The Resurrection of Christ is victory over death. The meaning of the resurrection of Christ

And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Meaning of Resurrection: The Resurrection of Christ is the basis for our blessed resurrection. But Christ rose from the dead, the firstborn of those who died. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

But truly Christ rose from the dead and became the firstfruits of the resurrection of all the dead. (St. Ephraim the Syrian)

State of Jesus Christ After death and before resurrection:“In the tomb carnally, in hell with the soul like God, in paradise with the thief, and on the throne you were, Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, fulfilling all the Indescribable.”

Hell, from the Greek “a place without light.” IN Christian teaching this is a spiritual prison - the state of spirits alienated by sin from the sight of God and the light and bliss united with it. and he preserves the angels who did not retain their dignity, but left their home, in eternal bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day.

(Jude 6)

Jesus went to hell in order to preach victory over death there too and deliver the souls who were awaiting his coming with Faith. In Holy Scripture: because Christ, in order to lead us to God, once suffered for our sins, the righteous for the unjust, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, by which He went and preached to the spirits in prison...

(1 Peter 3:18,19)

Additionally on the fifth member of the creed:

According to scripture, it means that Jesus died and rose again exactly as it was said in the prophecies of the Old Testament. For example: But He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.

(Isaiah 53:5)

Ticket 19

The sixth member of the Creed. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and His Ascension. Understanding the words: “Sitting at the right hand of the Father.”

And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

About resurrection:

for You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will You allow Your holy one to see corruption... (Psalm 15:10) (Acts of the Apostles 2:27)

Prophecy - And the Lord commanded the great whale to swallow Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. (Jonah 2:1)

For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. (Holy Gospel of Matthew 12:40)

The Angel of the Lord rolled away the stone that covered His tomb, and at the same time a great earthquake occurred. Angels announced the resurrection to Mary Magdalene and others. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to many on the day of the Resurrection: the myrrh-bearers, Peter, the disciples going to Emmaus, and all the apostles in the house whose doors were locked. Then he appeared many times over the course of forty days. then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, and some have died... (First Corinthians 15:6) Jesus appeared to teach the apostles the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

About Ascension:

He who descended is also He who ascended above all the heavens to fill everything. (Ephesians 4:10)

Jesus Christ ascended to heaven as a man, because as God he has always been and remains in heaven.

"Sitting at the right hand of the Father."- this is understood spiritually, and means that Jesus Christ has the same power and glory with God the Father.

Ticket 21

The seventh article of the Creed. Teaching Holy Scripture about the Second Coming of Christ, about the future judgment and the endless kingdom. The difference between the Second Coming and the First. Universality of the court. The time of the Second Coming of Christ. Signs of its approach. The concept of the Antichrist.

And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

and they said: Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who has ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

About judgment: 28. Do not be surprised at this; for the time is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; 29. And those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil will come forth into the resurrection of condemnation. (Holy Gospel of John 5:28,29)

About the endless kingdom: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. (Holy Gospel of Luke 1:32,33)

The second coming will be different from the first. At his first coming, Christ came in humiliation to suffer for us. Christ will come to judge us in His glory, and all the Angels with Him. When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy Angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory... (Holy Gospel of Matthew 25:31)

Jesus Christ will judge all people without exception. The conscience of each person will open before everyone and not only deeds will be revealed, but also all spoken words, secret desires and thoughts. Therefore, do not judge in any way before the time, until the Lord comes, Who will illuminate what is hidden in the darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart, and then everyone will praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

I tell you that for every idle word that people speak, they will give an account on the day of judgment... (Holy Gospel of Matthew 12:36)

The time of the second coming is unknown to both people and angels. 9. The Lord is not slack in fulfilling his promise, as some count slackness; but he is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10.The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and then the heavens will pass away with a noise, and the elements will be destroyed with burning fire, the earth and all the works on it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:9,10)

