Victory has swallowed Death

If I was to ask you if you were saved by Jesus' death on the cross what would you say? Would you say, "Yes, all my sins were taken away when Jesus died on the cross"?

If so, you're wrong. Consider these verses, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile: you are still in your sins" 1Cor 15.17; "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith" 1Cor 15.14.

So much of the church has its focus on the cross, on the dying side of the business. Die to sin, die to self, find forgiveness, repent, carry your cross, suffer......the list goes on. We create a salvation mentality that has the cross as the focus and forgets about the resurrection.

The cross is the central event in all history, make no mistake, but, as Paul says, it's the resurrection that changes everything. When you live out of the resurrection your outlook changes - live to Christ, filled with the Spirit, empowered by God, able to enter sufferings with victory, power to run the race, filled with love, embraced by Jesus.....the list goes on.

Why would Paul take the time to correct the Corinthians on this point? Apparently because some were teaching there was no resurrection. So he gives the lowdown on why you can't consider the Christian faith by stopping at the cross. He tells them to stand firm on the reality of the resurrection.

There are five aspects to Christ's finished work: His death, burial, resurrection, ascension and session. Together they constitue salvation. When we focus on one part and make it the major emphasis our practise begins to look like that part. Too much cross and you're always on about dying and repenting, too much resurrection and you're always on about power and victory. None of these things are bad, they just need to work together. If we are to put an emphasis anywhere it should be living out of the resurrection. As Paul says - "Death has been swallowed up in victory".

Pa