Life and Resurrection #4

By Oscar M. Baker

"He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave His son. AND THIS IS THE RECORD, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

Believing, or at least pretending to believe there is a God, does not save one. The devils believe and tremble. One must believe the record. He was the Word, He was God, He came to save sinners, He died, He rose again, and ascended up into glory.

Those in the ark were saved from death, and when they left the ark, they were in a new world. So all in Christ shall be made alive, that is, have a resurrection. They too, will awake in a new world, whether on the earth or in the heavens. Those outside the ark (Christ) perish, die, return to dust, see corruption, and have no hope.

Christ died for sinners, but His death never saved anyone. It is His resurrection that saves people. See Rom. 5:10. So then everlasting life results in resurrection. See John 6:40,54. Those that believe shall never perish, but have everlasting life and resurrection. But the one that does not believe that record shall not see life (John 3:36).

So far, do you believe the record? This one simple fact is overlooked today. In fact, it is even rejected. For rebellious Christendom relies on works, not faith, for their supposed salvation.

Everlasting life is a Person, for the Lord said, "I am the life." The expression, "length of days" is used in the Old Testament for a life everlasting. This cannot be, except in resurrection.

Although, believers, just and unjust, shall have a resurrection, there is no such promise for those who do not believe. They have no length of days. The one who does not believe shall be as if he never had been. See Obediah 15:16.

The unbeliever is not said to have life here and now. Hence the Lord said, "Let the dead bury their dead." John wrote his gospel that those who believe the record might have life through His name. By believing they pass from death unto life, from darkness to the light.

So we come back again to our first paragraph. All people you see hurrying to and fro either have life or they do not have life. The can be classed as the haves and the have nots. You cannot judge correctly in all instances which are which, but the Lord knows them that are His. This life is a gift. It cannot be lost. But our physical (soulical) life can be lost in death, even as Christ died.

There are two general classes of those who have life. There are those who will be resurrected here on the earth, and others that will be resurrected in the heavenly places. Finis.

(Reprinted from Truth For Today, Vol. 34, No. 6)