“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more: death hath no more dominion or rule over him.” Commentary: Yes God had to die once for your sin so you could live with him forever! Remember some of Jesus words while on the Cross? My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me? Not my will but thy will be done! It is finished! To better understand these sayings let us examine the Greek Word used in this passage of scripture. The Strong’s Number for “dead” is number 3498. It means to die in sin separated from the vivifying grace of God having one’s soul separated from the enliving influence of the living light and spirit as a dead body is from the material light and air having no hope of eternal life.” We know from the scriptures that Jesus during his death descended during those three days down to hell. Now we better understand the words of Jesus on the Cross to his Father in heaven! Death without redemption is more horrible than death itself! God’s incarnation into flesh was so necessary and our only solution to our sin! God is perfect without sin yet in love became the sacrifice for our sin! Jesus had to carry our sin to the grave! The Father had to look the other way with his only Son on the Cross for me! No mortal was up to the task unless the immortal God took on mortal flesh! This was the only way sinners could be inducted into the Hall of Fame! At Jesus resurrection from the dead all hell broke loose! People came out of the graves! The earth shook! The veil of death and religion split in two! After his resurrection his own disciples did not recognize him! Peter went back to fishing! Jesus had to fetch Peter from the shoreline and tell him he was to be fishers of men! Peter who denied him becomes the leader of the church at Jerusalem! We who live in this dying flesh know the resurrection from the dead is coming for us! O’ Death where is thy sting? Where is thy victory? Death to have no more dominion over us! No more rule over us! To live for Christ in the here and now! You cannot live for Christ unless he gives you the power to do so! At Jesus ascension he instructed his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit! You shall be endued with power from on high! If you die without Christ it is only because you choose to do so! Then your sin will separate you from God! Cast off your pride and humble yourself to receive the eternal gift of grace where you do not get what you deserve death but what God did for you that he did not deserve! Death! Jesus will resurrect all from the dead some to eternal life and some to judgment and eternal death separated from God forever! The choice is yours to make! Heaven or Hell? It is your call! James & Hamsa Sasse, IndiaJesusLovesYou.com