In other chapters we have considered our great salvation, which was part of God’s plan, designed before the beginning of time and scheduled to end at the time of Christ’s marvelous second coming.
We have reviewed the chronological events of salvation, beginning with God choosing us and dragging us to salvation, in collaboration with the Holy Spirit’s conviction, which brought us to the point of faith in Christ’s sacrifice for our personal salvation. These actions secured unchangeable positions, gained through our salvation and made efficacious for us by our faith in Christ’s substitutionary death (punishment) for our sins.
While Christ’s death dealt with our personal sins so we would be found innocent the key to eternal life is His resurrection. Scripture states if there was no resurrection, we would remain dead in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17).
It is Christ’s resurrection that enabled several of the secure positions before God, described in ‘Our sure positions in Christ‘. It is Christ’s resurrection that allowed Him to ascend to heaven to send the Holy Spirit to seal us (Romans 8:9), to now head the family of God into which we are adopted (Ephesians 1:5) and to spiritually baptize us so we are identified with His new life and created as a new person (Romans 6:2-10).
Significance of the resurrection – The specific importance of the resurrection rests in several key biblical concepts
- Regarding Jesus Christ – If Christ did not rise from the dead He cannot be God, God’s promises are voided, Christ does not have the power of God, He did not ascend to heaven and begin the church, He cannot minister to us now nor will He return to establish eternity and reign in His Kingdom. Consequently, the resurrection is central to who God is and His promises.
- Regarding man – The resurrection is central to our salvation and our identity as Christians. The effects of the resurrection on man are described by a number of concepts in the New Testament epistles, the most prevalent being spiritual baptism. This is an important biblical truth which is vital in understanding our transformation into Christians when we believe for our salvation.
When we become a Christian, we are identified (baptized, Greek, baptizo) with Christ’s death and resurrection. Otherwise, at salvation our old self dies and is buried with Christ. We are raised (resurrected) to new life with Him and spiritually we sit with Him on the right hand of God the Father (Romans 6:2-12; Ephesians 2:4-7; Colossians 2:12-13).
Similar concepts in the epistles that are based on the resurrection are: regeneration (Titus 3:5), born again (John 3:5), a new man (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10), Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), the anointing by the Spirit (1 John 2:20,27), and the seed (1 John 3:9).
Importantly, the resurrection provides the following benefits which I include with my mnemonic ‘HELP’ to assist you in remembering these points:
H – Holiness – Our new life in Christ allows us to be viewed as holy by God so we now have access to Him (Hebrews 10:19-22). Indeed, without the resurrection and our new life, despite our forgiveness, we would still be dead. This is because without the regeneration (spiritual baptism) resulting from the resurrection, we would still be “in our sins” because of our fallen depraved nature inherited from Adam (1 Corinthians 15:17-19; Ephesians 2:3). Because we are a new holy person based on Christ’s resurrection, we have the freedom to come boldly to God in prayer without hindrance or need for a human intercessor (Hebrews 10:20-23).- E– Eternal life – Because of the resurrection we are raised with Christ to new life. We are now viewed by God as holy and can enter heaven and eternal life when our physical life ends. The regeneration helps prove we cannot lose our salvation because scripture does not indicate that our new self can be killed and the old dead self re-resurrected like some bad re-make of the ‘Night of the Living Dead’ movie! Death no longer has dominion over us (1 Corinthians 15:48-58; Romans 6:9).
- L – labor; able to serve – Since we are resurrected to a new and holy person, and possess the Holy Spirit, we are a new person who is able to serve God according to His will (Romans 6:11-16; Ephesians 2:10). We were not able to do His works prior to becoming a Christian (Romans 3:10-12). Importantly the resurrection provides an example to us of the immense power of God that helps us live our daily lives as Christians. We have this great power to help us live our lives as well as help others (Romans 8:10-12).
- P – Power not to sin – Although every believer sins, we have the ability to resist sin because as a new person in Christ we have the power by the Holy Spirit to live a victorious life. We can say “no” to sin (Romans 8:13)!
H – Holiness – Our new life in Christ allows us to be viewed as holy by God so we now have access to Him (Remember the acronym, HELP.
By the resurrection we are transformed permanently to a new life, identified with Christ and sitting with Him in heaven. These changes cannot be reversed. What a great comfort we have in truth of scripture!
Therefore, as a new person, we are liberated from sin and are free to serve Christ. We cannot be defeated by the misdeeds of our old self nor affected by Adam’s fall (Romans 6:11-23).
What a great salvation we have, which God planned before all time and carried out in His wisdom, knowledge, love and for His own pleasure (Ephesians 1:4-8).
