The Gospel of John narrates an episode in Jesus’ life about the death of one of his close friends, Lazarus. By the time Jesus arrives the funeral is over, and Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. An ensuing conversation with Lazarus’ sister, Martha, reveals her belief that her brother will rise again, and she is assured that Jesus is the “resurrection and the life.”

Despite the stench because Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days, Jesus commands the tomb be opened and he proceeds to call the deceased back from the dead. To the amazement of everyone he comes out still wrapped in the grave clothes but very much alive. Lazarus has another chance at life.

A day or so later, large crowds gathered to see Lazarus for themselves. We might only wonder how Lazarus reacted to his newfound celebrity status. As we read the narrative, we never hear him speak about how he feels or about how this resurrection has changed him. I imagine Lazarus would have shared his experience and talked about his perspective on his new life.

Christians believe in a new lease on life. Jesus describes our initiation into the Kingdom of God as a “born again” experience, John 3:3. Later one of the Apostles compared our conversion to Christ’s resurrection by saying “we too may live a new life,” Romans 6:4. Though our death and new life experience does not parallel Lazarus’ experience physically, the new life we experience as Christians is nonetheless just as transforming.

Therefore I dedicate this blog to discussing and reflecting on life as seen through the lens of the resurrected life, a “new life” perspective. Coming from death to life provides new ways of looking at life and the issues all of us face.

Along the way, I will apply this perspective to a wide variety of topics: family life, current events, politics, economics, even some book reviews and references to relevant articles or other blogs.

I make no claim for infallibility or even originality. Like all Christians I merely seek to make sense of and bring some divine perspective to my life as revealed by the Word of God and by my experiences with trying to live a resurrected life.

Christians believe that “all authority on heaven and earth” has been given to Jesus Christ, and from that belief we maintain that nothing exists outside his rule. I invite my readers to put on the same lens that we wear and look at this earthly life from the standpoint of eternity, the view revealed by the Resurrection of Christ, truly a “new life” perspective.