June 10, 2010 FB
For those who want a more precise theological title we could call this: “Four soteriological functions of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The truths of this study are such that they could be greatly expounded upon, but for sake of brevity we will keep it to the basics. This will be the concentrated version where we cram all the truths into the shortest space possible, instead of giving full and comprehensive explanations. For the best value I recommend looking up every reference to see how they open up the truths being presented, and so that God can make the truths real to you through His own word.
What role does Jesus' resurrection play in the salvation of a sinner? If Jesus' death is what paid for our sins, then what is the point of him rising from the dead? Why does the apostle Paul say that we are “still in our sins” if Christ did not rise from the dead (1 Cor. 15:17)?
There must be more to the resurrection than just the proof of Christ's deity, or a receipt for sin's payment, or the stamp of approval (vindication) upon Jesus' teaching and ministry. If the gospel message of salvation includes Christ's resurrection, and it does (See 1 Cor. 15:1-4), then we must ascertain and understand the function of the resurrection in salvation so that we will be able to possess and preach a correct and complete gospel, a correct and complete faith, and a correct and complete hope.
“If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty… and if Christ is not risen your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:14, 17).
Why? Because...
1) ...a physically living Savior is necessary since the eternal afterlife is to be physical
The Bible clearly teaches that the afterlife will be both spiritual and physical in nature. The Bible speaks of “new heavens and a new earth” to be created at the end of time (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). Taking a normal, face value interpretation (literal hermeneutic), the new heavens and earth are to be physical in nature. The Bible also teaches that there will be physical resurrections of both the saved and the unsaved (Job 19:26; Ps. 16:9-11; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2; John 5:28-29). Now if the afterlife is to be physical in nature, then a savior who can bring us into that afterlife must be physically alive. Therefore the resurrection of Jesus provides the sinner with the hope of a physically living Savior (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:24-29) who can save them from their sins, and who will return one day to bring in the physical afterlife (Acts 2:24-36; 5:30-31).
2) ...a physical resurrection is necessary for judicial remission and absolution of sins
In legal terms, the penal retribution for sin is death; physical, spiritual, and eternal. Simply put, you sin, you die. Therefore you die spiritually at the moment of sin and you must also die physically as a payment for your sins. Since you are already dead spiritually, when you die physically without a savior you will then enter into eternal death where you will pay the final eternal penalty for your sins against the eternal God. In Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross the legal retributive penalty for sins (death) was completely paid. Once this penalty was completed (the physical death of Jesus), the penalty was no longer to be inflicted but must be remitted, or absolved (Acts 2:24, 38). Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus is itself the judicial absolution for sin’s penalty.
In simpler terms, Jesus’ death took care of the penalty and his resurrection releases and removes the penalty. This means that in Christ’s death all of our sins are paid for, and in his resurrection the total forgiveness and remission of sin’s penalty is available for everyone (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 10:39-43; Rom. 4:23-25). Those who put their complete trust in the risen living Lord Jesus for eternal life will be granted legal justification, remission, and absolution of sins before God because of his resurrection. This is why Paul says that we are still in our sins if Christ is not raised; because the legal retributive penalty (death) could not be absolved without a resurrection from death.
3) ...a physical resurrection is necessary for the act of regeneration, or the “new birth”
This third reason concerns the actual act of infusing eternal life into the sinner who is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), but is also directly related to the fourth reason why Christ’s resurrection is necessary for our salvation, which we will see later.
