We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the Trinity raised him. We've also seen that Christ's resurrection declared that he was the Son of God and the Lord of the living and the dead, and that he had satisfied divine justice and defeated death and Satan. This week I want to show that Jesus was exalted by his resurrection as it was a public event.
If you want to do something to exalt yourself then you need to do it publicly. You're not going to get much praise if you are able to walk on fire in the privacy of your bedroom. If you wish to be exalted as the greatest fire walker ever, eventually you're going to have to go public.
As we've seen previously, Jesus' resurrection from the dead certainly exalts him. It is the most stupendous event of history. Pretty much everyone is interested in a way to defeat death. That's why a billionaire like Peter Thiele has dedicated millions to extending life through anti-aging research.
But if Jesus did come back from the dead, it is not going to get him much credit if it was a private event that no one knows about. Yet, the Bible tells us repeatedly that Jesus' resurrection was a public event. The apostle Paul gives a summary of Christ's resurrection appearances in his letter to the Corinthians: 'Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born' (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Jesus' resurrection was not a small affair. It was witnessed by many and the news spread like wildfire. Paul is able to claim the public knowledge of the resurrection to King Agrippa. He said: 'What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner' (Acts 26:25-26).
And as a result of the public nature of his resurrection people have exalted Christ ever since. They've also seen fit to trust in his death for them so that they will be raised from the dead too.
So do you exalt Christ because he was raised from the dead, publicly? Do you trust him so that you will be publicly raised too?
Joel Radford.
Showing posts with label resurrection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resurrection. Show all posts
Monday, May 25, 2015
Saturday, May 9, 2015
How was Jesus exalted? By becoming Lord of the living and dead
We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the Trinity raised him. We've also seen that Christ's resurrection declared that he was the Son of God, had satisfied divine justice and defeated death and Satan. This week I want to show that by his resurrection Jesus became the Lord of the living and the dead.
In one sense, Jesus is Lord of all as he is God himself and the creator of all things. Speaking of Jesus, Paul says: 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together' (Colossians 1:15-17). Jesus is clearly Lord of all by his status as God and his work as creator.
But when Jesus was raised from the dead he was exalted over all mankind in a particular way. After his resurrection, Jesus meets with his disciples: 'Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me"' (Matthew 28:18). Now that Jesus has been raised from the dead, he has a new God-given authority in heaven and earth.
But how far does Christ's dominion extend? Paul says that every knee will one day show subjection to the rule of Christ: 'And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (Philippians 2:8-11).
So Jesus was exalted by his resurrection as it placed him in a position of authority over everything. In fact, this was one of the purposes behind Jesus coming into the world, dying and rising again. Paul says: 'For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living' (Romans 14:9).
So whether you are dead or alive, Jesus has now been exalted over you and is your Lord. What does that mean? You had better treat him as Lord! The Psalmist says: 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him' (Psalm 2:12).
How do you kiss the Son lest he be angry? Trust in him for the forgiveness of sins and you will be one of those who take refuge in him.
So have you bowed the knee to the Lord of all and found safety in him? Do you seek to continue exalting him as Lord of all?
Joel Radford.
In one sense, Jesus is Lord of all as he is God himself and the creator of all things. Speaking of Jesus, Paul says: 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together' (Colossians 1:15-17). Jesus is clearly Lord of all by his status as God and his work as creator.
But when Jesus was raised from the dead he was exalted over all mankind in a particular way. After his resurrection, Jesus meets with his disciples: 'Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me"' (Matthew 28:18). Now that Jesus has been raised from the dead, he has a new God-given authority in heaven and earth.
But how far does Christ's dominion extend? Paul says that every knee will one day show subjection to the rule of Christ: 'And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (Philippians 2:8-11).
So Jesus was exalted by his resurrection as it placed him in a position of authority over everything. In fact, this was one of the purposes behind Jesus coming into the world, dying and rising again. Paul says: 'For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living' (Romans 14:9).
So whether you are dead or alive, Jesus has now been exalted over you and is your Lord. What does that mean? You had better treat him as Lord! The Psalmist says: 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him' (Psalm 2:12).
How do you kiss the Son lest he be angry? Trust in him for the forgiveness of sins and you will be one of those who take refuge in him.
So have you bowed the knee to the Lord of all and found safety in him? Do you seek to continue exalting him as Lord of all?
Joel Radford.
