Thank you for continuing with us as we share excerpts of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ Living Water: Studies in John 4, published last month for the first time.
In chapter 24, entitled “Death Defeated”, Lloyd-Jones discusses the problem of death and takes us to the glorious implications of the Resurrection:
We must agree that the ultimate problem of all problems is that of death, the problem of the grave and of what lies beyond. The apostle Paul said, The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:26), and it is indeed the last enemy. These other problems that we have to confront come and go—scientific questions and problems, the problem of pain and suffering, political problems, the problem of war. All these may or may not be urgent, but there is one that is inevitable, inexorable, ineluctable—the problem of death. No one can evade it. And, of course, we are bound to be concerned about it. Here we are in life, full of activity and interests—then comes death. Is there any purpose in it? Does it all just end here, all the bother and all the trouble and all the agony and all the suffering – does it all finish? And what then? (p.310)
There, then, is the difference that his resurrection has made to all who believe in him. “He hath abolished death.” He has defeated death. But beyond that, he has “brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10). If you are not thrilled at the thought of this, I ask you to examine whether you are Christian at all! “He has brought life and immortality to light.” Life, not merely continuous existence, the existence that people have in this world. Full living, full being, a real life!
That is life! Life with him, and with him forever and ever. It is a glorified life. This mortal flesh cannot inherit immortality; this corruption cannot inherit incorruption. There is going to be a change, a transformation. He was changed himself – he arose in a glorified body. And our bodies will also be glorified. No longer will we have these old bodies; the body will be the same, but it will be transfigured, transformed, glorified. There will be no disease, no weakness, no decay. There will be an eternal, a spiritual, a glorified body, and oh, the glory and the wonder of it all! There will be no sighing there, there will be no sin, there will be no sorrow, there will be no weeping, there will be no parting, there will be no death. It is an entirely new realm and an entirely new kind of life (p. 321).
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