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1. Guarantee of our revival

The Apostle Peter says that God regenerated “us to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”(1 Peter 1:3). He does not ambiguously link the resurrection of Jesus to our new birth. When Jesus rose from the dead, His existence took on new qualities: "reborn life" in human body and the human spirit, ideally suited for eternal communion with and obedience to God. By His resurrection, Jesus purchased for us the same new life, just like Him. When we become Christians, we do not receive this “new life” completely, for our bodies are still subject to aging and death. But our spirit is strengthened by the life-giving power of salvation. The new kind The life we ​​receive at rebirth is given to us by Christ through His resurrection. This is why the Apostle Paul says that God has “made us alive” "with Christ... and raised up with Him"(Ephesians 2:5). In raising Christ from the dead, God thought of our resurrection “with Christ” and, therefore, considered us worthy of participation in Christ’s resurrection. Paul says that he sees the purpose of his life as “that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection...”(Philippians 3:10). Paul understood that even in this life the resurrection of Christ gives new strength Christian service and obedience to God. Connecting the resurrection of Christ with the spiritual forces at work within us, Paul tells the Ephesians that he prays for them that they would understand “How immeasurable is the greatness of His power in us who believe, according to the working of His sovereign power, which He worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at His right hand in the heavens.”(Ephesians 1:19-20). Here Paul is saying that the power by which God raised Christ from the dead is the same power that works in us. Moreover, Paul views us as resurrected in Christ:

...we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life... So consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus...New Testament, Romans 6:4,11

This life-giving power includes the ability to win more and more victories over sin, despite the fact that we will not achieve perfection in this life ( “sin must not have dominion over you”(Romans 6:14)). Resurrection power also includes the ability to serve in the Kingdom. It was after the resurrection that Jesus promised His disciples: “ You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses...”(Acts 1:8). This is new, superior human capabilities the power to proclaim the gospel, perform miracles, and overcome the resistance of their enemies was given to the disciples after Christ's resurrection from the dead and became an integral part of the resurrection power inherent in their Christian life.

2. The Resurrection of Christ Guarantees Our Justification

Paul connects the resurrection of Christ with our justification (removal of guilt before God) in only one passage « Jesus delivered up for our sins and raised again for our justification.”(Romans 4:25). Christ's resurrection from the dead was God's declaration of approval of Christ's work of salvation. Thanks to the fact that Christ “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross... God highly exalted Him...”(Philippians 2:8-9). By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father is actually saying that He accepts the ministry of Christ, who suffered and died for our sins, considers this work completed and does not see the need for Christ to continue to remain dead. There were no unpaid sins, nothing incurred God's wrath, and no guilt remained to be punished—everything had been paid for in full. By the Resurrection, God says to Christ: “I approve of everything you have done, and you find favor in My eyes.” This explains why Paul can say that Christ "risen for our justification"(Romans 4:25). If God raised us up with him (Ephesians 2:6), then, because of our union with Christ, God's declaration of approval of Christ is at the same time a declaration of approval of us. When the Father essentially says to Christ, “All sins have been paid for, and I count You not guilty, but righteous in My eyes,” He is making a statement that applies to us as we believe in Christ for salvation. Thus, Christ's resurrection also serves as the final confirmation that He has earned our justification.

3. The Resurrection of Christ ensures that we will also receive perfect regenerate bodies.

The New Testament links the resurrection of Jesus several times to our final resurrection in the body:

But the most thorough discussion of the connection between Christ's resurrection and our resurrection is found in 1 Corinthians 15:12-58. Here Paul says that Christ is the “Firstborn of those who have fallen asleep.” By calling Christ the firstborn, Paul uses an agricultural metaphor (firstfruits) to show that we will be like Christ. Just as the “first fruits” or first taste of the ripening harvest shows what the entire harvest will be like, Christ as the “firstborn” shows what our regenerate bodies will be like when God raises us from the dead and brings us into the world at the end of the “harvest.” Your presence.

After his resurrection, Jesus had nail marks on his hands and feet and a wound from a spear piercing his side (John 20:27). People sometimes ask if this means that the scars from serious injuries sustained in this life will remain on our reborn bodies? The answer to this is that we will probably not have scars from injuries sustained in this life, and our bodies will be perfect, incorruptible and resurrected “in glory”, since the scars left on the body of Jesus after the crucifixion are unique, they serve as an eternal reminder of His suffering and death for us.

It is also important to note the ethical significance of the resurrection

The Apostle Paul believes that the resurrection has everything to do with our obedience to God in this life. Concluding his detailed discussion of the resurrection, Paul exhorts his readers to:

We must continue to work tirelessly for the cause of the Lord precisely because we too will rise from the dead, just as Christ rose from the dead. Everything we do to attract people into the Kingdom and strengthen their faith will have a truly eternal impact, for we will all be resurrected on the day when Christ returns and will live with Him forever.