Monday, May 4, 2015
How was Jesus exalted? By defeating Satan
We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the Trinity raised him. We've also seen that Christ's resurrection declared that he was the Son of God, he had satisfied divine justice and he had defeated death. Today I want to demonstrate that Christ's resurrection exalts him as it shows he has defeated Satan.
Satan has been an enemy of mankind from the beginning. He approached Adam and Eve in the garden and encouraged them to disobey God. We read: 'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"' (Genesis 3:1-5).
Satan lied. Adam and Eve did die because they ate the fruit. And mankind has died ever since as they have believed the lies of Satan too.
Yet Jesus has shown by his resurrection from the dead that he has defeated Satan. Satan continues to triumph over mankind by bringing about their deaths, just like he did with Adam and Eve. But by his resurrection, Christ has shown that death can no longer keep people in the grave, which means Satan can no longer keep people in the grave either. The author of Hebrews says precisely this: 'Since the children have flesh and blood, he [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death' (Hebrews 2:14-15).
When Jesus spoke to the Jews, he described Satan as a murderer: 'You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies' (John 8:44).
Yes, Satan is a murderer. But Jesus is far greater. Jesus is described by Peter as 'the author of life' (Acts 3:15). Why? Because Christ now gives life after death to all who trust in him. This means we should no longer fear death and we should no longer fear Satan. Both of our old enemies are defeated by Christ's resurrection.
Thus Christ is exalted by his resurrection as it demonstrates his destruction of Satan.
So do you believe in Christ and so you have defeated Satan through him? Do you exalt Christ as a result?
Joel Radford.
Satan has been an enemy of mankind from the beginning. He approached Adam and Eve in the garden and encouraged them to disobey God. We read: 'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"' (Genesis 3:1-5).
Satan lied. Adam and Eve did die because they ate the fruit. And mankind has died ever since as they have believed the lies of Satan too.
Yet Jesus has shown by his resurrection from the dead that he has defeated Satan. Satan continues to triumph over mankind by bringing about their deaths, just like he did with Adam and Eve. But by his resurrection, Christ has shown that death can no longer keep people in the grave, which means Satan can no longer keep people in the grave either. The author of Hebrews says precisely this: 'Since the children have flesh and blood, he [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death' (Hebrews 2:14-15).
When Jesus spoke to the Jews, he described Satan as a murderer: 'You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies' (John 8:44).
Yes, Satan is a murderer. But Jesus is far greater. Jesus is described by Peter as 'the author of life' (Acts 3:15). Why? Because Christ now gives life after death to all who trust in him. This means we should no longer fear death and we should no longer fear Satan. Both of our old enemies are defeated by Christ's resurrection.
Thus Christ is exalted by his resurrection as it demonstrates his destruction of Satan.
So do you believe in Christ and so you have defeated Satan through him? Do you exalt Christ as a result?
Joel Radford.
Monday, April 27, 2015
How was Jesus exalted? By defeating death
We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the Trinity raised him. We've also seen that Christ's resurrection declared that he was the Son of God and had satisfied divine justice. Today I want to demonstrate that Christ's resurrection exalts him as it shows he has defeated death.
Death is the great enemy of man. Death first entered this world with the actions of Adam and Eve. Adam was warned by God that if he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil he would die: 'And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die"' (Genesis 2:16-17).
And that's precisely what has happened since. Adam died. Eve died. Their children died. And everyone else has died because everyone else has sinned. Paul says: 'Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned' (Romans 5:12).
Yet, this old enemy death has been defeated by Christ. How is that possible? The Son of God himself became human, took our sin upon his shoulders and then died the death we deserve. And in doing so defeated death for us. Hebrews says: 'Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death' (Hebrews 2:14-15).
But how do you know that Jesus has defeated death. By the fact that he came back from the dead! If Jesus had not defeated death, he would still be dead. But instead his resurrection exalts him as the one who is victorious over death.
What does that mean for you? It means you no longer have to fear death. Hebrews tells you that in the passage above. But how do you get rid of fear of death? By trusting in Christ. As soon as you trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins you have eternal life. When you die, that is not the end, you will be raised one day. John says: 'everyone who believes in him [Jesus] may have eternal life' (John 3:15).
Death may have come through Adam, but now life comes through Christ. Paul says: 'For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!' (Romans 5:15).
So by his resurrection Christ was greatly exalted. His resurrection proclaimed him the conqueror of death – a victor like no other!
Do you believe in Christ and have defeated death through him? Do you exalt Christ as a result?
