From the above brief statements of the Scripture, it will be seen that the power by which the dead will be raised incorruptible at the coming of Christ, is identical with the power by which they are converted from sin. Whoever therefore receives the life of God in Christ, as salvation from sin, experiences the power of the resurrection. "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." (Philippians 3:10)
This is further shown in the epistle to the Ephesians. The prayer of the apostle is that God will give unto us: "The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:17-20)
We are to know the working of the same power that raised Christ from the dead. How this is, we learn from the opening of the next chapter: "And you has He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ... But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:1,4-6)
The same thing is stated in: "And you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power; In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation [working] of God, who has raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has He quickened [made alive] together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses." (Colossians 2:10-13)
The power which thus raises the dead to life, is the word of God, both in the raising of those who are dead in sins, and in the resurrection of the dead at the coming of the Lord. The word of the Lord is alive, (Hebrews 4:12) it is life itself, (John 6:63) and it has power to give life. David said, "This is my comfort in my affliction; for your word has quickened me." (Psalm 119:50)
And Christ said, "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth." (John 5:28-29)
And just before He said, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." (John 5:25)
Note the wonderful power of that word. The dead shall hear it, and shall live as a consequence of hearing it. So instantaneous is its action that its first sound gives life to the dead, so that they hear the voice which wakes them from the dead. And this "word of life" is that which is spoken to everyone who believes, and which they are to hold forth in their lives.
The raising of the son of the widow of Nain, and of the daughter of Jairus, are instances of the life-giving power of the word of Christ. To the first Jesus said, "Young man, I say unto you, Arise." (Luke 7:15)
To the other He said, "Maid, Arise." (Luke 8:54)
In both instances life was instantaneous. The signs were done that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing we might have life through His name. (John 20:31) They were done that we might see how easily Jesus can raise us from the deadness of sin to the life of righteousness. But some will say: "Mine is no ordinary case. I am worse than others, and while I can believe that Jesus might save others who are not so sinful, I think that He cannot save me."
They forget that sin is death, whether it be great or small, and that to raise one dead person is just the same as to raise another. In every case it is by the giving of His own life. It is no more difficult for the Lord to give His life to a very wicked person than it is to give it to one who has not sinned so greatly. But He has given us proof of this as well.
We have seen how easily Jesus raised the ruler's daughter and the son of the widow of Nain. They had been dead but a short time. The ruler's daughter died while Jesus was on the way to heal her and could have been dead but a few moments when He arrived. The breath had but just left the body.
But now look at the case of Lazarus. He had been dead for days, and had begun to decay. Yet it took no more words from the Lord to bring him from the tomb than it did to raise the others. Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth," and instantly Lazarus came forth alive. (John 11:43-44) So there is no opportunity for one to say that God cannot save any sinner. "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, because He ever lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
His life is everlasting and without limit. It is a light, which is not diminished by shining. He can give life to the whole world, and still have as much left as at the first.
The knowledge and the actual appropriation of this is the hope of the resurrection. In that day those who have been dead for thousands of years will hear the voice of the Son of God, and will come forth. But the power that will bring them forth is the very same power that now saves men from the corruption of sin. Thus, "His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3)--Present Truth, December 29, 1892.