Second, Paul encourages us to focus on future heavenly rewards as we contemplate the resurrection. He views the resurrection as the time when all the efforts we have made in this life will be rewarded. But if Christ was not resurrected, and there was no resurrection, then “your faith is in vain: you are still in your sins; therefore those who died in Christ perished. And if in this life only we hope in Christ, then we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). But since Christ has risen, and we have risen with Him, we should strive for heavenly rewards and think about heavenly things:

So, if you have been raised with Christ, then seek the things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, appears, then you will appear with Him in glory.New Testament, Colossians 3:1-4

The third ethical aspect of the resurrection is the requirement of an unconditional refusal to submit to sin in our lives. Saying that we must count ourselves “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” because of the resurrection and the life-giving power of Christ at work in us, Paul exclaims: “Let not sin reign in your mortal body... And do not betray your members to sin" (Romans 6:11-13). In encouraging us to sin no more, Paul uses the fact that we have a new life-giving power that can curb the dominance of sin in our lives.

The essence of the resurrection and its importance The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basis Christian faith, foundation of the church. Without this event, the Church could not have been born, and if it had appeared, it would have died soon after birth. Without belief in the resurrection, Christianity could not have arisen. The disciples would have been completely crushed and crushed. Even if they continued to remember Jesus as their beloved Teacher, His crucifixion would forever give up any hope that he could be the Messiah. Therefore, Christianity was originally built on the belief of the first disciples that God raised Jesus. (William Craig) In the end, the resurrection is the “check” of our entire system. If you take it out, the entire structure of Christianity will collapse!

The meaning of the resurrection At the beginning of the Christian era, the Apostle Paul expressed the meaning of the resurrection: “if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then we Christians are “most miserable of all men” (1 Cor. 15:19). If we do not consider the resurrection to be a historical fact, then the power of death remains unbroken, and with it the power of sin. The meaning of the death of Christ loses its credibility, which means that believers remain in their sins, that is, in the same place where they were before they heard the name of Jesus. (W. J. Sparrow -Simpson) John Locke, the famous English philosopher, said the following regarding the resurrection of Christ: “The resurrection of our Savior... does have great importance in Christianity. So great that the Messiahship of Jesus depends entirely on it. These two important aspects, are inextricably linked with each other and, in fact, merge into a single whole. By accepting or denying one of them, you accept or deny both."

Eyewitness Evidence of the Resurrection and Its Reliability After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to people several times. To the women who were going to anoint his body, Matt. 28:1-10. Mary Magdalene In. 20: 11 -18. To the disciples on the way to Emmaus Luke. 24: 13 -35. To his students John. 20: 26 -28. To his brother James 1 Cor. 15: 6. Finally, to all the apostles in Jerusalem before their ascension, Luke. 24: 50 -52, Acts. 1: 3 -8. The descriptions of Christ's appearances emphasize the physical and experiential aspects of Him as a man. The women grabbed Him by the feet, He eats bread and fish. The first witnesses to the resurrection of Christ were women, because at that time a woman was considered an unreliable witness and women were forbidden to act as witnesses in court. If the story of the resurrection were fictitious, the Jews would hardly have given a place to women in it. Conversion of Saul after meeting Christ. Saul was a Jew of brilliant mind and was raised by an excellent specialist in old testament Gamaliel, moreover, he was a fanatical opponent new faith. Paul is undoubtedly one of the most reliable witnesses of the resurrection of Christ.

The evidence from the sources for the resurrection of the Epistle addressed to the Galatians, Corinthians and Romans is beyond doubt as to its authenticity and time of writing. They were written during Paul's missionary travels and can be dated from 55 to 58 A.D. They provide early evidence of the resurrection of Christ, as they are separated from real event a short period of only 25 years. Also the resurrection is confirmed by all 4 gospels. Josephus Flavius ​​“Antiquities of the Jews” excerpt: “About this time lived Jesus, a wise man, if He can be called a man at all. He performed amazing deeds and became a teacher of those people who willingly accepted the truth. He attracted many Jews and Greeks to himself. At the insistence of our influential people, Pilate sentenced Him to the cross. But those who loved him before did not stop doing so now. On the third day He appeared to them alive again, as the inspired prophets announced about Him and His many other miracles. » Testimonies of the Church Fathers. The doctrine of resurrection occupies a central place in early Christian literature. Athenagoras and Justin the martyr write about the resurrection in their writings, Clement of Rome in his “Epistle to the Corinthians” (95 AD), St. Polycarp in his letter to the Philippians (110 AD), Tertullian in his writings (c. 160 -220 AD)