Joel Radford.
Death is the great enemy of man. Death first entered this world with the actions of Adam and Eve. Adam was warned by God that if he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil he would die: 'And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die"' (Genesis 2:16-17).
And that's precisely what has happened since. Adam died. Eve died. Their children died. And everyone else has died because everyone else has sinned. Paul says: 'Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned' (Romans 5:12).
Yet, this old enemy death has been defeated by Christ. How is that possible? The Son of God himself became human, took our sin upon his shoulders and then died the death we deserve. And in doing so defeated death for us. Hebrews says: 'Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death' (Hebrews 2:14-15).
But how do you know that Jesus has defeated death. By the fact that he came back from the dead! If Jesus had not defeated death, he would still be dead. But instead his resurrection exalts him as the one who is victorious over death.
What does that mean for you? It means you no longer have to fear death. Hebrews tells you that in the passage above. But how do you get rid of fear of death? By trusting in Christ. As soon as you trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins you have eternal life. When you die, that is not the end, you will be raised one day. John says: 'everyone who believes in him [Jesus] may have eternal life' (John 3:15).
Death may have come through Adam, but now life comes through Christ. Paul says: 'For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!' (Romans 5:15).
So by his resurrection Christ was greatly exalted. His resurrection proclaimed him the conqueror of death – a victor like no other!
Do you believe in Christ and have defeated death through him? Do you exalt Christ as a result?
Joel Radford.
Monday, April 20, 2015
How was Jesus exalted? By satisfying divine justice
We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the Trinity raised him. We've also seen that Christ's resurrection declared that he was the Son of God. This week I want to show you that Christ's resurrection demonstrates he satisfied divine justice.
We all recognise that if justice is to be done then punishment must be given to those who have broken the law. If a judge allows the guilty to go free, they are not a just judge.
The same stands for God. After our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God's justice was at stake. If he let them have eternal life in spite of their rebellion he is an unjust judge.
The same applies to us today. We have all sinned and deserve to be punished for our sin. If God gives us entry to heaven instead of punishment, he is unjust.
But if we're all sinners and God is just, is there any way we can go to heaven? We can go to heaven if somebody else takes the punishment for us. If you get a speeding fine and someone else pays it for you, you can go free in the eyes of the law. There is nothing left to pay.
The same applies to God and the punishment he has for us. Somebody else can take the place for us. But who is able to meet the payment that would satisfy divine wrath for sin? Jesus. Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says: 'But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed' (Isaiah 53:5).
But how do you know that the punishment that brought us peace was upon Christ and that he has fully satisfied God's wrath? By his resurrection from the dead. Christ's resurrection proves he has paid for our sins. The apostle Paul writes: 'He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification' (Romans 4:25). Christ's resurrection shows we are justified before God, despite our sin. If there was more punishment to pay, Jesus could not have been raised from the dead – he would have had to stay dead.
Thus, by his resurrection Jesus is exalted. His resurrection shows that he has satisfied God's wrath for those who believe in him. Christ is exalted as the one who justifies the wicked, while preserving the justice of God.
But how can you have Christ satisfy God's wrath for you? It is by faith. Paul writes: 'Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1-2).
Do you have faith in Christ and know that Christ has justified you by his resurrection from the dead? Do you exalt Christ because of his resurrection from the dead?
Joel Radford.
We all recognise that if justice is to be done then punishment must be given to those who have broken the law. If a judge allows the guilty to go free, they are not a just judge.
The same stands for God. After our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God's justice was at stake. If he let them have eternal life in spite of their rebellion he is an unjust judge.
The same applies to us today. We have all sinned and deserve to be punished for our sin. If God gives us entry to heaven instead of punishment, he is unjust.
But if we're all sinners and God is just, is there any way we can go to heaven? We can go to heaven if somebody else takes the punishment for us. If you get a speeding fine and someone else pays it for you, you can go free in the eyes of the law. There is nothing left to pay.
The same applies to God and the punishment he has for us. Somebody else can take the place for us. But who is able to meet the payment that would satisfy divine wrath for sin? Jesus. Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says: 'But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed' (Isaiah 53:5).
But how do you know that the punishment that brought us peace was upon Christ and that he has fully satisfied God's wrath? By his resurrection from the dead. Christ's resurrection proves he has paid for our sins. The apostle Paul writes: 'He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification' (Romans 4:25). Christ's resurrection shows we are justified before God, despite our sin. If there was more punishment to pay, Jesus could not have been raised from the dead – he would have had to stay dead.
