The scripture for today, November 26, is John 11:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
” ‘ And whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ “
Jesus was talking to the sister of his close friend, Lazarus, who had just died. Of course we understand he was talking about spiritual death ~ the death of our souls. And death in the original Greek means separation; so in the case of our souls, it would be separation from God.
Revelation 20:6 & 14 refer to the second death which is the lake of fire. So what is the first death of our souls?
In John 3:3 Jesus said we must be born again of water and the spirit. Romans 6:4 says “we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death [of that sinful life] in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a NEW LIFE.”
Someone has said “Born once [physically], die twice. Born twice [physically & spiritually], die once.” If we emerge from the waters of our mother’s womb, that is the first birth of our souls. If we emerge from the waters of baptism, that is our second birth.”
So when Jesus said believers would never die, he meant our souls would never die. How reassuring!