We live and die; Christ died and lived!

Stott’s aphorism contrasts the ordinary human pattern—life ending in death—with the Christian claim about Jesus: his death was not the terminus but the doorway to resurrection life. The reversal (“died and lived”) compresses the gospel narrative into a memorable antithesis, underscoring that Christianity hinges not merely on Jesus’ teaching or example but on the historical events of cross and resurrection. Implicitly, it also reframes the believer’s outlook on mortality: if Christ’s path runs through death into life, then death is not ultimate for those united to him. The line functions as both proclamation and consolation, emphasizing hope grounded in Christ’s victory over death.