The Christian life is a life of hope. Paul wrote: “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” We will persevere and be faithful to Jesus when we are fully grounded in hope. Hope is not “wishful thinking” but a solid awareness of realities yet to be completely experienced (Heb. 11:1). The Resurrection of Jesus is the basis for our hope, and therefore should be known and shared with others. His resurrection confirms several things:

First, it confirms the Sonship of Christ. Christ was “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1:4). The final exclamation point to the fact that Jesus was indeed the Son of God is His triumphant return from the grave. We too are adopted into the family of God through our faith in Christ (Gal. 2:26-27).

            Second, the resurrection of Christ confirms our salvation from sin. Paul wrote that Jesus “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (Rom. 4:25). God’s “paid-in-full receipt” that atonement for our sins had been offered and accepted was the resurrection of Christ from the dead. If we want to be secure in our standing before God, we should look by faith to the empty tomb. 

            Third, Christ’s resurrection confirms the truth of the Bible. Christ was raised from the dead “according to the Scriptures.” “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). We learn the great truth of Christ’s resurrection through the message of the gospel (Rom. 10:9-17). In the Pentecost sermon, Peter declared that Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Acts 2:22-36), thus establishing the inspiration of Scripture. 

How thankful we should be for the resurrection of Christ! Because He was “raised for our offenses”, we can experience all that such implies. Salvation is a free gift of divine grace (Rom. 6:23). It is a gift that must be accepted on the terms of the giver, not the receiver. There is a very simple process to the unsaved person becoming a saved person. This simple process has been corrupted and is being corrupted by many. 

The gift is to be received by faith. “Then they who gladly received the word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:26-41). The gospel was preached by Peter and the gospel was believed by the 3,000. Only those who receive the truth about Jesus have the right to become children of God (John 1:11-12; Gal. 3:26-27). If the gospel is not preached, there is nothing to which sinners can respond.  

Once a person accepts the truthfulness of the gospel, he is to express his faith in Jesus by being baptized in water. “When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:4-5, 12).

“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:41). Their souls were added to the church (verse 37) after they were baptized. What a cause of rejoicing it was to be added to the number of the saved! No wonder we read just a few verses later concerning these baptized believers: “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46). It was after the baptism of the jailor and the Ethiopian that they were found rejoicing. (Acts 8:39; 16:34). 

The cross of Christ says that we can abide in God and that God can abide in us. The sin problem has been eradicated if we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. There is nothing that can separate us from God once we have been reconciled (Rom. 8:37-39). 

If we are in Christ, by believing in Him and by being baptized into Him, then we can know that we have eternal salvation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1). To be in Christ is to be saved and to be a partaker of every spiritual blessing which God bestows upon everyone whom He saves. 

            When we think of the Christian life and how to live it, we should remember that our sufficiency is from God. Paul says that we should not “think of anything as being from ourselves.” Not salvation, not sanctification. Not our opening awareness to the truths of the gospel, and not our ability to get better as a Christian. Nothing! We owe it all to God. Everything that we are or ever will be for Him depends upon His power and His promises at work in our lives. He is the only one that can change us and the only one that can keep us changed.

            Without a continual dependence upon God, we will not survive against the devil and his attacks against us. When Paul turned his “thorn in the flesh”—whatever that was—over to the Lord, the answer he received from the Lord is a great description of what we should remember whenever we seek the blessing of the Lord in the midst of trouble. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  (2 Cor. 12:9). 

            “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phi 4:13)  “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” (John 15:4). We must keep our focus on God and His strength if we expect to make significant strides in the matter of pleasing God with our lives. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Notice again the words of Jesus:  Without Me, you can do nothing! This is why Paul said we should not think of anything as being from ourselves. It is all by God, of God and for God. To Him be the glory!

Bryan Dunaway

Grace and Peace Ministries

www.gandpministries.org