From Death to Life

What does a corpse need? New life. Although all of us look alive, the Bible would print “dead” on our name tag. Ephesians 2:1–2a says, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…” But wait a minute, we all look alive! What gives? Physically we look alive, but spiritually we’re dead.

Just like an actual corpse, we need new life. Imagine I wasn’t a pastor, but a scientist. I discovered a special serum in my laboratory. If I inject this serum into a corpse, the corpse will live! New life!

Even though I’m a scientist, I have a pastor’s heart. So, I decide to bring my life-giving serum to the people who need it. I drive to the funeral home, set up a stand in the parking lot, then advertise. My sign reads: “Life-giving Serum! Price? Free!” I’m all set, so I start calling out, “Come get your life-giving serum!”

How many corpses would take me up on the offer? None! A corpse can’t do anything, besides rot! Instead, I must inject the serum into the corpse. In the same way, all of us need God to inject his life-giving serum into our dead hearts.

Ephesians 2:4–5 points us to God’s life-giving serum: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…” God’s grace brings the dead to life.

Only God can resurrect a dead heart. God’s grace should humble us. We didn’t trust in Christ because we were so good or so smart, but because God was so gracious.