Foremost, it is one proof of His divine Sonship. Romans 1:3-4… His Son Jesus Christ our Lord …declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Jesus was not made the Son of God by the baptism of John, nor the resurrection, as some who deny His eternal existence teach today. But the resurrection was the proof of His sonship. If Jesus had remained in the grave as other people do, that would have proven Him to be just a man with no godlike abilities. But the tomb is empty.

Because the tomb is empty we have faith in the promise of our resurrection and justification. Paul tells us that Jesus “…was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” Romans 4:25.Jesus died for our sins. But our justification required a living savior. Therefore, we see the necessity of our faith in Him and of our being baptized. Peter says, “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 3:21.

So, not only is baptism connected to the death of Christ; it is tied directly to His resurrection. Paul says in Romans 6:5 “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection”All those who were buried with Christ in baptism can know that as He was raised from death into life so all mankind can live forever by His eternal and all mighty power.

Since He came up from the grave, Jesus is interceding for us.Romans 8:33-34 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. The Hebrew writer mentions the many priests who serve for a short while on earth and then replaced because they die. But our priest, raised from the grave lives forever.“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.  Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them”. Hebrews 7:24-25.

Jesus’ resurrection not only promises that all mankind will be resurrected but it certifies, even guarantees, that all men will be raised. Paul draws a lesson from the first natural man and the first spiritual man in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” Paul is discussing what happens to the body, the outer covering of the spirit. As Adam died, his body was buried and returned to the dust he was made from. When Jesus died and was buried He rose from death into eternal life.  If we have been buried with Him we will also be raised by Him.

Because He is alive, we are assured that there will be a day of Judgment. In teaching the men of Athens, Paul said, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31  Just as surely as Jesus was raised, just that certain is the fact that we shall all be judged. This should strike fear to the impenitent and the disobedient. We who believe in the resurrection believe it so strongly that our lives are molded by our faith in it.

Because of the resurrection He has prepared an eternal living place for the faithful. He promised that He would in John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.The picture that Paul paints of the glorious day He returns for us, to take us to that prepared home is in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

For all these reasons, we encourage everyone to obey the gospel and follow the example set by Jesus our Lord and Christ so that someday we will be with our risen Lord in the place He has prepared for us.

Because He Lives – #458

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Therefore, comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)