Circumstantial Evidence for the Truth of the Resurrection Evidence 1. First of all, Jesus prophesied several times during his ministry that He would rise from the dead. Matt. 16:21, Luke. 9:22, John 12: 32 -34, Mr. 9:1-10. 2. The resurrection is consistent with the character and claims of Jesus. Every time I read the Gospel I want to exclaim: “There is no way for him to remain in a dead state.” 3. The implementation of the resurrection explains the Old Testament mysterious predictions. 4. Empty coffin. This comes primarily from eyewitnesses of the resurrection. Indirect confirmation of the emptiness of the tomb is the silence of the Jews, as well as the lack of evidence that the early Christians worshiped the “shrine-shrine,” although this is typical for followers of all religions. 5. Any theory that denies the resurrection must explain the behavior of Christ's apostles, which radically changed around the time the resurrection occurred. 6. Ultimately, only the resurrection explains the existence of the Christian Church. The existence of the Church is the strongest evidence we have.

Alternative Theories Regarding the Resurrection 1. Stolen Body Theory Claim: “According to the Evangelist Matthew, the Jews bribed the soldiers who stood guard over the tomb and told them, “Say that His disciples who came by night stole Him while we slept.” Matt. 28: 11 -15 ". Counterarguments: 1. The authorities did everything possible to prevent the theft of the body from the coffin. 2. The disciples who fled from Jesus during His interrogations had neither the courage nor the physical strength to attack a unit of armed soldiers. 3. The soldiers could not sleep at the post, because such a mistake would cost them their lives. 4. The stone at the entrance to the coffin was very large. Even if the guards had fallen asleep and the disciples had actually attempted to remove the body, the sound of the stone being moved would have awakened them. 5. Funeral clothes provide silent evidence that the body was not stolen. 6. The possibility that Jesus' body was taken from the tomb by Jews or Romans is implausible. Otherwise, they could present the body and stop the preaching of the apostles.

Wrong Coffin Theory Claim: “The Wrong Coffin Theory states that women made a mistake and went to the wrong coffin.” Counterarguments: 1. These women, less than three days before their visit, very carefully monitored where the body of Jesus was laid Matt. 27: 16. Mark. 15:47, Luke. 23:55. 2. Peter and John also visited the empty tomb that same day. 3. If the women and disciples came to the wrong tomb, then the members of the Sanhedrin should have come and presented the body of Jesus to the real tomb, but this did not happen. 4. Joseph of Arimathea, the owner of the tomb, would certainly have resolved this problem if it really arose. 5. A few years later, Saul of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus, saw Christ.

Theory of hallucinations Statement: “with the theory of hallucinations, some try to explain the appearances of Christ as personal ghosts, subjective experiences or internal visions perceived by the minds of individuals and not corresponding to reality.” Counterarguments: 1. Hallucinations are usually experienced by special types of people, people with very active imaginations. 2. Hallucinations generally relate to the individual because they come from the human psyche. Therefore it turns out to be impossible that whole group The disciples saw the ghost of Christ. 3. Hallucinations usually occur in people who are psychologically prepared for this as a result of drugs or other medications they have taken, lack of food, water, or rest. But none of the disciples and others expected the resurrection and could not prepare for it in this way. 4. Hallucinations occur in favorable places. However, Christ appeared in various places: on the seashore, on the mountain, near the tomb, in Jerusalem and Galilee, on the road to Emmaus. 5. Hallucinations occur in favorable time: night, twilight, early morning. However, Christ appeared in different times days. 6. Hallucinations, as a rule, are repeated over a long period of time and regularly. As for the appearances of Christ, after forty days we have no evidence of his appearances, with the exception of His appearance to Saul of Tarsus. “Any theory about hallucinations is a complete fiasco when you think about the fact that in three different cases The disciples did not immediately recognize Jesus in the image that appeared before them. If it is a fiction, then it is the strangest that has ever arisen in the human brain.” C. S. Lewis.

The Fainting Theory Claim: “According to this theory, Christ did not actually die, He merely fainted, that is, He found himself in a state of very weak consciousness, which others mistakenly accepted as death. His unusual state was caused by experiences trial and crucifixion, that is, beatings, loss of blood, exhaustion, but, being in the cool tomb, He began to inhale the aromas emanating from the spices with which His body was anointed. This awakened Him. He stood up, came out of the tomb and showed himself to the disciples.” Counter-argument: 1. The Roman groups of executioners crucifying the condemned did their job well, because they had considerable practice in this matter. 2. John testifies that the soldier pierced the side of Christ with a spear and blood and water flowed out of him. This suggests that Christ’s heart burst. Dr. William Stroud provides compelling evidence that Christ's death was caused by heart failure. 3. During the preparation of Christ’s body for burial, surely someone would have noticed at least the slightest signs of life in it. 4. The theory cannot explain how Jesus lay in a tomb for 36 hours where there was no fresh air, food and drink, weakened from loss of blood and everything he had experienced - suddenly gathers strength, gets out of the shrouds that tightly wrapped His body, rolls away a huge stone from the coffin, attacks the guards and walks several kilometers on pierced legs, and after all this shows the disciples how Lord of life and Conqueror of death. 5. Also, the theory of fainting does not explain future fate Jesus. If he continued to live after the resurrection, and later died a natural death, then it is not clear how the Church could arise and develop.

