Blog

He Is Risen
Friday, March 30, 2018 by Vicki Dorshorn

At a time when many indulge in chocolate bunnies, Cadbury mini-eggs (I'm guilty), and marshmallow peeps, it is easy for the culture in general to avoid the real meaning of the crucifixion of Christ and His subsequent resurrection on what is popularly called "Easter." When I was a child, the holiday meant a new dress, shoes, and white gloves. But the long weekend means much more.

In Romans 4:25, we see that Jesus, the Son of God, "was delivered for our transgressions [sins], and was raised again for our justification." At the cross, Christ paid the penalty for our sin, and at the empty tomb, He sealed our righteousness. These two events are inextricably linked.

At the cross, He bought us back from the slave-market of sin; we are redeemed, never to be sold again. Forgiveness of sin, dismissal of charges against us, and an irrevocable pronouncement of "not guilty" all flow from His sacrifice at Calvary. He was delivered to death for our sins.  But He did not stay dead. He rose—alive and glorified. And His continuing life guarantees our salvation—our justification—our sanctification.

He did not redeem us to let us sink in the quicksand of sin again. He did not pardon us so we could go on our way sinning. Furthermore, He did not die for us so that He could demand that we now measure up to His standard of righteousness. The empty tomb testifies of His power over death and sin. He rose that we could have a new life—a new life in Him, His Spirit in us.

The Apostle Paul uses the following metaphor to describe what has happened for the believer: "Do you not know that we who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life"—Romans 6: 3-4 (Modern English Version). 

I urge the reader to continue reading through verse 13 of that passage. Those verses reiterate that truth and expand upon it. This is the fullness of justification, which includes sanctification, for we are declared righteous by faith in Christ, just as Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God (see Romans 4: 9, 21-22). 

Moreover, Christ empowers us to live righteously in the new creation life which we have because He rose from the dead. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me"—Galatians 2:20a (Modern English Version). He makes it possible for us to live righteously in this culture and time, because His Spirit dwells in us, by our acceptance of Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord.

We can agree with the centurion at Calvary: "Surely this man was the Son of God," and with the angel in the empty tomb: "He is not here; He is risen as He said." [Matthew 27:54 and Matthew 28:6]

I think of my childhood's new dress and shoes at Easter as a metaphor of the new life we have if we accept Christ's sacrifice for us and believe that He rose from the dead. I'm not sure, though, if there is a deeper meaning to the chocolate bunnies, Cadbury mini-eggs, and marshmallow peeps. 

 

Share This Blog:


