Life and death. These two words represent the extremes of our world. You may not think they are such a big deal, but let me assure you they are a matter of life and death. We spend part of our lives marvelling and amazed at the birth of a child or the blooming of a flower. We also spend part of our lives crying and confused at the death of a loved one or the loss of a cherished family pet. In our search to reconcile these two opposites we may wax philosophical and scientific about the life cycle of our fragile yet hearty existence. However, philosophy and science will never be able to reconcile these two extremes and satisfy that nagging, bothersome feeling in the pit of your stomach.

As John 14:6 states Jesus is “the life.” But I would like to make it even more clear by simply stating Jesus is life. John 1:3 and 4 states so beautifully and eloquently his explicit connection with life. It says, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” May I suggest we need to stop attempting to reconcile life and death and understand that the two are not connected. Life emanates from who Jesus Christ is. Death emanates as a consequence of sin. Our Earth was designed for life by its creator. Death is an interloper incongruent with our intended purpose and our Earth’s intended purpose. Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all have sinned.” This passage explicitly connects man’s sin with death’s entry into our world. Thankfully in a world tainted by sin and death we can still see the “light of men”.

The “light of men”, Jesus Christ, demonstrated his love for us in this: while we were still sinnners, Christ died for us. Christ died for us, was buried and rose again the third day. In this way Jesus Christ triumphed over death and began restoring our Earth to its intended form. His triumph over death has provided a way for our salvation and participation in eternal life. Romans 10:9 says “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Is this the way, the truth and the life you know?