Jesus is truly risen! As G. B. Hardy said: “We present to you full list": Confucius's tomb - occupied Buddha's tomb - occupied Muhammad's tomb - occupied Jesus' tomb - EMPTY This list sounds the final verdict. The judgment reached is clear. The evidence speaks for itself. They say clearly and understandably: JESUS ​​IS REALLY RISEN!

For many centuries Christian church celebrates the bright resurrection of Christ. It is surprising that this greatest event in the history of mankind does not have a once and for all established date for celebration. Easter dates vary from year to year. They are calculated so that Easter is celebrated after the full moon, does not coincide with the Jewish Passover, and falls strictly on a Sunday. We are celebrating an Event, and therefore the numbers are not so important, the meaning is important. Over two millennia, millions of sermons have been preached revealing the meaning of Easter, millions of songs about it have been sung, and countless hymns have been offered. Despite its venerable age, Easter has not become a “holiday with a beard”; it is always young and celebrated as if for the first time. It's impossible to get used to it. The importance of Easter is difficult to overestimate, because it provides answers to the most exciting questions:

• Will evil be punished and good rewarded?
• Will the time come for one true faith to grow in the souls of people, so that people become brothers in spirit and stop fighting?
• Will there come, if not for us, then for our descendants, days of peace and prosperity?
• Will the eternal spring of youth come for fading old people?
• Will disabled people from childhood experience the happiness of having a healthy and beautiful body?
• Will death, the queen of horrors, always reign supreme on earth?

We will look at the most important meanings of Christ's Resurrection.

1. The resurrection of Christ revealed the fullness of His divinity.

The Apostle Paul writes about this at the beginning of his letter to the Romans:

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, chosen unto the gospel of God, which God had promised before through his prophets in the holy writings concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and was revealed to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, through resurrection from the dead, in Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship, that in His name we might bring all nations under faith" (Rom. 1:1-5)

Christ has always been God. The Evangelist John testifies: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3). The book of Colossians states, “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17). However, at the incarnation, the divine essence of Christ was hidden by the veil of human nature.

People saw Him first and foremost as a man. Jesus grew up and learned life skills in the family of Joseph, a carpenter. He needed food and drink and was tired from work. Once, during a strong storm, He fell fast asleep at the stern of the boat and the noise of the wind and waves could not wake Him up. Only a deathly tired person can sleep like this.

Christ communicated with people; they could talk to Him without obstacles and even invite Him to visit. They asked Him for help, and He never refused them.

Christ suffered morally from the sinful behavior of people - he cried about their bitterness, was angry at their stubbornness, and hid from their enmity. Finally, He was rejected by His people and suffered the most cruel execution. For many, He was just a man, although they recognized him as an extraordinary Person.

True, through this fleshly curtain the rays of the divine essence of Christ still shone through. They shone in His testimony of Himself. Thus, He declared His equality with God: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), said that “I came down from heaven not to do My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 6 :38). He expected self-worship equal to God: “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:22,23).

He forgave people's sins, which was the exclusive prerogative of God, and after that people's lives visibly changed - they devoted themselves to piety.

The divine essence of Christ was revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration, when His face and clothes shone brighter than a hundred suns.

However, most of all, the resurrection became for believers indisputable proof of the divine nature of Christ. This is precisely what the skeptic Thomas clearly understood when he fell to his knees before Christ with the confession: “My Lord and God”!

Why was it necessary for Christ to testify so clearly to his Divinity? This is important for developing proper respect for Him. To honor Christ less than God is not just a humiliation of His dignity, but also one of the forms of idolatry prohibited by the third commandment of the Decalogue. It provokes the wrath of God and entails severe punishment. Only faith in Jesus Christ as God and the Author of our salvation can be considered correct and capable of saving the soul.