Previous Posts

Crack in the Liberty Bell
Vicki Dorshorn
7/4/2022

Resurrection Miracles
Vicki Dorshorn
4/16/2022

Globalism: Olympic Games Canceled
Vicki Dorshorn
2/20/2022

Happy Valentine's Day from God
Vicki Dorshorn
2/13/2022

Beginnings and Endings
Vicki Dorshorn
12/30/2021

The Light of the World
Vicki Dorshorn
12/24/2021

He Is Risen As He Said
Victoria Dorshorn
4/2/2021

Three M's of Christmas
Vicki Dorshorn
12/25/2020

Silenced and Silent
Vicki Dorshorn
8/4/2020

The Right Way
Vicki Dorshorn
7/13/2020

"Let Freedom Ring"
Vicki Dorshorn
7/3/2020

Caring and Sharing
Vicki Dorshorn
6/20/2020

One Race -- Two Creations
Vicki Dorshorn
6/10/2020

An End to Racism
Vicki Dorshorn
6/2/2020

With One Voice
Vicki Dorshorn
5/24/2020

Trust in God
Vicki Dorshorn
5/17/2020

A Firm Foundation
Vicki Dorshorn
5/9/2020

No Fear!
Vicki Dorshorn
5/2/2020

Author of Peace, Not Confusion
Vicki Dorshorn
4/28/2020

Too Timid to Tell
Vicki Dorshorn
4/24/2020

Resurrection Promise
Vicki Dorshorn
4/11/2020

God's Mercies
Vicki Dorshorn
4/2/2020

Yet I Will Rejoice
Vicki Dorshorn
3/18/2020

Slow Suicide—Part 2
Vicki Dorshorn
3/5/2020

Slow Suicide—Part 1
Vicki Dorshorn
3/2/2020

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
Vicki Dorshorn
2/6/2020

A Stable and an Empty Tomb
Vicki Dorshorn
12/24/2019

Do Definitions Matter?
Vicki Dorshorn
12/17/2019

Darkness Creeping In
Vicki Dorshorn
11/26/2019

The Presence and Purpose of Pain and Sorrow
Vicki Dorshorn
8/31/2019

Salt and Light
Vicki Dorshorn
8/21/2019

Real Rainbows and True Light
Vicki Dorshorn
8/17/2019

The Light of Life
Vicki Dorshorn
8/7/2019

A Giant Eraser
Vicki Dorshorn
4/23/2018

He Is Risen
Vicki Dorshorn
3/30/2018

Rejection
Vicki Dorshorn
7/22/2015

Liberty Bell & more
Vicki Dorshorn
7/4/2015

Breaking News
Vicki Dorshorn
6/22/2015

Cracked Foundations
Vicki Dorshorn
6/12/2015

Power Transformers
Vicki Dorshorn
6/5/2015

Transformers
Vicki Dorshorn
5/28/2015

What is my name?
Vicki Dorshorn
5/20/2015

What age is Jesus for you?
Vicki Dorshorn
12/21/2014

Part 2 - Stories of Sovereignty from England
Vicki Dorshorn
11/21/2014

Stories of Sovereignty from England
Vicki Dorshorn
11/15/2014

Coincidence or Sovereignty?
Vicki Dorshorn
11/3/2014

Time to Care
Vicki Dorshorn
8/24/2014

"Lion on the Loose"
Vicki Dorshorn
8/16/2014

Lessons from My Garden - Part 6
Vicki Dorshorn
8/10/2014

Lessons from My Garden - Part 5
Vicki Dorshorn
8/3/2014

Lessons from My Garden - Part 4
Vicki Dorshorn
7/27/2014

Lessons from My Garden - Part 3
Vicki Dorshorn
7/20/2014

"Lessons from My Garden -- Part 2"
Vicki Dorshorn
7/12/2014

Lessons From My Garden - Part 1
Vicki Dorshorn
7/7/2014

Dreams, Revisions, and Renewal
Vicki Dorshorn
6/29/2014

A Dream that is Reality
Vicki Dorshorn
6/21/2014

The Return of the Swallows
Vicki Dorshorn
6/14/2014

Part 2 - Where will I go when I die?
Vicki Dorshorn
6/7/2014

Where will I go when I die?
Vicki Dorshorn
5/31/2014

Truth or Deception
Vicki Dorshorn
5/24/2014

Deliverance from Falling
Vicki Dorshorn
5/16/2014

Deliverance from Tears
Vicki Dorshorn
5/10/2014

Deliverance from Death
Vicki Dorshorn
5/3/2014

The Significance of Death
Vicki Dorshorn
4/27/2014

Conclusion of Why Bad Things Happen
Vicki Dorshorn
4/19/2014

Good and Bad, Relatively Speaking
Vicki Dorshorn
4/12/2014

The Potter and the Clay
Vicki Dorshorn
4/5/2014

"Bad Things" - Part 5
Vicki Dorshorn
3/29/2014

"Bad Things" - Part 4
Vicki Dorshorn
3/21/2014

"Bad Things" - Part 3
Vicki Dorshorn
3/15/2014

"Bad Things" - Part 2
Vicki Dorshorn
3/8/2014

"Bad Things" - Part I
Vicki Dorshorn
3/1/2014

Who are "good" people?
Vicki Dorshorn
2/26/2014

Why do bad things happen to good people?
Vicki Dorshorn
2/22/2014