Section 13
case. In this matter, the Father and the Son are one. Whatever the Father wants to do in the matter of life-giving, the Son does it accordingly.
THE SON OF GOD GIVING LIFE TO THE DEAD
The Son gives life to the dead. Verse 21 says, "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills." In verse 24 we see that whoever hears the word of the Son and believes in Him who sent Him has eternal life and has passed out of death into life. Verse 25 says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live." The dead persons mentioned in this verse are not those who are buried in their graves, but the living dead ones. They are not dead physically, but, according to Ephesians 2:1-5 and Colossians 2:13, are dead in their spirit. In the eyes of the Lord, all of the people living on earth are dead in their spirit. The phrase, "An hour is coming and now is," refers to the very time when the Lord spoke these words. Many at that time heard His liv ing words and consequently were made alive. Hence, "shall live" in this verse means to be