The Apostles Creed | Jesus Christ Rose On The Third Day
I believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day.
The death of Christ as a means of substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind is of high importance for the work of Christ. Yet, we cannot talk about the death of Christ without discussing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Arguably, the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the believer more hope that the death and burial. The cross of Christ provided the impetus for the forgiveness of sins as Christ made the payment that we could not. Yet, the resurrection seals the fate of the believers who will die but only to fall asleep. One day, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our death will not be the end of our story but we will find a newness of life as we submit to Jesus Christ’s Lordship over our lives.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 provides a phenomenal extended explanation of the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and everyone is encouraged to read the entire chapter before even continuing with this work. As we work through the resurrection, though, there are a couple of notes that gives prime importance to the resurrection. First, Jesus’ resurrection provided a physical resurrection not a metaphysical or metaphorical resurrection. The resurrection of Christ, having physically died, experienced a physical resurrection. Redemption and a declaration of righteousness. Second, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is key to our understanding of Christian witness. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our King would be defeated and the world would descend into chaos. Instead, we have life because Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead and those who follow Him will do the same.
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:12-22
More Than A Morality Tale
The testimony of scripture, the witness of the disciples, the women who first saw the tomb empty, and the people who interacted with Jesus in His resurrection before His ascension. This importance has been challenged by man people, understanding that if Jesus did rise from the dead, then the world changes and must rightfully bow before the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The earthly events of Jesus Christ, the empty tomb, the witness of the women who first saw the tomb and the appearance of the angels, all declare Jesus’ victory over death. God is not simply concerned with what we will do with our later life, but gives us the hope of eternity now. Jesus, as the firstborn from the dead, shows us that God comes to redeem and restore His creation for His glory that the world would come to know Him as their Savior. He did not merely rise in a metaphorical manner but in a physical sense to restore creation back to Himself. We have hope, even in our physical bodies and current life that points to the physical and eternal glory of God’s presence.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides a foundation for the hope of eternal glory by establishing the eternal reign of Jesus Christ through His defeat of the nature of death itself. The resurrection does not encourage people to live good moral lives but instead to lay down their life before the cross of Christ so that, even though we may fall asleep for a time, Jesus gives us life through the defeat of death. As we stand with Christ, we stand with Him in his defeat of death. Therefore even more, we proclaim the name of Jesus Christ and become witnesses of the power of His name. He is greater than the hands of death and gives life to those who remain in Him. We do not find a way to live life in a moral sense until we die, but rather we find the source of life itself by a God who rose from the grave. We have that same hope that our death would not be the end but the beginning of our new life in Jesus Christ.
A Resurrection To Establish Eternity
While the death of Jesus Christ as the propitiation of our sins puts down the foundation for our forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of Jesus Christ cements our eternal standing to be with Him forever. If Jesus had died for our sins and not resurrected then the best case for us would be a neutrality of our standing with God. While Jesus’ death would have paid for our sins, hypothetically, death would have ultimately still defeated the King of Kings. The consequences of our sins would be paid but death would reign over all creation having defeated God. Either our neutrality with God would not be enough to merit salvation or the reign of death over God would make us all subject to death’s authority. The resurrection of Jesus Christ rests on the authority of God over all creation and over death. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can defeat Jesus Christ and His rule over all the earth.
With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can begin our eternal life now. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ shows us that sin and death no longer hold a grasp on the life of believers and sets us on the path to live according to life in Jesus Christ. For those who are in Christ, the power of sin is already broken and the eternal life promises begins now. We can live in the fullness of the blessing of God now as we have been freed from our past life as Jesus establishes our new life. Furthermore, our proclamation of the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all creation is no longer in vain. We can boldly proclaim that Jesus Christ is King of Kings having defeated every barrier that we put between us because Jesus Christ lives now and forevermore. Live boldly for Christ who died and lives now for our sake so that He might be glorified in everything we do.