Because Jesus is God, He could atone for our sins. By virtue of His Divinity, evil will be punished and good will be rewarded, people will unite in one faith and love, times of all abundance will come, decrepit bodies will again become young and beautiful, death will no longer have power over the saved. “Fear not, O earth: rejoice and be glad, for the Lord is great to do this” (Joel 2:21).

2. The Resurrection of Christ Brings Justification to Believers

“Who was delivered up for our sins and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).

We cannot escape the sad fact of the universal depravity of people. First of all, their conscience testifies to it. The famous satirist Mikhail Zhvanetsky quite seriously, without a hint of a joke, told his listeners: “... conscience is an amazing human substance. After all, no one can say that his own conscience pleases him. Conscience only torments. You remember episodes from twenty, forty, sixty years ago: either you took a mug from someone, or you deceived someone, or you lied to someone. And, most importantly, you blush in your sleep! You have forgotten the one who punched you in the face in response, but you remember the offended defenselessness... And then your conscience torments you, your conscience will not forgive you for offending the defenseless. Conscience, like a magnetic compass, is located inside you and no matter how you move, it is motionless. A person who overcomes conscience has eyes that become scary and dead.” According to a survey by the Ekho Moskvy radio station, 83% of listeners admitted that they have a conscience and only 17% deny it. This means that most people have problems with conscience.

The sinfulness of man is evidenced by police reports and daily news, tabloid publications and cinema. Doctor philosophical sciences Pavel Gurevich stated: “Man is destructive. Many executioner traits can be attributed to him: he tore the planet apart, destroyed many living species, and organized destructive wars. Humanity, if judged as a whole, will look bad."

But only the Holy Bible speaks about the depravity of man absolutely objectively and honestly: “The heart [of man] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who will recognize him? (Jer.17:9). The heart cannot be trusted; it can deceive. It cannot be corrected; there is no healthy place in it. Meanwhile, according to the Bible, it is the source of life. A corrupt heart harbors corrupt plans and from it flow corrupt decisions. “He chases dust; his deceived heart has led him astray, and he cannot free his soul and say: “Isn’t it a deception in right hand mine? (Isa.44:20)

For the owners of such a heart, there is only one fate - the abyss of hell. And everyone would have ended up there if not for the resurrection of Christ. It brought justification to those who believed in Him.

An acquittal is a judge's declaration that a suspect is not guilty of a crime. The judge makes this announcement based on an objective consideration of all the evidence in the case. But how can you justify a person whose guilt is known to the Judge of all judges in the smallest detail?

The sinner's justification does not take place empty space. It follows sincere repentance. When a person repents of his sins and devotes his life to the Savior, his sins are forgiven, washed with the most pure blood of Christ and are not remembered by God. Thanks to atoning sacrifice In Christ, “the justice of God was more satisfied than if men had suffered forever in hell” (Watson).

However, in addition to forgiveness, a person is reborn from above and becomes a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; The old has passed away, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). He has a new direction in life - to be closer to God, to be more useful and purer in soul. A person acquires a new status as a child of God, instead of the old one - a slave of Satan. How can one not justify such a person?

In addition, the repentant person is transferred from the power of the just God's law under the power of grace. The law cursed all violators of its regulations. Grace does not curse, but disciplines and sanctifies. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live chastely, righteously and godly in this century looking forward to the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).

Someone will ask: “Don’t those who believe in Christ sin? And if they sin, shouldn’t they be justly and severely judged by God?” Alas, believers sin out of weakness and are often condemned, but they are condemned not as people of this world, alien to God, but as disobedient children - through weakness, illness and death (1 Cor. 11:30). However, justification is in no way canceled, for it is granted once and forever: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John. 5:24).

3. The Resurrection of Christ marked the beginning of Christ's Dominion over the lives of believers

“For to this end Christ died, and rose again, and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” (Rom. 14:9).

What amazing news! Christ lives to rule both over those on earth and over those already in eternity. As a ruler, Christ loves each of His subjects, knows the circumstances in which he lives, determines for him the time and place of residence, the level of well-being, controls not only health, but also the number of hairs on his head, and measures the length of the thread of life. He sends him the necessary spiritual gifts and leads him through the fires and waters of trials. The Lord Christ will bring the redeemed into His eternal kingdom and reward them for their work for His name. His subjects are not strangers to Him, but His property, paid for with great suffering. He doesn't abandon his own!

The civilization of rulers is determined by their attitude towards the weakest.

An instructive example of Christ's sovereignty is seen in His dealings with His disciples. Let us recall the two most striking cases.

