What the Resurrection Means for Us…

Because Jesus is alive, we are no longer sinners if we accept salvation. We are born-again believers. Furthermore, baptism in Jesus’ name is symbolic of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Romans 6:3-5 explains…Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. (NLT)

Because Jesus is alive, both those who die in Christ and those who are living for Christ will not be lost. They will inherit eternal life. The Apostle Paul says,

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

Because Jesus is alive, there is hope—hope beyond this life and hope beyond death. There is no need to be pitied. In essence, this life is not all there is and neither is death the end. What is hope? Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen; it is grounds for believing that something good may happen.

Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2)

Peter says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.  The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Paul says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Because Jesus is alive, there is good news to share with others. This good news is called the gospel, which is the truth about salvation.

First Corinthians 15: 1-4 says, "Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said."

Because Jesus is alive, it is worth being an Apostolic Christian.

First Corinthians 15: 58 says, “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."

To be continued…