Thursday, April 22, 2010
1 Corinthians 15:16-17 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION ENSURES FORGIVENESS
I think that every church that I have been to has the cross figured predominantly in its decoration. This is good and proper because we do seek to preach Christ crucified and know the focus of the cross in our forgiveness. I have been struck by two churches which displayed on their stained glass windows a tomb with the stone rolled away. Though more difficult to depict, it is certainly worthwhile to keep the empty tomb before our eyes too because of the prominence of Christ's resurrection in our faith and in our forgiveness.
If Jesus never rose from the dead, then His words "It is finished" on the cross would have rung hollow. His death would have been as powerless as the men on either side of Him. We are told that we would still be in our sins. The closed tomb would have meant that the Father did not approve of His sacrifice.
But ... Christ is risen from the dead. You do stand forgiven. Romans 4:25 states that Jesus was "raised because of our justification." Christ's resurrection proves that you have been declared not guilty and are indeed a child of God through faith in Him. When Jesus defeated death He also defeated sin. The plan of salvation that God promised was declared a success on that first Easter Sunday.
Since Christ is risen from the dead you are forgiven of all your sins. You have an everlasting inheritance as a redeemed, restored, forgiven child of God.
