The Giver of Life

Scripture: John 5:21 (ESV) – “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.”

In this verse, Jesus deepens the claim He’s been making—He doesn’t merely imitate the Father; He shares in His divine power to give life. Just as the Father raises the dead, so does the Son, by His own sovereign will. This is not borrowed authority—it is intrinsic. Christ is not a prophet pointing to life. He is the source of life.

To the religious leaders, this would have been staggering. In the Old Testament, only God has the power to raise the dead. Yet Jesus claims that same power—and adds that He gives life “to whom he will.” This phrase is rich with divine prerogative: He chooses, He gives, He enlivens.

William Gouge, reflecting on this passage, saw in it not only physical resurrection but also spiritual quickening—the soul made alive by sovereign grace. “As God alone breathes life into Adam’s clay,” he writes, “so Christ alone breathes spiritual life into dead hearts.” Whether physical resurrection (like Lazarus) or the inward miracle of regeneration, the source is the same: Christ, by divine right and power, gives life to the dead.

This means that no one is beyond hope. Christ is able to give life to whom He wills—the broken, the proud, the forgotten, the far gone. And it also reminds us that our spiritual life is entirely a work of His grace, not our striving. If you are alive to God today, it is because Jesus willed to raise you.

Reflection Questions:

1. What does it mean to you that Jesus, like the Father, has the power to give life?
2. Have you reflected lately on the miracle that your spiritual life is a gift from Christ’s will?
3. Who in your life seems “beyond hope”? How does this verse encourage you to pray and believe for them?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the Resurrection and the Life. Thank You for breathing life into our dead hearts. Thank You that You give life not based on merit, but by Your will and mercy. Help us to trust Your power to save, and to pray boldly for those still in darkness. Teach us to live with gratitude and awe, knowing that our spiritual life is the fruit of Your sovereign love. In Your name, Amen.

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This devotional is based on John 5:21, with theological support from Pastor Chris Cousine’s sermon and William Gouge’s reflections on Christ as the divine life-giver.