Do You Believe It?

March 18

“Most assuredly, I say to you,
if anyone keeps my word
he shall never see death.”
John 8:51

A casual reading of this verse might lead someone to think the Word of God is in error. "See," some might say, "there's never been any believer who hasn't died in the end."

But the Word of God IS true.

The principle is the same as seen in Genesis in which God said to Adam and Eve:

"Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat,
for in the day that you eat of it
you shall SURELY DIE.”
Genesis 2:16-17

We know that after Adam and Eve took the forbidden fruit they lived on, in fact they went on to bear children.

So what's going on here? Can the Word of God be wrong?

No. We need to define death.

Death is separation. When one dies physically, his soul is separated from his body. He does not cease to exist, he simply goes to LIVE in another place.

Adam and Eve died spiritually on the day they partook of that fruit. Their spirit died. They were no longer in intimate contact with God.

Let's look at the story of Lazarus:

"Jesus said to Martha,
'I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me,
though he may die, he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in me
SHALL NEVER DIE.'"
John 11:25-26

After saying this to the sister of Lazarus, Jesus added:

"Do you believe this?"

And that's what it comes down to for all mankind. Will we believe the Word of God when it doesn't seem to make sense? Or will we trust in the INTEGRITY of God, believing whether or not we understand.

"Do you believe this?"