Hello everyone!
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV
Have you ever wondered, just what is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What about it is so radically important that if it was not true, the entire Christian faith would be in vain? Here, take a look at this verse from Romans:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death... Romans 6:3-4a, ESV
This verse states that we as Christians were baptized with Him into His death, as if as He hung on that cross, we hung there with Him. Think for a moment - if Christ had not risen but remained in the grave, having been baptized with Him into His death, we too would remain there with Him. There would be no life; only death. But praise God, this is not the case!
...in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:4b-5, ESV
We who have been united with Him into His death have also been united with Him in His life - and this is the best news you and I could ever hear! We died with Him; and now, we live with Him. But what does this mean for us? What are the real-life implications of this, and how does this change how we live our lives?
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-11, ESV
This is the power of the resurrection. Having been baptized into His death, and thus, into His life as well, we are no longer slaves to sin. We who once were at the every beck and call of our cruel, unrighteous master of sin without any hope of ever seeing the light have now been shown freedom. Whereas before we were totally unable to resist the commands of the devil, giving in to the lusts and cravings of the flesh, we now have had our bonds broken as we are united with Christ into His death (to die to sin) and resurrection (to live to God). Therefore, to finish us off:
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Romans 6:12-13, ESV
I hope you see the true power of the resurrection of our Lord - it is this which enables and empowers us to lead righteous, self-controlled, God-pleasing lives. No self-will or mental strength can achieve this - only Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, can - and indeed, has. May we all have a blessed Easter!
Blessings,
Andrew
