The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Many people talk about the sufferings and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. They tell you how he died so that we could have forgiveness of sins and how he suffered so we could have physical healing. Yet without the resurrection of Christ we have nothing. Our salvation is not dependent upon confession of sin or recognition of the sufferings or crucifixion of Jesus but upon believing in our heart that God raised him from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is the key to salvation and the focus of the doctrine, reproof, and correction given in the church epistles.


FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINE

Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it [righteousness] shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Jesus Christ was our SUBSTITUTE. He was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification. If Jesus were not raised from the dead then we would not be justified from sin. (Righteousness and Justification are our standing before God - "Just as if we never sinned") Only by recognizing that he was our substitute and that God raised him from the dead do we have justification, righteousness, and salvation.

Romans 6:3-11 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed [justified] from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have an IDENTIFICATION with Jesus Christ. We were crucified with him, buried with him, and raised with him when God raised him from the dead. The sufferings and crucifixion of Christ without his resurrection leaves us dead. Only by recognizing that God raised him from the dead, and that we are IDENTIFIED with him in God's eyes, do we then have life. We are dead to sin and alive unto God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The foundational doctrine of Romans is salvation by confession of the Lord Jesus Christ and belief that God raised him from the dead. He was our SUBSTITUTE and we are IDENTIFIED with him in both his death and more importantly in his resurrection.


FOUNDATIONAL REPROOF

I Corinthians 15:12-23 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith [believing] is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith [believing] is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep [believers who have died] in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Those who say there is no resurrection do not recognize that without the resurrection of Christ we are yet in our sins. Christ had to be raised from the dead for us to be saved. Eternal life, our new bodies at the return of Christ, and the resurrection of those who have died in Christ are all dependent upon the resurrection of Christ. The reproof of Corinthians includes recognizing that the resurrection of Christ is the key to our salvation and the foundation of our hope for the return of Jesus Christ.


FOUNDATIONAL CORRECTION

Galatians 1:1,6-7 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)....I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

The correction of Galatians begins with a reminder in the first verse that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. We have salvation because of God's grace. Jesus Christ was our substitute and we are identified with him. The believers in Galatia were being persuaded by those who wanted them to do the works of the law to earn the salvation that is ours because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift to us- given by the grace of God because we are identified with the resurrected Christ - our substitute.


The DOCTRINE of Ephesians - The Greatest Revelation to the Church!

Ephesians 1:19-23 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The great doctrine of Ephesians extends our understanding of the resurrection of Christ to the high position of far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion - seated at the right hand of God!

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus;

The doctrine of our identification with Christ is also extended: We are made alive together with Christ, raised up together with Christ, and seated together with Christ at the right hand of God! - All because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead!


REPROOF

Philippians 3:9-10a And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,...

Just as Corinthians did, the book of Philippians reproves wrong practice. The works of the law can never replace the great power of the resurrection documented in the doctrine of Romans where we learn of our righteousness and the doctrine of Ephesians where we are made alive, raised and seated at the right hand of God - not by our works but by the powerful resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from dead.


CORRECTION

Colossians 2:10-13 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead, And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it[his resurrection].

The correction of Colossians is that we are complete because God raised Christ from the dead. The works of the law, the ordinances, circumcision, etc. are all blotted out and died with Christ - nailed to his cross. We triumph over principalities and powers because we are identified with the risen Lord Christ. We were circumcised when he was circumcised, died when he died, were buried when he was buried, made alive [quickened] when he was made alive and raised when he was raised. We are complete. There are no works left to do. We are identified with the risen Christ - the head of all principality and power!

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.


DOCTRINE - THE RETURN OF CHRIST

I Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The doctrine of Thessalonians is not followed by reproof or correction. The doctrine of Thessalonians is that the risen Christ is going to return to gather the church and we will meet him in the air. We are saved by his resurrection and we will be taken out of the way and be delivered from the wrath to come because God raised him from the dead!


As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Proverbs 25:25

Cortright Fellowship
URL http://www.cortright.org/raised.htm
© Copyright March 1997 Michael Cortright