During the Last Supper in the Upper Room of Zion, the Lord of Lords girded himself with a towel and began to wash the feet of his slaves. This act violated all subordination: “He came up to Simon Peter, and he said to Him: Lord! Should you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not know now, but you will understand later.” Peter says to Him: You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me (John 13:6-8). History does not know such cases of humble and loving relationship to his subjects. Such is our Lord!

The second incident is told by the evangelist Luke in chapter 24. Two disciples leave Jerusalem on the first day of the week. From the point of view of the demanding Lord, they should have no mercy. They were deserters—they left Jerusalem, leaving behind friends with whom they had spent three years serving together. Their spiritual state did not leave the slightest hope for change for the better. Verse 15 in interlinear translation The New Testament is translated from Greek very expressively: “and while they were talking and arguing.” These two friends had no understanding even among themselves! Verse 17 intensifies the tragedy of their condition: “And he said to them: What are these words with which you exchange with each other as you go? And they stopped gloomy." Deprived of peace and joy and mutual understanding, the students looked gloomy, like a grave crypt.

They did not believe the testimony of the women: “Our women amazed us.” They did not believe the Scriptures and did not know how to think.

However, despite their difficult condition, they still remained the property of the Lord, who returned them to the true path. And with what amazing tenderness He did it! He appeared before them not in the dazzling light of divine majesty, but as a simple traveler. He asked them to tell about their trouble and identified the main root of the problem - their half-belief, due to which there was no place in the heart and mind for the teaching of Scripture about the suffering and death of the Messiah. The Lord's speech melted their hearts and sparked in them the decision to return to their friends. This is the dominion of Christ over the soul - unobtrusive, quiet and effective, evoking a living response in the human soul. What a great happiness to belong to such a Lord!

4. The Resurrection of Christ Shamed the Kingdom of Darkness

“...having taken away the strength of the principalities and powers, He powerfully put them to shame, having triumphed over them in Himself” (Col. 2:15).

Here we're talking about about demons from whom the Lord “took away their power.” This statement of St. Paul may seem strange to us. After all, the evil activity of the forces of darkness on the planet is visible to the naked eye - pride, debauchery, violence, and murder are committed everywhere. If there is no devil, then who does his work? Wasn't it Satan who prevented Paul from visiting the church in Rome? Was it not he who oppressed the great apostle with a thorn in the flesh? Something is not noticeable for the gates of hell to lose their power!

There are four points to keep in mind when considering this issue. First, in relation to Christ, the powers of darkness are disgraced. He defeated them by His resurrection. They are powerless to undo the atoning death of the Son of God. They trembled before Him before His crucifixion and trembled even more after His resurrection.

Secondly, the resurrection of Christ took away the right of demons to intimidate believers with the consequences of sin: “You have sinned, which means you will be punished. The wages of sin is death.” There is nothing more bitter than the consciousness of well-deserved death. John Bunyan, before his conversion, was envious of cats and dogs, which did not face eternal damnation. However, because of Christ's justifying resurrection, even the weakest believer knows that his sins are forgiven and atoned for. He says with David: “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I fear? If evildoers, my opponents and my enemies come upon me to devour my flesh, then they themselves will stumble and fall. If a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, then I will hope” (Ps. 27:1-3).c

Third, demons have lost their power to control the saved. The Sovereign Lord freed them to serve Himself. Demons cannot lay claim to them. Yes, they can harm them, but not own them!

Finally, the resurrection of Christ showed that lies and violence have a short life. The future lies in the truth. The evil triumph of the enemies lasted only three days. And then came their eternal shame. Knowing this, the saints fight evil not doomedly, but believing in victory.

Let the fear of almighty god, and not before the broken, disgraced Satan fills us. Thanks to faith in the Risen One, we can resist him so that he will flee from us (James 4:7).

5. The Resurrection of Christ confirms the inevitability of the Judgment of unrepentant people.

“Therefore, leaving the times of ignorance, God now commands people everywhere to repent, for He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31) .

Before Calvary there was a time of ignorance about the true God, His holy claims and His plan of salvation. But after it, humanity is enlightened by the light of the gospel, and everyone has access to the knowledge that for the sake of faith in Jesus, a sinful person can be justified and even become a child of God. To do this, he must repent. Repentance is not a detailed listing of sins, but a conscious dedication of oneself to the service of Jesus Christ. Without this dedication, it turns into a simple hot air - and nothing more.

