He Abolished Death and Brought Life to Light

Yes. Jesus abolished death. Because Jesus appeared and abolished death, we no longer need to be enslaved to death.

Hebrews 2:14-15 “14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

And the fact that Jesus would overcome death and bring life and immortality to light through the gospel had already been testified long ago through the psalm of David.

Psalm 16:8-11 “8 I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall dwell in safety. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

In David’s psalm, the words “Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption” do not refer to David himself, but to Jesus Christ, who would come long afterward as the Son of David. This truth was testified to the whole world when, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit of truth came upon the disciples of Jesus and caused them to bear witness in the tongues of many nations (Acts 2:1-4).

Acts 2:23-32 “23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance. 29 Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; 31 he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses.”

Thus, through the Holy Spirit of truth, it was made known to the whole world that the One written about long ago in David’s psalm—the One whose flesh would not see corruption—was “Jesus” of Nazareth, who came as the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). Therefore, we can understand why, when Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, and when the women¹ went to the tomb where His body had been laid early on the first day of the week, the third day, they did not see the body of Jesus, but only an empty tomb.

[¹Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less, Salome, and Joanna—Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10]

Luke 24:1-6 “1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: 5 and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.”

And now, because Jesus has risen again from among the dead, death no longer has dominion over Him.

Romans 6:9 “knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.”

Since Jesus has completely abolished death, those who believe in Jesus will also live forever.

John 11:25-26 “25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; 26 and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

John 5:24-25 “24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.”

Thus, we are able to live through the words of Jesus, that is, through the gospel, because the gospel is the law of the Spirit of life. Therefore, if we abide in this gospel, God also will abide in us in the name of Jesus (John 17:26) and will give life even to our mortal bodies (2 Corinthians 4:13-14).

Romans 8:1-2, 11 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Therefore, those who believe the gospel will live forever through the gospel they believe.

Romans 1:17 “For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.”

1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Amen.