By Joe Slater
Almost nothing in history supports the legend that Spanish conquistador Ponce de Leon searched for the “Fountain of Youth.” (Don’t tell the tourists in Florida, though!) It’s definitely true, however, that various people all over the world have sought (and even claimed to have found) water that restores youth. We human beings just don’t like the idea of aging and dying. We’re downright desperate for some way to avoid it!
Jesus told Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “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). What? Believers don’t die? Wait a minute – we’ve seen any number of believers die. How can Jesus say this?
Look at the entire passage! The Lord wasn’t saying believers won’t die physically. He said even if they do, they will live (because He is the resurrection and the life). But faithful believers won’t die eternally (the “second death” as in Revelation 20:14).
But in the meanwhile, Christ blesses us with perpetual youth! No, not in the bodily sense – once again, think beyond the physical. The aged Paul knew full well that death awaited him, yet he wrote, “We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
No, God hasn’t given us H2O that will restore our youth. He has given us something infinitely better: spiritual life in Christ here and now, and the confident hope of living with Him and all the redeemed of all ages in Heaven forever.
Are you drinking from the fountain of youth?
Almost nothing in history supports the legend that Spanish conquistador Ponce de Leon searched for the “Fountain of Youth.” (Don’t tell the tourists in Florida, though!) It’s definitely true, however, that various people all over the world have sought (and even claimed to have found) water that restores youth. We human beings just don’t like the idea of aging and dying. We’re downright desperate for some way to avoid it!
Jesus told Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “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). What? Believers don’t die? Wait a minute – we’ve seen any number of believers die. How can Jesus say this?
Look at the entire passage! The Lord wasn’t saying believers won’t die physically. He said even if they do, they will live (because He is the resurrection and the life). But faithful believers won’t die eternally (the “second death” as in Revelation 20:14).
But in the meanwhile, Christ blesses us with perpetual youth! No, not in the bodily sense – once again, think beyond the physical. The aged Paul knew full well that death awaited him, yet he wrote, “We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
No, God hasn’t given us H2O that will restore our youth. He has given us something infinitely better: spiritual life in Christ here and now, and the confident hope of living with Him and all the redeemed of all ages in Heaven forever.
Are you drinking from the fountain of youth?
- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin,
TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website:
http://justinchurchofchrist.com
No comments:
Post a Comment