Thus, by his resurrection Jesus is exalted. His resurrection shows that he has satisfied God's wrath for those who believe in him. Christ is exalted as the one who justifies the wicked, while preserving the justice of God.
But how can you have Christ satisfy God's wrath for you? It is by faith. Paul writes: 'Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1-2).
Do you have faith in Christ and know that Christ has justified you by his resurrection from the dead? Do you exalt Christ because of his resurrection from the dead?
Joel Radford.
Monday, April 13, 2015
How was Jesus exalted? By declaring he was the Son
We've been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In particular we've been looking at how Christ was exalted by his resurrection. We've seen that Christ was exalted by moving from a dead state to a living state and by the fact that all three members of the trinity raised him. Now I want to show that Christ was exalted by his resurrection as it declared that he was the son of God.
Throughout his life Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. The angel who came to Mary promised that her son Jesus would be the Son of God: 'The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'" (Luke 1:35).
Demons regularly declared Jesus to be the Son of God: 'Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."' (Mark 3:11).
Satan also acknowledges Christ's claim to be the Son of God. When he tempted Christ we read: 'The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread"' (Matthew 4:3) and '"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'" (Matthew 4:6).
Christ's disciples declared that Jesus was the Son of God. After Jesus walked on water we read: 'Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:33).
The soldier after he saw Jesus die declared that Jesus was the Son of God: 'And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"' (Mark 15:39).
Jesus himself declared he was the Son God. At his trial, we read: 'They [the Jewish leaders] all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am"' (Luke 22:70).
But how do you know that the words of Jesus, his disciples and even demons are true? How do you know that Jesus is the Son of God? It is by his resurrection. Christ's resurrection exalts him and demonstrates that he really is the Son of God. When Paul tells us about Jesus in Romans 1, Paul says: '...who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord' (Romans 1:4).
The resurrection of a dead person doesn't happen every day, it is a very, very, very unusual occurrence. So when a resurrection does take place, it says something phenomenal about the person. And in the case of Jesus, it exalts him and confirms his claim to be the Son of God. And if he is the Son of God then we should believe in him and so we too can be raised.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God because of his resurrection from the dead?
Joel Radford.
Throughout his life Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. The angel who came to Mary promised that her son Jesus would be the Son of God: 'The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'" (Luke 1:35).
Demons regularly declared Jesus to be the Son of God: 'Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."' (Mark 3:11).
Satan also acknowledges Christ's claim to be the Son of God. When he tempted Christ we read: 'The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread"' (Matthew 4:3) and '"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'" (Matthew 4:6).
Christ's disciples declared that Jesus was the Son of God. After Jesus walked on water we read: 'Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:33).
The soldier after he saw Jesus die declared that Jesus was the Son of God: 'And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"' (Mark 15:39).
Jesus himself declared he was the Son God. At his trial, we read: 'They [the Jewish leaders] all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am"' (Luke 22:70).
But how do you know that the words of Jesus, his disciples and even demons are true? How do you know that Jesus is the Son of God? It is by his resurrection. Christ's resurrection exalts him and demonstrates that he really is the Son of God. When Paul tells us about Jesus in Romans 1, Paul says: '...who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord' (Romans 1:4).
The resurrection of a dead person doesn't happen every day, it is a very, very, very unusual occurrence. So when a resurrection does take place, it says something phenomenal about the person. And in the case of Jesus, it exalts him and confirms his claim to be the Son of God. And if he is the Son of God then we should believe in him and so we too can be raised.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God because of his resurrection from the dead?
Joel Radford.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Is the resurrection of Jesus optional?
Some people (including those who call themselves Christian ministers) suggest that you can be a Christian and not believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. But is that possible?
Not according to the Bible. The apostle Paul deals with this very matter in his letter to the church in Corinth. Some people in that church were teaching that the dead are not raised, which Paul says must mean that Christ is not raised too (evidently denial of Christ's resurrection is not a recent development - there is nothing new under the sun).
Firstly, Paul demonstrates that if Christ was not raised, then Christian preaching is worthless and so is the Christian faith: 'If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith' (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
Secondly, Paul shows that if Christ was not raised, then the apostles are liars: 'More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised' (1 Corinthians 15:15).