If a person rejects the command to repent, he will be brought to justice God's judgment over fallen angels and sinful people. The chief judge will be Jesus Christ. At that trial, the real, and not the fictional history of mankind, will be revealed before our eyes. We will learn everything not only about the words and well-known achievements of politicians and diplomats, religious figures and ordinary people, but let us penetrate into their thoughts and secret affairs. Everything secret will be revealed there!

Sinners who rejected Christ on earth will want to accept Him in eternity - which of them will want to go to the lake of fire forever and ever? However, to their indescribable grief, they will hear from Him terrible words: “I never knew you; Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23). This is how the Savior’s warning will be fulfilled: “...whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Then it will become clear to everyone: Christ does not throw words to the wind. He does exactly what he promised.

How many will be condemned forever? Unfortunately, there will be a lot of these. Christ said: “...wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go in through it” (Matt. 7:13). Don't be one of them, dear listener! Christ is God, able to forgive sins and renew life, He rose not to judge, but to justify, He wants to be the ruler of your life, to defeat Satan the tempter under your feet. Humble yourself before Him and call on Him for help. He promised to save the humble and contrite in spirit!

This week, many were surprised by the news that a quarter of Britons who call themselves Christians do not believe in the resurrection of Christ (BBC data). For those of you planning to celebrate Easter this Sunday, these numbers may come as a shock...

For anyone reading this blog, I offer nine important things to know about the Resurrection.

1. Belief in the Resurrection is a core doctrine of the Christian faith.. If you do not believe in the Resurrection, you do not have a personal relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ.

“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

“And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is in vain: you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17).

2. The resurrection gives hope for eternal life and to everyone who has died in Christ. The Bible teaches that since Jesus is now alive as a result of the resurrection, all who have a personal relationship with Him have the hope of eternal life with Him after death.

“But Christ has risen from the dead, the firstborn of those who have fallen asleep. For just as death is through man, so through man is resurrection of the dead”(1 Cor. 20-22).

Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you also may be” (John 14:2-3).

3. The disciples of Christ, who later became His apostles, at first did not understand the meaning of the resurrection. Jesus spoke to His disciples (His followers during His earthly ministry) about the resurrection, but they did not understand this truth until He was resurrected.

“When they came down from the mountain, He commanded that they should not tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. And they kept this word, asking each other what it meant to be raised from the dead” (Mark 9:9-10).

“Then some of His disciples said to one another, “What is it that He says to us: Soon you will not see Me, and again soon you will see Me, and: I am going to the Father?” (John 16:17).

4. Jewish Religious Leaders Feared the Possibility of the Resurrection. These religious leaders did not accept the teachings of Jesus because it threatened their power and undermined their religious system. They feared the risen Messiah and Savior.

“They went and set a guard at the tomb, and put a seal on the stone” (Matt. 27:62-66).

5. The resurrection of Christ became a source of great joy for the disciples and the foundation of their faith. When Jesus spoke to His disciples about His resurrection, He predicted that their grief over His death would then be replaced by a joy that no one could take away from them. The Apostle John recalled these words in his Gospel in order to call the reader to faith in Jesus.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will mourn and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sorrow will turn into joy... So now you also have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:20-22).

6. The Resurrection of Christ was witnessed by eyewitnesses. Paul lists many who saw the risen Jesus.

“I remind you, brethren, of the gospel which I preached to you, which you received, in which you stood, and by which you are saved, if you keep what was taught, as I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I initially taught you what I myself accepted, that is, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve; then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, and some have died; then he appeared to Jacob, and also to all the Apostles; and last of all he appeared to me, as to a certain monster” (1 Cor. 15:1-8).

7. The Resurrection Demonstrated that Jesus is the Son of God. Paul saw the Resurrection as proof of the divinity and Sonship of Jesus (Rom. 1:3-4).

“...about His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and was revealed to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, through the resurrection from the dead, in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:3-4).

8. The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our salvation. Jesus went to the cross because of our sins because a sacrifice was needed on which God's wrath would be poured out. And the resurrection of Christ became the basis of our justification and salvation.

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“... it will also be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our sins and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:24-25.

9. The Resurrection of Christ gives us the power to live a life that glorifies God.. The power of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead—as indicated by the fact of the Resurrection—is the same power that resides within us, giving us hope for real change in our lives so that we can live a life that glorifies God.

“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11).

“...and how exceedingly great is the greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens...” (Eph. 1:19-23; cf. Eph. 3 :20-21).

“...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10).

Voice of Truth based on Pastor Kevin's blog