Jesus, the resurrection and life

Many did not believe when Jesus told them He would be resurrected on the third day, but they were amazed when they heard Jesus talk about this event, they doubted Him, they did not believe.

The Nature of Human Unbelief and Divine Truth

The resurrection was something they could not comprehend. Even though they saw His authority, heard His teachings, and witnessed His miracles, many hearts were hardened. They admired Jesus, but they did not believe fully in His words. And when He spoke of rising again, it sounded impossible to them. Their unbelief shows us how deeply human doubt can blind the eyes, even when the truth is right in front of us.

This historical skepticism highlights a profound disconnect between the human mind, which seeks empirical, logical, and immediate evidence, and the spiritual realm, which operates on the foundation of divine promise. When Jesus spoke of His impending death and resurrection, He was not merely describing a future event; He was unveiling a fundamental truth about the nature of existence. Yet, the onlookers were tethered to their current reality, unable to peer beyond the veil of physical death. Their refusal to accept the possibility of such a supernatural occurrence serves as a sobering reminder that faith requires a departure from strictly human logic.

The Danger of Selective Faith

The same happens in this time and perhaps worse, people only look for Jesus when they have a problem, and after God helps them with their problem, they return to what they were before. They treat God as a temporary refuge, not as Lord and Savior. Many forget that faith is not only for moments of crisis, but for every day of our lives. God seeks hearts that remain faithful, not hearts that only approach Him in moments of desperation.

This “convenience-based” faith is a subtle form of unbelief. It acknowledges God’s power—admitting He can solve a problem—but denies His sovereignty over the entirety of one’s life. True belief involves a total surrender, a recognition that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, whether in the valley of shadows or on the mountain top. Those who treat the Creator as a “divine spare tire” miss the essence of the relationship God desires to foster with humanity. A resilient faith is cultivated through consistent interaction, prayer, and meditation on the Scriptures, ensuring that when the storms of life arrive, the foundation is already firm.

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

John 11:25

The Miraculous Context of the Resurrection

This people with whom Jesus worked day after day did not believe that He could raise the dead, even seeing the signs and miracles that He did before their eyes. He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, cleansed lepers, and cast out demons. Yet when faced with the idea of life after death, their faith faltered. Reading the Gospels, we will find several miracles that Jesus did during His journey through those cities, all of them confirming His divine authority.

It is essential to consider the weight of these miracles. When Jesus cleansed a leper, He restored a person to society; when He gave sight to the blind, He opened a new world of physical perception. However, these acts were also prophetic symbols. Each miracle acted as a signpost pointing toward the ultimate miracle: the conquering of death itself. The skepticism of the crowd is particularly tragic because they possessed the physical evidence of His power, yet failed to grasp the theological reality behind it. They were so focused on the immediate relief of physical suffering that they overlooked the eternal remedy being offered.

Moving Beyond the Physical Realm

But what those people did not know was that Jesus was speaking of an eternal resurrection, which would be received by those who believed in Him. The Lord did not come only to restore physical life temporarily, but to offer eternal life to all who trust in Him. As the following biblical verse says, whoever believes in Him, even though he is dead, will live.

This shift from the physical to the eternal represents the core of the Gospel message. Jesus was not offering a mere resuscitation, like that of Lazarus, but a transformation of the human condition. Eternal life is not simply the extension of physical years; it is a quality of life rooted in fellowship with God. By declaring Himself the “Resurrection and the Life,” Jesus was claiming a prerogative that belongs solely to the Divine. He was asserting that the power of death—the ultimate enemy of humanity—had no authority over Him. For the believer, this means that our identity is not defined by our biological expiration, but by our spiritual union with the Resurrected One.

And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

John 11:26

The Assurance of Eternal Hope

This is a great truth. He is the life. Only in Him must we believe, because there is no other name in which we can be raised. This is why we must believe fully in Jesus. He is the resurrection that overcomes death, the life that sustains us, the hope that does not fade. One day we will all die physically, but not eternally, because God will raise us on the day of His coming. This is a promise made by Christ Himself, and we must hold on to it with unwavering faith.

The question posed by Jesus, “Do you believe this?”, is not a historical query meant for Martha alone; it is a question directed at every individual throughout history. It is the defining challenge of the Christian faith. To believe this is to fundamentally alter one’s perspective on life, suffering, and mortality. When we anchor our souls to this promise, the fear of the unknown loses its grip. We recognize that our journey is not a terminal path toward nothingness, but a pilgrimage toward eternal glory. This conviction provides the strength to persevere through trials, knowing that the struggles of this present age are not worthy to be compared to the joy that will be revealed in us.

Developing Unwavering Conviction

Developing this level of conviction requires a daily renewal of the mind. It involves immersing ourselves in the promises of God so that they become more real to us than our immediate circumstances. Just as a plant requires constant nourishment to grow, our faith requires the nourishment of the Word of God to withstand the pressures of a secularized, cynical world. We must learn to view our lives through the lens of eternity, recognizing that every heartbeat is a gift and every breath is an opportunity to honor the One who conquered the grave.

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

John 11:27

Confessing Christ as Savior and Lord

This is Jesus whom we must believe all the time. As one of His disciples named Peter also confessed, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He came into the world to give us salvation and eternal life. And just like Martha in this passage, we too must respond with faith and conviction.

Martha’s confession serves as a model for all believers. It is a comprehensive statement that acknowledges Jesus’ identity and His messianic mission. To say “Yes, Lord” is to yield one’s will to His authority. To acknowledge Him as the “Christ” is to recognize Him as the fulfillment of ancient prophecy. To declare Him the “Son of God” is to worship Him as Divine. This is the confession that changes the destiny of a soul. It is not merely a verbal agreement but an internal transformation that aligns our hearts with the heartbeat of God. When we make this confession, we are not just accepting a doctrine; we are embracing a Person.

The Holistic Nature of Belief

Remember that to achieve salvation and eternal life you must believe in Him. Believe not only in His miracles, not only in His teachings, but in His person—Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life. He is the One who conquered the grave, and the One who will raise all who trust in His name.

The complexity of modern life often leads us to compartmentalize our faith, separating it from our work, our relationships, and our personal ambitions. However, the message of the resurrection demands a holistic integration of belief. It suggests that our faith should permeate every aspect of our existence. Because Jesus is the Life, our work should reflect excellence; because He is the Resurrection, our relationships should be marked by forgiveness and hope. Our belief in Him is the catalyst for a life lived with purpose and direction. When we truly understand that our hope is not in the temporary gains of this world but in the eternal promise of the resurrection, we are set free from the anxiety of self-preservation. We become people who can love sacrificially, serve humbly, and wait patiently, knowing that our ultimate destiny is secure in the hands of the One who holds the keys to death and Hades.

Final Reflections on the Resurrection

In conclusion, the narrative of the resurrection is the cornerstone of our hope. It is the testimony that death is not the end but a gateway. As we navigate the complexities of our contemporary world, we are called to hold fast to this truth with an intensity that cannot be swayed by skepticism or the temporary nature of our circumstances. By choosing to believe fully, we step into the reality of His eternal life, experiencing a peace that passes understanding and a joy that remains, regardless of the challenges we may face. Let our lives be a living testament to the power of the resurrection, proving to the world that we serve a Savior who is alive today and forevermore.