Thirdly, Paul teaches that if Christ was not raised then there is no forgiveness of sin: 'And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins' (1 Corinthians 15:17). Christ's resurrection demonstrates a victory over sin – Christ was not able to be raised from the dead if sin still hung on his shoulders. But his resurrection
demonstrates that the penalty for sin has been paid. But if he is not raised, there is no forgiveness for sin.
Fourthly, Paul tells us that if Christ was not raised, then those who have died are in hell: 'And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost '(1 Corinthians 15:17-18). No forgiveness of sins means no eternal reward.
Fifthly, Paul explains that if Christ was not raised, then Christians are fools: 'If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men' (1 Corinthians 15:19). Being a Christian is tough at times in this world. If there is no resurrection, only a senseless person would bother going through such persecution.
So to deny the resurrection of Christ has major ramifications. Christian preaching is worthless, the apostles are liars (and anything they say should not be trusted), there is no forgiveness of sins, dead Christians are in hell and Christians are fools.
But the truth is Christ has been raised from the dead. Paul says: 'But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep' (1 Corinthians 15:20). So Christian preaching is worthwhile, the apostles can be trusted, there is forgiveness of sins, dead Christians are in heaven and Christians are wise.
So do you deny the resurrection of Christ? Do you realise what you are doing if you deny this crucial truth
Joel Radford
Not according to the Bible. The apostle Paul deals with this very matter in his letter to the church in Corinth. Some people in that church were teaching that the dead are not raised, which Paul says must mean that Christ is not raised too (evidently denial of Christ's resurrection is not a recent development - there is nothing new under the sun).
Firstly, Paul demonstrates that if Christ was not raised, then Christian preaching is worthless and so is the Christian faith: 'If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith' (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
Secondly, Paul shows that if Christ was not raised, then the apostles are liars: 'More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised' (1 Corinthians 15:15).
Thirdly, Paul teaches that if Christ was not raised then there is no forgiveness of sin: 'And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins' (1 Corinthians 15:17). Christ's resurrection demonstrates a victory over sin – Christ was not able to be raised from the dead if sin still hung on his shoulders. But his resurrection
demonstrates that the penalty for sin has been paid. But if he is not raised, there is no forgiveness for sin.
Fourthly, Paul tells us that if Christ was not raised, then those who have died are in hell: 'And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost '(1 Corinthians 15:17-18). No forgiveness of sins means no eternal reward.
Fifthly, Paul explains that if Christ was not raised, then Christians are fools: 'If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men' (1 Corinthians 15:19). Being a Christian is tough at times in this world. If there is no resurrection, only a senseless person would bother going through such persecution.
So to deny the resurrection of Christ has major ramifications. Christian preaching is worthless, the apostles are liars (and anything they say should not be trusted), there is no forgiveness of sins, dead Christians are in hell and Christians are fools.
But the truth is Christ has been raised from the dead. Paul says: 'But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep' (1 Corinthians 15:20). So Christian preaching is worthwhile, the apostles can be trusted, there is forgiveness of sins, dead Christians are in heaven and Christians are wise.
So do you deny the resurrection of Christ? Do you realise what you are doing if you deny this crucial truth
Joel Radford
Monday, April 21, 2014
Many witnesses testified about Jesus' resurrection
Easter Sunday is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But how do you know that the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place? How do you know Jesus really came back to life?
We believe that Jesus rose again because we have the eye witness testimony of many people. A number of people saw Jesus alive and well after his very real death.
A summary of Jesus' resurrection appearances is given to us by the apostle Paul when Paul speaks about the gospel to the church in Corinth: '1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born' (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Notice what Paul says in verse 6 in that quote – many of the people who saw Jesus were still alive when he wrote to the Corinthians. In other words, if you think I'm lying, go ask the people who saw Jesus.
In the end, we must recognise that Jesus' resurrection cannot have been made up by one or two people, many people claimed to have seen Jesus' resurrection body. Either Jesus' resurrection was a mass conspiracy or it really happened. And the odds that it was a mass conspiracy are extremely slim. A lot of the people who saw Jesus were put to death themselves as a result of their belief that Jesus was alive. This means that they couldn't have been lying – after all, who is happy to die for something that they know is patently false?
So will you trust the testimony of these witnesses and believe that Jesus is alive? Will you trust in Jesus' death as payment for your sins so you can live again too?
Joel Radford, Preaching Elder.
We believe that Jesus rose again because we have the eye witness testimony of many people. A number of people saw Jesus alive and well after his very real death.
