He Is Risen

The Bible tells us of the Christ who died for us on the cross.  The Cross is central to our faith.  Christ died for us!  But just as significant as his death is his resurrection.  God raised Him from the dead.  The tomb was empty!  A tomb, sealed by a large stone and guarded by armed soldiers was empty on that first Sunday following His crucifixion.

What is the significance of all this?  Well, we know that He died in our place; He took upon himself our sins.  He paid the debt for us.  He did for us what we could never do for ourselves.  We can never earn salvation; it is the gift of God, through faith in Christ.

However, He was also resurrected – raised from the dead.  Read Romans 6:3-7.  We, who believe and are baptized (Mark 16:16), share in the death and the resurrection.   God had the power to raise Christ, and He has promised us that we too will be raised to walk in newness of life, AND we will receive our reward in heaven if we remain faithful.

If we truly believe in Christ’s atoning death AND in His resurrection, our lives will not only be changed, but our behavior going forward will be different.  We will live for Him and according to His will.  Our thinking, our goals, our actions, everything about us, will be driven by our belief in God’s promises.  We will submit to His will and allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit of God, given to us at baptism, and who indwells us.

Think about that.  God’s Spirit lives in us.  That should govern how we live, how we treat our own bodies, and how we impact those around us.  Are we living for Christ?  Are we recognizing our responsibilities when we bear the name of Christ?  Christian – one who is of Christ?  Are we His ambassadors on earth?  Pray.

Don