7. The resurrection gives us the joy of knowing that Christ is with us today!
He has promised that he will be with us to the end of time. This changes everything. A dead hero in the grave is no help to us. But a risen Savior in heaven gives us great confidence!
Because the tomb is empty and Jesus is on the throne, we can know for sure that we will be victorious irrespective of what is happening in today’s world. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
8. The resurrection gives us hope that goes beyond the grave.
We live in a broken world. Every Christian will at some point in their lives know the pain of grieving for a loved one. When Paul told us not to “grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13), he did not mean that we would not experience sadness.
But because Jesus conquered the grave, we have confidence that one day we too will rise, and so meet both Jesus and our believing loved ones again. This changes everything when we come face to face with death.
9. The resurrection unites every Christian with the life-giving force that raised Jesus from the dead.
It is through the resurrection that “the last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor 15:45). Paul tells us, “The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).
This amazing power is available to transform, equip and empower us: “What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20).
10. Because of the resurrection, we can know that Jesus is personally coming back to judge and rule the world.
It is a source of great joy for the Christian that Jesus will return. But it should also cause great concern for those who are living estranged from him. Because of the resurrection, we can be sure that this same Jesus will return again:
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)
This article is part of the 10 Things You Should Know series.
Content taken from Raised with Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything by Adrian Warnock, originally published on crossway.org. Used with permission.
