“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:20-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Adam brought death into the world through his sin in Genesis 3:1-7. In the dictionary death is defined as the cessation of natural life. In the Bible it is defined as separation from God. When Adam sinned there was immediate spiritual death (separation from God). The Spirit of God left Adam. Correspondingly, natural death was also imposed upon humanity. Although Adam didn't die an immediate natural (physical) death he did eventually die as we all now do. God didn't create us to die. He made us to live. However, since sin and death were now a part of our existence we were left with no natural, physical alternative. Sinful humankind was incapable of redeeming itself. Divine intervention had to take place in order to bring deliverance. Only a perfect, sinless substitution for sin could be accepted by God. God, in His love, became a man in the body of Jesus Christ (see Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16; John 1:1; 14:8-9). Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died in our place to appease the wrath of God upon sin (see John 3:36). If we do not accept Jesus as the payment of sin, God's wrath abides upon us. The fact is this: Jesus died in our place but it doesn't end there. He rose from death by resurrection and destroyed sins power and penalty. If we want to truly live,  and live eternally, we must trust in Jesus. Otherwise, God's wrath is still upon us. Judgment will come. For those who truly know Jesus, death is defeated and God's judgment is satisfied. When He returns, there will be a great resurrection. The body I now have will be changed into one that is like Jesus (immortal and incorruptible - see 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:21; I John 3:1-3). One day, we, as believers will experience the resurrection physically. We have already experienced it spiritually. Therefore, we are eternally alive!

Prayer for today: Father, in Jesus name, thank you for paying the price for my awful sin. Because of you, I am alive forever!!!