A summary of Jesus' resurrection appearances is given to us by the apostle Paul when Paul speaks about the gospel to the church in Corinth: '1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born' (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Notice what Paul says in verse 6 in that quote – many of the people who saw Jesus were still alive when he wrote to the Corinthians. In other words, if you think I'm lying, go ask the people who saw Jesus.
In the end, we must recognise that Jesus' resurrection cannot have been made up by one or two people, many people claimed to have seen Jesus' resurrection body. Either Jesus' resurrection was a mass conspiracy or it really happened. And the odds that it was a mass conspiracy are extremely slim. A lot of the people who saw Jesus were put to death themselves as a result of their belief that Jesus was alive. This means that they couldn't have been lying – after all, who is happy to die for something that they know is patently false?
So will you trust the testimony of these witnesses and believe that Jesus is alive? Will you trust in Jesus' death as payment for your sins so you can live again too?
Joel Radford, Preaching Elder.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Why is the resurrection important?
In the bulletin on Good Friday I wrote an article on the importance of Jesus’ death. We saw that Jesus’ death is significant because it is through Jesus’ death that we can have forgiveness of sins. But why do we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter too? Shouldn’t the focus simply be on the cross as that is where sin is paid for? Today I want to show that the resurrection is of crucial importance because it guarantees that Jesus really did pay for our sin on the cross.
If we are to understand the importance of Jesus’ resurrection, we must firstly understand death. The Bible teaches us that death is the result of sin: ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). Do you want to live forever? Don’t sin, and you won’t die. That’s the secret of eternal life. But the problem is we all have inherited original sin from Adam, our first parent, and we all commit actual sins ourselves too: ‘…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned’ (Romans 5:12).
So to overcome death, we must first overcome sin. And this is what Jesus says he does at the cross for you: ‘ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed’ (1 Peter 2:24). But why should you believe that Jesus has indeed taken away your sin so you can overcome death? After all anyone can say that your sins are forgiven and that you’re going to live forever, but that doesn’t mean that your sins are actually forgiven and you have eternal life. The person could be lying or deluded that they have the power to forgive sins when they don’t. The test is whether that person who claims to wipe away sin, can defeat death which is the result of sin. If you can overcome death, then you must have overcome sin.
So the crucial question is, did Jesus defeat death and thus prove that he had defeated sin? Yes. The gospel accounts are clear that Jesus came back to life and is still alive today, proving that Jesus has justified us – we have been declared legally righteous before God because of Jesus and not legally unrighteous because of our sin. This is what Paul means when he says about Jesus: ‘He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.’ (Romans 4:25). Thus the resurrection is essential for the Christian. For without it, we are still dead in our sins. No wonder we celebrate the resurrection at Easter!
Do you trust in Jesus’ death for your sins and know that they have been paid for because you also know that Jesus has been raised from the dead?
Joel Radford.
If we are to understand the importance of Jesus’ resurrection, we must firstly understand death. The Bible teaches us that death is the result of sin: ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). Do you want to live forever? Don’t sin, and you won’t die. That’s the secret of eternal life. But the problem is we all have inherited original sin from Adam, our first parent, and we all commit actual sins ourselves too: ‘…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned’ (Romans 5:12).
So to overcome death, we must first overcome sin. And this is what Jesus says he does at the cross for you: ‘ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed’ (1 Peter 2:24). But why should you believe that Jesus has indeed taken away your sin so you can overcome death? After all anyone can say that your sins are forgiven and that you’re going to live forever, but that doesn’t mean that your sins are actually forgiven and you have eternal life. The person could be lying or deluded that they have the power to forgive sins when they don’t. The test is whether that person who claims to wipe away sin, can defeat death which is the result of sin. If you can overcome death, then you must have overcome sin.
So the crucial question is, did Jesus defeat death and thus prove that he had defeated sin? Yes. The gospel accounts are clear that Jesus came back to life and is still alive today, proving that Jesus has justified us – we have been declared legally righteous before God because of Jesus and not legally unrighteous because of our sin. This is what Paul means when he says about Jesus: ‘He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.’ (Romans 4:25). Thus the resurrection is essential for the Christian. For without it, we are still dead in our sins. No wonder we celebrate the resurrection at Easter!
Do you trust in Jesus’ death for your sins and know that they have been paid for because you also know that Jesus has been raised from the dead?
Joel Radford.
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