Page 21 - January 2023 - Truth & Tidings

turn to clasp His feet in worship. corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and
He did not experience corruption of of that we all are witnesses” (vv31-32).
any sort in the tomb. Pristine in His im- The entire apostolic message was cen-
peccability, and fragrant with spikenard tered here. Paul memorably recorded
and precious spices, He emerged in the the gospel that had been revealed to him
“power of an indestructible life” (Heb in four short propositions (1Co 15:3-8).
7:16). Yes, it was a human body, but now, Christ died, was buried, was raised, and
much more; in this resurrection body, was seen; this was the sum and substance
there were new qualities, rising above of the preached word. From his first re-
material limitations, transcending natural corded message in Antioch (Act 13:30), his
laws within His own creation. preaching was permeated with the risen
There were witnesses, of course – not Christ. And still today, “if you confess
a paltry few, but multitudes of reliable with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and
witnesses. And what did they see? They believe in your heart that God raised him
saw a living man, raised in a real human from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom
body. Did He not say to the disciples, “See 10:9).
my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. The Implication of Resurrection
Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not A risen Christ is essential to our salva-
have flesh and bones as you see that I tion. Without it, Christianity is invalid; “if
have” (Luk 24:39)? Peter testified, “God Christ has not been raised, your faith is
raised him on the third day,” and He ap- futile and you are still in your sins. Then
peared to “witnesses, who ate and drank those also who have fallen asleep in Christ
with him after he rose from the dead” have perished” (1Co 15:17-18). Thankfully,
(Act 10:40-41). Peter reminds us that God, “according to
Of course there were “alternative narra- his great mercy ... has caused us to be born
tives” put forward to deny His death and again to a living hope through the resur-
resurrection, all of them thinly concealed rection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Pe
fabrications of unbelief. No, He didn’t 1:3). We are declared righteous when we
swoon. No, there was no mistake about “believe in him who raised from the dead
the tomb. And no, there was no mass hal- Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for
lucination of the witnesses. He died. He our trespasses and raised for our justifica-
rose. He lives! tion” (Rom 4:24-25). Sanctification is now
The Proclamation of Resurrection ours; “just as Christ was raised from the
Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost dead by the glory of the Father, we too
set the agenda for every authentic gospel might walk in newness of life” (6:4).
message. “Jesus of Nazareth [was] … The resurrection of Jesus Christ guaran-
crucified and killed by the hands of law- tees our future in His presence, “knowing
less men. God raised him up, loosing the that he who raised the Lord Jesus will
pangs of death, because it was not possible raise us also with Jesus and bring us with
for him to be held by it” (Act 2:22-24). you into his presence” (2Co 4:14). A risen
Pointing to David, he cogently argued Christ confers complete security; “because
that “he foresaw and spoke about the I live, you also will live” (Joh 14:18-19). Do
resurrection of the Christ, that he was not we not, then, breathe together, “Even so
abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see come, Lord Jesus!”?

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