“Death stung itself to death,
when it stung Christ” –– Romaine.
The greatest event that has
ever occurred in history is the resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
The work of Christ divides
itself into what Christ accomplished as our
Sinbearer, and what He did as our Life-giver. He not
only bore our sins on the cross, but He gives us
eternal life.
As believers we look back upon
our old nature, the old man, the penalty for sin and
its punishment, and forward at the “all things that
have become new” in Christ.
The apostle Paul declared, “if
Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain, you are
yet in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). Christ was so
identified with our sins as our representative that
God had to condemn Him to death. “For the wages of
sin is death.” “The soul that sins will surely die.”
“God made Him sin who knew no sin to be sin on our
behalf . . .”
If Jesus Christ still lies in a
cold, dark grave in Jerusalem then you are still in
your sins and you must pay your own death penalty as
a sinner. The wages of sin must be paid in full. You
will pay it or your divine Substitute will pay it
for you. “If Christ be not raised your faith is in
vain . . . ,” and you are still dead in your
transgressions and sins.
Since Christ has risen from the
dead and we are risen with Him, we are not in our
sins. We “shall never perish.” Jesus said,
“My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:29).
The apostle Paul wrote,
“Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). We have
been quickened together with Christ, raised up
together with Him in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus (Eph. 2:4-6).
We have been made alive with
Christ, and have become permanently united with
Christ in the likeness of His resurrection. “When
you were dead in your transgressions and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive
together with Him, having forgiven us all our
transgressions,” (Col. 2:13).
Our resurrection in Christ
Jesus lifts us to a new life in Christ. “In Christ
crucified we put off the old man; in Christ risen we
put on the new man.”
The cross was for the
destruction of the body of sin; the resurrection was
for the imparting to us the principle of divine
life. That is not to say our sinful nature was
eradicated. It does say there is a new life
principle at work in us. We now have a choice as to
what power we will yield to.
The resurrected Christ gives
life to the dead, unregenerate soul in this life,
and He will give life to the body when He comes
again. These bodies of corruption will be
transformed when Christ returns. Because Christ
lives we have “a lively hope, by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:30).
Believers are already risen
with Him, through the faith of the operation of God.
Because we have become united with Christ in His
resurrection, divine life has been imparted to us.
We have the power to overcome
sin in our daily lives.
Moreover, we have received the
adoption of sons because Christ was “declared to be
the Son of God with power by the resurrection from
the dead.”
Because He lives we, too, live.
He is the Life-giver. We enjoy eternal life because
He has risen from the dead. The only way to live the
Christian life is to abide in the risen Christ and
to draw our spiritual life from Him.
Because Christ lives we enjoy
His dwelling in us by His Spirit. For if Christ had
not risen from the dead we would not have the Holy
Spirit as our guarantee and down payment of the
fullness to come.
We are so identified with
Christ that whatever has happened to Him has
happened to us. When He died, we died. When He
arose, we arose in Him, and we are now seated with
Him in the heavenly places. We have been raised from
the dead and now walk in the power of His
resurrection. We walk in “newness of life” because
we share in His life.
“Even so consider yourselves to
be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus”
(Rom. 6:11).
Since we have been crucified
with Christ, and were dead in Him we must also be
one with Him in His resurrection.
“If you be risen with Christ.”
Are you alive in Him? Has He quickened you and given
you new life? He has if you are “in Him.” If you
have been saved by grace alone He has raised you up
and has seated you together with Him in heavenly
places. Have you come to “know Him and the power of
His resurrection”? Jesus said, “Because I live, you
shall live also.” We are in Christ, and He is in us.
Dead with Christ, risen with Christ!
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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