The question is as old as mankind. It has two answers, both true. "If a man dies, will he live again?" No, he will not. That is, he will never again live in this present world. He will not rise from the grave. He will not be reincarnated. He will not inhabit the earth as a spirit. He will not take the form of animal, plant, or any other thing. All people are subject to God's sentence, "Dust you are, and to dust you will return" (Gen 3:19). For some, the sentence is suspended by long length of days; for others, it comes more quickly; but for all, it surely comes. In this sense, we see the finality of death. It is appointed unto men to die once (Heb 9:27). Job's words earlier in this same discourse convey this very thought: "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant. But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:7-12). We know that God has exercised His power to break this pattern, and for this reason, some have physically died twice. He raised to life a dead man when he was thrown into the grave of Elisha, gave flesh and breath to a multitude of dry bones in the presence of Ezekiel, and restored to their families the lives of Jairus' daughter, the son of the widow at Nain, and Eutychus. And who can forget the most notable of all, Lazarus? Imagine being in this company! To have been dead and come back to life again! What a testimony to the power of God! Yet while this is true, it is noteworthy that we are told nothing of their experience between death and resurrection, and we should not waste time in foolish speculations. Nor are we to expect that such miracles are normative. They were done for signs and instruction so that we, through the patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope (Rom 15:4). And as much as we would wish God to always exercise His power to raise the dead, it is not according to His purpose and plan. He will have us to feel the consequences of sin in the sting of death. Neither is such use of His power needful for our faith, for Christ said, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31). The rule is that we are given one life, one time on this earth, one opportunity to use the days that God has given.

Death is an enemy, and for this reason, all human beings have a natural aversion to it. It is the ending of the wonderful gift of life--an ending often accompanied by pain and sorrow. But more than that, it is the ending of the once-given opportunity to glorify the God who has made us. David asked God, "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?" (Psalm 30:9). Again, the Psalmist asked, "Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" (Psalm 88:10-12). We know that it is our destiny to come to the grave, but we ought to give the grave as little claim upon us as possible. There is a course set before us, a race that we must run, a crown that we must strive for. How precious, then, is each day! How important to live it for the glory of God! How necessary it is to ask not for death, but life, so that we may honor God in our days. The living on earth have at least one advantage over those now gone to heaven--that they can glorify God in the earth, whether in prosperity or adversity. And now is the time, for death is coming quickly. But again, let us ask, "If a man dies, will he live again?"

Yes, he will. That is, he has a soul that cannot die, and a body that will be eternally resurrected. Thus, by the power of God, every human being will live forever. It is primarily the evil doctrines of evolution and atheism, as well as the false religions of the world, that encourage people to believe otherwise. But the scriptures assure us that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15). There are two and only two conditions to which mankind is destined: eternal life and eternal condemnation (Matt 25:46). The Lord of all says, "the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29). In this sense, we see that death is not the end; it is only the beginning of eternity. Oh how important, then, is our state before God! How necessary that we are prepared to meet Him! You who have not believed the gospel, have you considered the coming judgment? Are you physically well? Remember that you will stand before Christ to receive in your body your just due. Are you in prosperity? Remember, that from him who does not have salvation, even what he has will be taken away. Believer, are you sick or afflicted? Remember that momentary, light affliction is producing for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

But consider another application. All people come into the world dead in sin (Eph 2:1). Can they live again? Can these dead be raised to life? If not, then hope is lost, for God is a consuming fire, and He must judge the world in righteousness. But praise be to God, with Him nothing is impossible. The children of God can say, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:4-7). Because of God's mercy in Christ, there is forgiveness, and by His power, there is resurrection to newness of life. This salvation, as much as the physical resurrection of the dead, must be the work of God. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).

But while salvation belongs entirely to God, His work in the heart causes men to seek Him, and none will be saved who do not come to Christ by faith. Therefore, let everyone with ears to hear come to Christ in repentance, knowing that He will judge the living and the dead. The day of death is encroaching upon all of us, after which there is no possibility of salvation. We now live in a world full of the mercies of God, but to the unredeemed, His mercies will run out, and His justice will be executed to the fullest. This being so, let us always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men, remembering that if we die, we will live again.