At this time of the year, many christians celebrate the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We understand that Jesus died on “Good Friday” and His resurrection took place on Easter Sunday. The Scriptures tell us that Christ “was delivered [on account of] our offenses and raised [on account of] our justification” (Romans 4:25). Justification means “being made right” with God). Jesus declared of Himself: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
The prophet Isaiah wrote: “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquities of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Sin separates and man’s sins separated him from God, rendering him totally incapable of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. In order for God to correct this situation, it was therefore necessary for Jesus to die on the cross so as to reconcile sinful man to Holy God. This meant that God in His love and mercy had to put the punishment, which we deserved, on Jesus in order to make us justified.
Jesus was raised from the dead having paid the penalty for our sins. And now He is exalted at God’s right hand because we are “justified by His blood and saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9). The resurrection is clear proof that our sins have been dealt with and gone forever. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
The resurrection is a most triumphant and glorious victory for every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures, and was buried, and that He rose again the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Paul also provides several infallible proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, including His appearance “to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:6-7).
The resurrection of Jesus is the final and absolute proof that God has accepted the death of His Son Jesus Christ as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for the sins of the human race. Not surprising Paul could declare, “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 55:54). And again, “Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ reckons the believer to be “dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:11). This means that the resurrected life of Jesus Christ is in us and our allegiance is to Him, as we walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ also provides a great and wonderful hope for us. Hence Peter wrote: “According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3). This means no one can touch or deny our “eternal inheritance” which is in heaven and not on earth. What a steadfast hope this is. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!