Dear COA family,
One of the greatest blessings of the Easter season is the daily reminder of the resurrection of Christ and its impact on our lives. He is risen from the dead and has conquered sin and death! Because of this, we too share in this hope, as we are united with our Lord in both His death and His life.
Yet this is a truth we often overlook.
I am reminded of this when I hear worship leaders—and many of us—frequently praise God for Jesus’ death on the cross. Indeed, He paid the penalty for our sins so that we may receive full forgiveness before the Father. This is truly a great blessing.
But it is not the whole picture.
Jesus also rose from the dead so that we might have new life. We are not only freed from the guilt of sin, but also from its power. Through His resurrection, we are enabled to live in freedom and to serve the living God.
This truth is so important that the apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (v.17). The Easter season reminds us to give thanks not only for the sacrificial death of Christ, but also—and more crucially—for His resurrection.
There is another truth we must not neglect. Scripture teaches that every person will experience a resurrection in the future, whether believer or not. This means that all will be raised and given a body for eternity when Christ returns. This doctrine is not often emphasised today, yet it carries profound and eternal significance.
Jesus declares, “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29)
In other words, there will be a distinction in resurrection destiny between those who follow Christ and those who reject Him. One will be raised to eternal life in a renewed body, while the other will be raised to face eternal judgment. This is a sobering truth, and one of great consequence because of its eternal scope.
May we therefore live in the joy and praise of God for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in this season. And may we persevere in our faith until we attain to the resurrection of the righteous.
God bless,
Revd Ian