? Both would be true. Both would also be true of Jesus’ power to give life.
Let’s be encouraged by two things from this verse. One, the Father and the Son have the power to give life because they are the source of all life. Death was conquered at the cross. Just as the Father did it, Jesus did it. The writer of Hebrews wrote in 2:14, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Death has been defeated and swallowed up by life.
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise the name of the Lord! So first, we who have believed in Jesus are encouraged that we not only know this great truth as an intellectual fact, but we know it by experience. The One who raises the dead and gives life is our Father, and He has given us life in His Son.
Two, we may be encouraged that Jesus, like the Father, gives life to whomever He wishes. That means there is no person who cannot be saved. There is nothing anyone has done or can do that can stop the life-giving power of God. This gives us great confidence as we love those God puts in our paths. We aren’t relying on our ability to convince anyone to do anything. When the Father and Son give life, they will believe that Jesus has conquered death and is life and the life-giver. We love people and proclaim the gospel with confidence that God is able to give life to them when He wishes.
Father in heaven, thank You for another day of life to know and love You and love with Jesus. We thank You for the Holy Spirit, who manifests the presence and power of Christ, so that we can love and trust You and love those You put in our paths for Your glory. We pray that You will give life as we love and share the gospel today.
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