3 Benefits of Christ's Resurrection

Many Christians have special traditions when it comes to religious holidays.  Each year that I grow older in my faith the preciousness of those holidays grows sweeter--especially Easter.  It is truly impossible to have a gospel without the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15 spells out clearly that our entire faith would be in vain if Christ's resurrection had not taken place.

I strive to live my life on a mission for the cause of the gospel.  Without the gospel, there is no eternal life with God, and without the gospel this current life is insignificant.  I am thrilled and looking forward to this Sunday as we celebrate Christ's victory over the grave and for the opportunity to share this with those who may not have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I can think of 3 significant benefits for Christians when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
 

First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, so that He might make us share in the righteousness He won for us by His death.

The Apostle Paul told the Roman church that Jesus "was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand..." (Rm. 4:25-5:2). Paul tells us Jesus died because of our sin, as we have already seen. He was raised to bring justification. The first benefit of the resurrection is the gift of justification

Second, by His power we too are already now resurrected to a new life.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it..." (Phil. 1:6). God begins it and God completes it! It is God who brings us along, sustains us, moves us and makes us holy in our Christian walk. Our sanctification is not dependent upon faith that we, of ourselves, conjure up, but upon God’s faithfulness, His promise.  It is the continuation of the work of the Holy Spirit after regeneration.  It is NOT merely the "turning over of a new leaf", our making ourselves better, but God being actively involved in our Christian growth.  Change is temporary but transformation is forever!

Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection.

In celebrating the Lord’s Table, we not only remember His death, but we look forward to His return and our resurrection. When He does, we will be like Him. Our bodies, as well as our souls, will be redeemed. Presently, our bodies are earthly, sustained by the earth and infected with a sin nature. They are subject to sickness and disease, and upon death they decay in the grave.  At Christ’s return we will receive a glorified, heavenly body, one that is sustained by God alone.

Because he lives we can face tomorrow and look forward to a bright future with Him.