Christ is Risen!

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know -- Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:22-24,36

This season traditionally celebrates the single greatest event in the history of the world: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. While the traditions associated with this celebration have questionable origins, it is absolutely critical for us to understand that the event we celebrate is a true historical event. The resurrection of Christ is not a fable designed to convey some noble ideas about the triumph of the human spirit or about the superior power of love over death. Whenever anyone represents the resurrection in allegorical terms that person is misrepresenting truth in the most dangerous way possible.

The man Jesus Christ is God Who entered the world of His own making and sustaining in order to save the world from the destruction of man's revolt against Him. To this end God became a true human man, without sin. His purpose was to take man's place in the view of His own justice. Thus He lived under His own law the righteous life which mankind was obligated to live. Having done so He earned the right as man not to die. His perfect obedience earned for Him the privilege of passing directly into Heaven without dying. But He did die! He chose to die. This is why He came. Having earned the right not to die, Christ chose to lay down His life in the place of human beings who were condemned to die eternally because of their sinfulness before God. Being God as well as man meant that Jesus possessed such personal worth as to satisfy all the infinite demands of God's offended justice by the one time sacrifice of Himself. The death of Christ was a transaction of unseen, eternal justice. The guilt of sinful humans was imputed to Christ in order that He would receive the penalty due to that guilt; namely, the punishment of God's wrath unto death. The death of Christ was a historical reality of eternal significance thus the earth became "mid-night dark" at noon day.

The resurrection of Christ is the declaration that God is satisfied and His justice is propitiated by reason of the self-sacrifice of His Son. The guilt of those for whom He died has been put away—as far away as the east is from the west. The resurrection of Christ was a legal necessity by reason to the worth and efficacy of His death and the perfection of His life. Christ by dying paid the debt that believers owe God therefore He, and they, must be released from all continuing indebtedness. The resurrection of Christ marked the beginning of the new creation wherein all who believe in Him will be made entirely new, first in heart and then in body, and will be privileged to inhabit the new heavens and the new earth everlastingly.

No one can deny the inevitability of death. That is an undeniable testimony to the justice of God. The only hope mankind has of being saved from death is the resurrected Christ. All who believe in Him will never die in the full sense of that word because He is the resurrection and life. However, if you do not believe on Christ, who will save you from death and from the wrath of God?

Christ is risen. He is alone qualified to give you life for death and forgiveness for guilt. Call upon Him while you still have the space, before death comes. If you are a believer, rejoice with fullness of joy and hope, you are eternally secure!