Messages of Faith: Resurrection is the answer for immortality – Daily Record-News

People throughout history have sought the key to immortality. A multitude of paths and dead ends have been explored ranging from the possible to the fanciful. Some have looked for the fountain of youth, the Holy Grail or a secret potion while others have looked to science, surgery, and supplements to prolong life. Religions and worldviews have put forth competing beliefs about what happens to people after death and how to prepare for it. The quest for answers is strong and primal an eternal longing in our hearts, a yearning for a life that never ends.

The quest for immortality would not be relevant unless death was a common ailment of humanity. It is. All have contributed to sin which results in death for all. All will die and life will end even for the smart, wealthy, good, and famous. Every person needs to come to terms with this sobering fact and find the key to eternal life before the hearts last beat.

Jesus to the rescue

Jesus came to earth and talked about the key to the death problem. He talked about another Kingdom, one that was different than the Kingdom of this world; a Kingdom that would never end, a Kingdom where death, pain, and suffering were no more. He said that we must be born again in order to see and enter the Kingdom of God (John 3). Furthermore, death and resurrection were necessary to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

According to Jesus, the key to the death problem is resurrection from the dead. This poses another problem, how are we resurrected? Certainly we cannot resurrect ourselves. We simply dont have the power and skill to do it. We are utterly dependent upon someone with the power, wisdom, and authority to resurrect us.

Only God can resurrect a dead person. Sure, medical personnel can resuscitate people with assisted breathing and a jolt of electricity. But, only God can resurrect a life when the blood has stopped circulating for days, the organs no longer function, and the cells have turned to mush.

Jesus not only talked about the death problem but he solved the death problem. Jesus predicted that he must die and rise again to conquer death once and for all. He made good on his prediction and to the amazement of his followers, He physically rose from the dead never to die again. He showed himself alive to hundreds of witnesses after his death this was no fairy tale or figment of the imagination he walked, talked, and ate with them and let them touch him. He showed us that resurrection was possible.

All invited few enter

This possibility of resurrection to eternal life is available to all but only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14). It is surprising that few find it despite widespread invitation and access to the truth. Those that know, believe, and place their faith in Jesus, are welcomed to heaven and those that do not, dont. Followers of Jesus can have full confidence that they have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13) and those that seek him will find him.

It is not necessary to search for the fountain of youth, the Holy Grail, or scientific discovery to overcome mortality these have never and will never work. Jesus proved that death could be conquered through the power of resurrection and was the first among many to take this path. Resurrection is the only mechanism by which death is defeated and eternal life is entered. Death does not have to have the final word or victory.

The good news is that God invites everyone to inherit eternal life through the power of resurrection. Jesus is the resurrection and eternal life and belief in him is the path to immortality. God desires everyone to receive eternal life and he spared no expense to pay for the gift of eternal life for all people. How will you respond to Gods invitation to eternal life?

Todd Pearsons, Ph.D., is a minister with Increase International Christian Church.

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Messages of Faith: Resurrection is the answer for immortality - Daily Record-News