Salvation is more than mental affirmation — it is a life transformation. It is as significant as a dead person rising from the grave. Because that is what happened spiritually.
Jesus called outside the tomb, and Lazarus’ dead heart began to beat again. He walked out of the grave not because he discovered a way to cheat death but because the Lord over all defeated death for him. Jesus had repeatedly shown what He could do. If they believed in Him, they would see the unbelievable come true. Belief in the faithfulness of Jesus is the step to beholding the glory of God (John 11:40).
Just as Lazarus’ physical body came back to life due to the voice of Jesus, our spiritual souls can only come back to life by that same voice. Since the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), every person in this world committed spiritual suicide when we transgressed against God (Eph. 2:1). We cannot make ourselves come back to life; someone outside the tomb will have to do that for us.
The gospel is the message that Jesus was willing to take your place on the cross to bring you back to God.
As Lazarus came out of that tomb, we are called to walk out of the grave and cast away those graveclothes (John 11:44). If you have been resurrected, don’t go back to your former dead way of living.
If your are unsure if you truly have been born again, one way to check is are you actually spiritually alive now? Is there evidence to the fact?
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
