Deliverance from Death

The Doctrine of Resurrection 

John records Jesus’s miracles as “signs” that purposefully reveal truth about Him. The miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection is John’s seventh example of Jesus’s power and authority. Jesus’s sign of raising Lazarus foreshadowed His own death-shattering and hell-defeating resurrection. This miracle also points toward the glorious resurrection of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Jesus’s death on the cross paid sin’s price in full, redeeming all God’s children. Jesus’s resurrection claimed victory over death for all who trust Him for salvation. Jesus’s resurrection stands as a foundational pillar of the Christian faith.1 Lazarus was raised up only to face death again later, but every believer anticipates a future resurrection to a glorified body with no death on the other side. The raising of Lazarus points to this future reality. 

While we await our resurrection after death, Jesus’s resurrection power works within God’s children today. Redeemed believers, indwelt and sealed by His Holy Spirit, die to their old ways of living—freed from sin’s bondage and reborn to live in joyful obedience to God’s will and ways.2 Jesus Christ brings new resurrection life to dead hearts.3 God calls believers to be salt and light on earth. He commissions His people as witnesses to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.4 Just as Jesus was raised, all believers will be resurrected in glorious bodies prepared for eternity.5 Jesus’s resurrection promises that all who believe in Him will be raised again to life eternal. 

Without understanding Jesus’s victory over death, people live without hope—gripped by the fear of death.6 Death’s shadow looms large for everyone, despite efforts to ignore or postpone the unavoidable approach of mortality. To see Jesus’s resurrection as a myth means forsaking humanity’s only hope for recovering everything that death steals away. 

Job expressed well the hope that upholds every believer: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”7 Jesus’s resurrection made Him the firstfruits of those who die and are raised to eternal life.8 God’s resurrected children will enjoy freedom from all darkness, pain, suffering, sin, and death. They will dwell in the eternal presence of God in the new heaven and new earth to come.9 Because of Jesus’s resurrection power, death does not speak the final word. 

1. Resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15 

2. New ways: Ephesians 4:22-24 

3. New life: John 3:3-8; Romans 8:11 

4. Salt and light: Matthew 5:13-16 

5. Future resurrection: Philippians 3:20-21 

6. Fear of death: Hebrews 2:14-15 

7. Redeemer lives: Job 19:25-26 

8. Firstfruits: 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 

9. Eternal joy: Revelation 21:3-5

Resource: Bible Study Fellowship, People of Promise: Kingdom Divided, Lesson 15, The Gospel of John