Know That Christ Defeated Death

Know That Christ Defeated Death

Through death He . . . destroy[ed] him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release[d] those who through fear of death were . . . subject to bondage.

- Hebrews 2:14-15, emphasis added

Over fifty-five million humans will enter eternity this year. Some will perish through starvation or murder, others through disease and accident. Some will die painlessly while others will die painfully, but all of them will die. Is that a result of a catastrophic tragedy? No, it is simply daily life and death on planet Earth. Death itself is not the ultimate tragedy; the ultimate tragedy is being unprepared for death. The solution God offers for sin is the gift of His Son, whose death on the cross paid the penalty for man's sin and rebellion. God went to the limit.

All humans are helpless: rich or poor, armed or unarmed, weak or powerful, known or faceless. To rescue us from our hopeless sinful state, God has communicated with us, and has taken on humanity by becoming the man, Jesus Christ. His life is recorded in the Bible. Jesus has revealed to us, in a life identifiably human and unmistakably divine, that the true nature of God is love. This is how the Bible states it: "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).

Simple faith in Christ gets us registered in heaven (1 Peter 1:4; see also Hebrews 12:23). Christ gives us a special, private PIN number, which is a secret name that only He knows (Revelation 2:17). We are His. We have access to Him through faith, and that is the greatest treasure on earth.

Now comes your part: Are you willing to admit that God is right when He says you have rebelled? Do you recognize your need of a personal relationship with God? Because Jesus took the penalty for your sins, accept the Bible's invitation: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved . . . " [for] if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. . . . For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 16:31a; Romans 10:9, 13).

If these verses have spoken to your heart, simply tell God that you want to change the direction of your sinful life by receiving Jesus!