God of the Living

GOD OF THE LIVING

Matthew 22:29-32

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scripture or the power of God . . . —have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

Jesus responded to a question about the resurrection from the Sadducees, who doubted its existence. His response, however, challenged his questioners’ entire outlook on God. They were so focused on religious theories of the afterlife that they failed to see Life incarnate walking among them. They approached the world’s greatest teacher, yet asked an irrelevant question.

One tragedy of the unspiritual mind is that it only associates God with death. For those who do not truly understand Him, the Almighty is simply someone we go to when we die. He is thus relegated to some mythical plane, far removed from our day-to-day affairs.

What did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have in common? They all trusted God and saw Him do extraordinary things in their lives—while they were still living. The Sadducees were blind to this simple reality, just as we can be. God is the God of the living! He has every right to be Lord our lives right here and right now! Now is the time for repentance, prayer and faith—such things will be obsolete once all has been revealed in heaven.

Salvation does see its full, glorious consummation in a reality beyond this life. This is the wonderful, blessed assurance that every believer has. Let us remember, however, that eternal life begins now. Eternity begins now.

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