Believe in the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 20-22

We are saved by the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:2).

Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).

After being buried, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4).

Even those who actively and aggressively work against Him are eligible for His salvation (1 Corinthians 15:9).

By Jesus, we who believe in Him shall also rise from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

Good news!

Have you believed it yet?

(Here’s something else I posted earlier in the week: Witnesses of the Resurrection.)

Should not henceforth live unto themselves (2 Corinthians 5:15)

Our divine Deliverer experienced the apparent defeat of the cross and the tomb so that He might utterly triumph over both. Speaking in a figure, He allowed Satan to shackle Him with his best and strongest chains so that He might prove His might against them…and take the keys for our deliverance.

Jesus rose again from the grave so that we might live in freedom from and victory over everything evil and sinful. As Romans 4:25 puts it, He “was raised again for our justification.” To me that means the power of His resurrection working in me makes me more and more just, righteous, and godly. If His only mission was to forgive my sins, then His death and blood accomplished that…He need not have risen from the dead. But He also came to free me from sin so that as His resurrection power works in me, I will have less and less need for forgiveness. That’s deliverance. That’s good news!

“May the Lord depend on you?” You! God has entrusted into our feeble human care the greatest mission of all time — the redemption of humanity. Jesus came for that express purpose. He lived, died and rose again so that mankind might be reconciled to God. He returned to Heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit so that He might actively intercede before the Father and we might actively intervene for men. Can the Lord depend on you to carry through with this mission?

The resurrection of Christ proves we can depend on Him. Before dying, He “put it all on the line” by confidently affirming that He would rise from the dead after three days. And He did just as He said He would! We can depend on Him! He beat all odds and overcame all obstacles to return back to life. He said He would! He did! We can depend on Him! That means that since He told us to do something, it can be done! If He were to ask something of us that could not be done, then He would not be worthy of our trust. Or if He would not provide us with the necessary resources to accomplish His commands, He would not be worthy. But His resurrection shows we can depend on Him! May He depend on you?

Excerpted from Christ, the Almighty Deliverer

To live in Christ, we must be crucified with Him. Jesus died to make possible our eternal redemption. Then He rose again into new life. For His death to have any effect for us, we must die to self, to sin, and to the world. To experience the abundant life He promises, we must die daily to our flesh and thus to all the enticements it is offered. Daily we must purposefully make Jesus, His kingdom, and His righteousness the point and focus of our living. Every time we face the choice of living our way or His way, we must choose His way.

Excerpted from Living by Faith

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Above all, love God!