Regardless of the changes in society, organized religion, or government decrees, there are certain truths that remain unchallenged.
The term Easter is offensive to sum, so just substitute the Resurrection Day.
Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, teaches us
B1 There is life after death. Hebrews 9:27, Luke 23:43, Romans 8:10, Daniel 12:2
B2 Jesus is sinless. 1 Peter 2:22, John 8:46
B3 Jesus is God the Son. Matthew 3:17, Romans 1:3-4
B4 Jesus’s message is correct. Jesus did tell the truth.
B5 Jesus did suffer and die for humanity’s sins. This is applied only to those who meet
His conditions. 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Hebrews 9:15
B6 Jesus is the one who brings freedom, peace, rest, healing, and hope. John 14:27
B7 Jesus shows there is a resurrection for all. To those who met His conditions, a resurrection to eternal life. To those who refuse to meet His conditions, a resurrection to eternal death, that is, suffering for eternity. Daniel 12:2
B8 The greatest enemy of all people is death. Jesus’s resurrection demonstrates Him to be the greatest of all conquerors. 1 Corinthians 15:26
B9 Jesus is still the living, ruling sovereign. He is the King of all kings, Lord of all lords. He still reigns. 1 Timothy 6:15
To those who refuse to believe in Jesus’s resurrection, consider the following sources, if you are really have an open mind.
The main passages of importance regarding Jesus’s resurrection are
B1 It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: as to his humanity, he was born a descendant of David; as to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being raised from death. Romans 1:3-4 GNB
Most will reject this reasonable fact of Jesus’s physical resurrection. For me, it is most reasonable.
How will His resurrection affect us?
B1 Some notes from Dake (be cautious and test all things). Under his note, “Five Reasons Why Christ Gave Himself,” he writes
C1 For our sins (Galatians 1:4; Matthew 1:21; 26:28; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24)
C2 That He might deliver us from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4; Titus 2:14)
C3 For the church-that He might sanctify it by the Word (Ephesians 5:25-26)
C4 To be a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6)
C5 For us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity (Titus 2:14)
B2 To live a holy life.
B3 To be a living witness to others.
B4 To spread the news of God, His character, His plan, His worldview, His lifestyle, and His rules.
B5 To give hope to believers.
B6 To show the power of God’s grace in our life through trials, hardships, disasters, difficult days, sickness, etc.
B7 To show peace in trusting God.
B8 To give reasonableness to the power of a Christian life.
B9 To affect society, NOT by politics, but by the transformed life demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit. Society would be much safer and pleasant. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26 NRSV
If Jesus did not rise from death, then there is no hope for forgiveness, deliverance from final death (eternal death), or comfort in the day-to-day trials of life. The Biblical Illustrator on 1 Corinthians 15:12 notes:
III. THE FAITH OF THE CHRISTIAN STANDS OR FALLS. Twice the apostle says, according to A.V., “Your faith is vain.” But the two words are not the same. The first means “empty.” The second (ver. 17) means “having no effect.” A dead Christ makes —
1. An empty faith. There is nothing for faith to lay hold of. It is like a drowning man grasping a rope’s end swinging over the side of the ship which is loose at the other end and gives; or like some poor creature falling down the face of a precipice, and clutching at a tuft of grass, which comes away in his hand. A dead Christ is no object for faith. Faith is empty of contents unless it grasps the risen Lord; and if it lays hold of Him, it is solid and full.
2. A powerless faith. A religion which does not bring conscious deliverance from sin, both as guilt and as tendency, is not worth calling a religion. Unless for the Resurrection, we have no ground of belief in the expiation and sacrifice of the Cross; and unless we have a faith in a Christ that lives to help and quicken and purify us, we shall never really be delivered from the dominion of our sins, nor live a life of purity and of righteousness.
John 20:18–21 NIV Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Happy Resurrection Day!
Maranatha!
A Few Thoughts about Easter 2021
Jesus’s resurrection, Resurrection, Future promises, Future life, Effects of Jesus’s resurrection
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