The resurrection of Jesus, who was our representative, is the sure seal upon God’s offer of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. In Romans 4:18–22, Paul explains how Abraham’s faith in God’s promise was “credited to him as righteousness.” Then he continues with an application to us also as believers today:
“The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:23–25, NIV)
The word justification is a technical theological word. Perhaps the best explanation of what it means to be justified is this: Justified means “just-as-if-I’d never sinned,” because Christ’s sinless righteousness is imputed or credited to us through our faith.
In Romans 4:25 Paul tells us that Christ “was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised because of our justification.” This is evidence that the sinner’s justification is dependent upon Christ being raised again from the dead. Had Christ remained upon the Cross or in the tomb, God’s promise to the sinner of salvation and eternal life could never have been fulfilled.
The absolute, logical necessity of Christ’s resurrection as a basis of God’s offer of salvation is stated again by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17:
“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty [or vain] and your faith is also empty [or vain]... And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; and you are still in your sins.”
I feel so sorry for Christians whose hope expectation - for healing or miracles - is only for this life. They are of all people the most to be pitied. If there is no resurrection, then we are miserable. We have no hope. The grave is our goal, and the grave is our end. But thank God there is a resurrection!
