Questions and Answers: "God Is Not the God of the Dead, But of the Living"?
• 1 min. read • grade level: 7
QUESTION: Please explain, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22:3232I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:32)). Luke 20:3838For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. (Luke 20:38) adds, "For all live unto Him." See also Romans 14:99For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (Romans 14:9).
ANSWER: To men, the departed are dead, and their graves are with us where the body is sown in corruption, but they live to God, as may be seen in Moses being with Christ on the mount. So then while they are dead as to the body, they are alive as to the spirit. Matthew 22:3232I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:32) and Romans 14:99For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (Romans 14:9) are in perfect harmony. God is the God of the living as to departed spirits, and in that sense Jesus is the Lord both of the departed dead, as to their spirits, and also of those who are still here alive in the body. He is also Lord as to those who have eternal life and will be raised at His coming. And He is Lord of "the rest of the dead" who "lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Rev. 20:55But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5)). "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God" (Rev. 20:1212And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)). Men may despise and reject Him now; they will have to stand before Him then.