Not a Martyr
The church has put a lot of effort into teaching about how Christ died on our behalf. This is an integral part of God’s redemptive plan for his people, so we should! However, one of the ways to error is to overemphasis one truth to the neglect of others.
To that end, out of the church have gone those who profess to be Christian and agree that Christ died on the cross to put sin to death. However, they reject that he took up his life again. They argue he was a godly man, who came into this world to expose the leadership of his time and ultimately served as a martyr to inspire others to fight the corruption that killed him.
The apostles warned that those who reject his real, bodily resurrection are still slaves to their sin and have a “Christ” who saves nobody.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:17
Salvation Is More Than Justification
However, even those who have saving faith, those who believe that Christ not only laid down his life but also took it back up on the third day, still can fall into the trap of thinking only about what he accomplished with his death. When he took all our sins upon himself and died on our behalf, he suffered the penalty that we deserved. He died for our sins in our place.
It doesn’t end there though. His resurrection wasn’t something that only means he lives again. It also means we have a new life as well.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Not only have we been saved from death but we have been given new life. It’s not just a comfort for funeral sermons. It is the future for which every believer should live their life in preparation for!
Plan for Eternity
How much effort do we put into preparing for the future? We plan our savings to be prepared for the monthly bills. We plan our careers around “where we see ourselves in 10 years”. We plan for vacations, moves, and upcoming events. Yet all of these things are uncertain.
We may not have 10 years left in this fallen world. We may lose jobs, have emergency costs, experience cancelations. All of our best laid plans can come to nothing in an instant.
Yet, as believers, our resurrection is certain. We will live and reign with Christ for eternity. How many of our decisions today are made to prepare us for that reality?
Our brothers and sisters in Christ today will be our neighbors forever. Are we acting like good neighbors? The light of the glory of God will be our sun. Are we excited for that kind of purity, knowing that God had to partially conceal it when dealing with Moses because he could not withstand it? Every moment of our existence will be for the glory and honor of Christ. How well do you know him and his will?
Be like Paul who, knowing the certainty of his resurrection, lived for those things which are certain and permanent even in the face of possible execution rather than the fleeting pleasures of this life.
I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:31-34
