Easter: why renewal?

The decisive victory

In the haze of falling powder-snow, leafless branches reach skyward like agonizing, pleading fingers, praying for the renewal brought by spring. In hot and arid regions, withered plants and panting animals yearn for the first rains to revive nature, turning dusty plains into lush grasslands again. Every year, nature depicts the need for and the renewal of those who hunger and thirst for new life (Acts 3:19-21, Rom. 8:18-21).

Passover reminded Israel of death and life. The first-born of Egypt died; the first-born of Israel got saved by the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. Likewise, those who accept the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, for their salvation, receive eternal life (Rom. 5:9, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14, 1 Pet. 1:19, Rev. 5:9).

Christ died to pay the sin-debt of believers; he rose from the dead to confirm his triumph over sin and death. If he stayed in the tomb, he would have been equal to other holy people. He is the only Saviour with and empty tomb. Therefore, believing in the resurrection of Christ, is part of saving faith: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9, 1 Cor. 15:17).

Christ’s resurrection was not only essential for salvation (justification), but also for the new life after salvation (sanctification). The apostle Paul wanted to know the power of Christ’s resurrection (Phil. 3:10-14). He forgot the past and reached forward to this goal.

For Paul, baptism depicted our unity with Christ’s death (the dying of the old sinful nature) as well as our unity with his resurrection (the empowering of the new nature. Rom. 6:4-6, 11-13).

The resurrection of Christ guarantees the resurrection of believers (1 Cor. 15). Paul said that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus became human in all respects (except sin); therefore, he had to obtain a new body before he ascended to heaven. He is the only one with a resurrected body; the spirits (souls) of deceased believers must wait for the day of resurrection to receive new bodies (1 Thess. 4:13-18, 1 Cor. 15:51-52, Rev. 6:9-11, 20:4).

Some aspects of Christ’s new body are described in the gospels. He appeared and disappeared at will (Luke 24:15, 31, 36). He entered rooms with locked doors (John 20:19, 26). Sometimes his followers recognized him and sometimes not (Luke 24:16, 31, 36-37, Joh 20:14). He had flesh and bones, and ate food with his disciples (Luke 24:39-43, John 21). He bore the scars of the crucifixion (Luke 24:39-40, John 20:24-29).

Our resurrected bodies will be like that of Jesus (Phil. 3:20-21, 1 John 3:2).

Jacob Van Zyl of Lethbridge is a retired counsellor and the author of several faith-based books.