The Meaning Of Our Lord's Resurrection

I Cor. 15:4

Because the resurrection of our Lord is vital to the gospel, it was a dominant theme of Apostolic preaching throughout the Book of Acts. Whether he was addressing the inquiring Jews (Acts 2:23, 24; 3:15), or the persecuting Sanhedrin (Acts 4:10; 5:30,31), or devout Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:38-43), Peter preached Jesus and the resurrection. And Paul's message was the same. He preached the resurrection of Christ in the synagogue at Antioch (Acts 13:30), on Mars Hill to the Greek philosophers (Acts 17:31), and to King Agrippa and noble Festus (Acts 26:23). The Holy Spirit tells us,"And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection" (Acts 4:33). Saving faith involves a heart belief in the resurrection of Christ. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead was God's public verification of all that his Son claimed, taught, and did while he was upon the earth. By raising him up from the dead God declared by indisputably divine power that JESUS CHRIST IS GOD THE ETERNAL SON (Rom. 1:4). The Jews had him crucifed because he claimed to be the Son of God. When he was risen, God said, "This is my Son!" Our Lord's resurrection from the dead gives us assurance that GOD HAS ACCEPTED HIS SACRIFICE (Rom. 8:34). Payment has been made for sin. The ransom price for our souls was the blood of an innocent holy Man, the blood of one who is of infinite merit, the blood of One who is God and Man in one Person. When Christ arose from the dead, God said, "I am satisfied!" And Christ's resurrection is God's public declaration of THE JUSTIFICATION OF HIS PEOPLE (Rom. 4:25). Our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered into the hands of justice to be slain because our sins were imputed to him. He was raised from the dead because of our justification from sin, which he accomplished by dying as our Substitute under the penalty of the law. His resurrection did not cause, or accomplish, our justification. His obedience unto death is the cause of our justification. We are justified by his blood (Rom. 3:24; 5:19). Our Lord's resurrection is the proof that we are justified.

Don Fortner