Now, what does someone who is dead spiritually need if they want to live forever? Eternal life, duh. But if they have no eternal life, how then do they receive it? Through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. First Peter 1:3 says that believers are “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” It is this “new birth” that infuses the spiritually dead sinner with eternal life. But there’s more! Throughout the entire gospel of John Jesus says that he will give the very same eternal life that he has within himself to those who put their complete trust in him (John 1:3; 3:14-16; 4:13-14; 5:21-29, 39-40; 6:32-58; 8:12; 10:10-18, 25-30; 11:24-26; 12:23-26; 14:6, etc.). But there’s more! Jesus doesn’t just give us his eternal life as one would give a gift. Jesus said that He himself is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). And Romans 6:1-10 says that God, at the moment of salvation, actually unites us together with Jesus Christ in both his death and his resurrection. So the death of Jesus for our sins itself is the death of the sinner for their sins. And, likewise, the resurrection of Jesus is itself the resurrection of the believer into eternal life. Ephesians 2:4-6 gives us this in its most clear view: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Because Jesus was raised from the dead into eternal life, so the sinner who puts their complete trust in Christ will be united together with him and his resurrection (John 6:57; 14:19). At the moment of salvation the sinner is infused with the spiritual part of the resurrection. And in the future the believer will have their physical body transformed to enter into the afterlife, just as the Lord Jesus’ body was transformed in his resurrection. Which leads us to the fourth reason why the resurrection of Jesus is necessary for our salvation…
4) ...a physical resurrection is necessary because of the nature and quality of eternal life
Before we get into this fourth reason let’s sum up what we’ve seen so far: The resurrection of Jesus gives legal absolution to the guilty sinner who trusts in Jesus and unites them with him in eternal resurrection life in all its spiritual and physical fullness.
This fourth reason concerns the actual nature and quality of the eternal life which is infused into the sinner. So far we have then seen that the afterlife is both spiritual and physical in nature, so for us to enter it we must have eternal life, both spiritual and physical. That life was provided for by Jesus Christ, and in His resurrection the believer will be infused with both the same spiritual (now, at the moment of salvation) and physical (in the future, a transformed body – see 1 Cor. 15:35-54) eternal life that Jesus has (Phil. 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2). But is there more? Oh yes, that was just the beginning!
Now what are the nature and quality of eternal life? As we have already seen, the nature of the eternal afterlife is both spiritual and physical. So the nature of our eternal life, as mentioned above, must include a physically transformed resurrection body that is able to enter into eternal life. And because Jesus was raised physically, and because believers are united with Christ, believers will also have their physical bodies transformed for eternal life (John 14:19; Rom. 6:5).
Now let’s turn to the quality of this eternal life which we receive through Christ. Many passages that speak of the gifts, graces, and glories that the believer inherits through regeneration hinge on the resurrection of Jesus. There is not enough room to cover everything in depth, but let’s at least list a few of the wonderful gifts that come along with Jesus’ resurrection and eternal life:
-The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:11; John 7:37-38, 14:15-21)
-Victory over sin’s power and control right here and now (Rom. 6:1-11; 8:1-11; Col. 2:11-13)
-Being made children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Luke 20:35-36; Rom. 8:11-17)
-Eternal security, hope, and joy (1 Pet. 1:3-9)
-The ability to bear fruit to God (Rom. 7:4-7)
-The ability to have a good conscience toward God (1 Pet. 3:21)
-Being made into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:14-17)
-Having an intercessor between us and God (Heb. 7:22-25)
-Being in the love of Christ forever, without separation (Rom. 8:34-39)
There are many more blessings that are due to the resurrection of Jesus, but let’s not forget that all the blessings that come along with the Holy Spirit – the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the spiritual weapons to stand against the attacks of the devil, etc. – are also part of eternal resurrection life (Acts 2:32-33). Because of being united to Christ in death and resurrection to eternal life believers are complete in Christ (Col. 2:8-10), we have everything we need to live out the resurrection life that we have been given in Christ (Rom. 6:5; 2 Pet. 1:3), and we will experience God pouring out his wonderful graces on us forever; “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7), and all because of the resurrection of Jesus!
To conclude, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is necessary for our salvation because of the need for a living savior, for legal absolution of sins, and for regeneration into eternal life and all of its glories. But there is one final reason why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is important for salvation; so that Jesus Christ can be with us. The greatest desire of the heart of Jesus is to be with those he loves (John 17:24). Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins because he loved us and wanted to be with us so much. But if he stayed dead, then he would not be able to be with us in our resurrection. So the resurrection of Jesus provides him with the ability to be with us, and to shower his love on us, and to enjoy us, and to show us his glory. Can you imagine how excited and eager Jesus must be to be with us and show us all the unimaginably wonderful things he has prepared just for us (1 Cor. 2:9; Eph. 2:4-7)? What love he has! What hope we have!
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:24-26)
Nehemiah Ryan © 2010
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