THE RISEN CHRIST

"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:34).

     The resurrection of Jesus Christ is pivotal in salvation. Without it, the entire fabric of redemption falls apart. With power the Spirit affirms, " . . . if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (1 Cor 15:17). Too, if Christ is not risen, "then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty" (1 Cor 15:14). Faith now depends upon Jesus being alive from the dead. The remission of sin is suspended upon the fact of Christ's resurrection. Preaching is pointless, and believing is pointless, if Christ Jesus is not risen! You cannot get more central than that!

     However, praise God, if Jesus is risen from the dead, a very wonderful circumstance ensues for those who have embraced Him by faith and obeyed the Gospel. Speaking as a member of that blessed group, our faith is NOT futile, and we are NO LONGER in our sins! Our preaching is NOT pointless, but becomes the appointed means of our experience of salvation (1 Cor 1:18,24). Even our baptism is validated by the resurrection of Christ. As it is written, "There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST" (1 Pet 3:21).

     Notice what our text says. No one can condemn those united Christ. This is because "it is Christ who died," bearing our sins in His body on the tree (1 Pet 2:24). Having absorbed the shock of Divine wrath, being "made a curse for us" (Gal 3:13), He once and for all "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb 9:26). No one can condemn those receiving the atonement, or reconciliation (Rom 5:11)--no one! 

     But the text goes further. After affirming the effective death of Jesus to have removed all basis of condemnation, the Spirit adds, "yea RATHER, that is risen again . . . " The word "rather" comes from a word (mellon) meaning "much more, all the more, and of more value than."  How can such an affirmation be made? Is the resurrection of Christ greater than his death? That is not the point of the text. The meaning is that Christ's resurrection validated His death, or confirmed God had received it as adequate for the removal of the sins of the world. It not only vindicates our faith, it enables us to be identified with a living, reigning Christ. God has, praise His holy name, "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6). Chist's death would have counted for nothing, had He not been raised from the dead. But He "IS risen," Hallelujah! His death is therefore effective!

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank you for raising Jesus from the dead, and declaring Him to be Your Son with power. Give me grace to live in the power of the resurrection, and to reside more completely with Christ in heavenly place.

-- MONDAY: GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION --