Six Benefits of the Resurrection of Jesus

“That 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

In thinking on the resurrection of Christ at the time of year many call “Easter,” several things come to mind. The Resurrection of Jesus does several things for people. I can think of six, in particular.

It verifies the identity of Jesus as God in the flesh

Romans 1:3-4, “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

Let’s not forget that “Son of God” did not/does not mean Jesus was sired or procreated by God. The phrase was original used for a Jewish audience and would have been understood to mean a Divine incarnation.

Colossians 1:15-19 is very clear that Jesus Himself is the eternally preexistent God and Creator. Colossians 2:9 refers to Jesus as the “Fulness of the Godhead, bodily.”

By the fact of Him raising from the dead, He proved this to the world.

It signifies the debt of sin has been fully paid

Romans 3:24-25a, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood…”

This one is more a logically drawn conclusion rather than a direct Bible statement.

If Jesus died for my sin and yours because death is the penalty for sin and He was our Substitute (Romans 3:23, 1 Peter 3:18), then, if Jesus became not dead, either the Bible is wrong about the penalty of sin, or Jesus paid it to the full satisfaction of the penalty and could thus rise again.

Since the Bible is God’s Words, and thus inerrant and infallible, then the second option must be true. Jesus paid entirely for our sins so that by repentance from sin and false beliefs and faith in His blood for salvation, He can declare us justified in His sight.

It establishes His recognition as the Head who has preeminence

Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Grammatically here, it is His status as “firstborn from the dead” that is the final credential that qualifies Him as the One who should be preeminent in all things. He was the first to be raised from the dead, never to die again.

It gives validity to our entire faith

1 Cor 15:14-16, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:”

This one needs little to no further explanation. If Christ is still dead, He didn’t win. Sin’s penalty remains unpaid. Being a witness for Christ would make you a liar on the witness stand of history, and you have no hope of a future resurrection yourself. Everything becomes profoundly pointless.

It helps give victory over sinful habits of life

Rom 6:9-13, ”Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

Because Jesus rose again to life, becoming a Christian than can be illustrated like a resurrection to new life. That is usually then pictured in believers’ baptism following salvation. A new life begins, new desires, new goals, new thought processes, a new worldview, and ultimately a new manner of living.

Christ’s victory over the grave makes genuine new birth possible, and new birth makes new life possible. Therefore, a genuinely saved person does not have to continue in the old ways. Truthfully, they won’t want to.

It gives joy for living because of a hopeful future

1 Corinthians 15:19-22, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

One of the sad things to see about our increasingly naturalistic and humanistic culture is their hopelessness about the future. I’ve then speak sadly about wanting to do certain things with their life because “this is all there is”.

Christ’s resurrection provides a better hope, and eternal hope, a lively hope.

1 Peter 2:2-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”

Christians ought to be the most joyful people anywhere. Why? Because of what the resurrection of our Lord has provided us — a joy and hope for the future that no one can take away.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!