THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
At this season of the year, we read and hear abundant references to the resurrection of Christ. The great institution in most churches to call it to remembrance is the celebration of "Easter." It is not claimed generally that the custom either in law or practice is Biblical. In the musty tomes of the early "fathers" it connects both with the Passover of the Jews and the heathen festival to Ostera, or Easter, the Saxon goddess of spring; from the latter of which it derives its name, and the custom of celebrating with flowers, eggs, etc. In the Eastern Church it was celebrated on a certain day of the year without reference to the day of the week, but in the Western or Roman Catholic Church the celebration soon became fixed to "the venerable day of the sun." Memorials are supposed to have some likeness or similarity in their celebration to the work or event they are designed to memorialize; but what likeness there is between the annual celebration of one day and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is difficult indeed for a Bible student to perceive. What the Resurrection Means.
The word "resurrection" commonly means a rising again from the dead. He who thus rises has power over death; he is stronger than death. It is said of our Lord: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." Acts 2:24. Death could not lock nor bar the sepulcher of Jesus Christ. Why? The inquiry is both interesting and vital. Death comes in consequence of sin. "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:15. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. 18:4. This is the testimony of Scripture. Of Jesus it is said, "For in that he died, he died unto sin once." Rom. 6:10. "For he [the Father] hath made him [the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:21. Jesus Christ, then, "died for our sins according to the Scriptures." God counted him a sinner in our stead, and he died for us.2 But he "did no sin," he "knew no sin." He was righteous with the righteousness of God; and having righteousness, he had life; for righteousness is life. "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death." Prov. 12:28. Righteousness and life is the Bible law of endless existence. Life comes through Christ because righteousness comes through him; for they that "receive" "the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." "By the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." And the apostle beseeches us that in us "might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 5:17, 18, 21. "The Spirit is life [to the believer] because of righteousness." Rom. 8:10. It is everywhere the same vital truth, righteousness is life. Jesus Christ "gave himself for us," for our sins, for our righteousness. But as in himself was no sin, death could not hold him; for death has no claim upon the righteous. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means, therefore, the power of a godly life, the power of righteousness, over sin and the grave. Had there been one sin upon his character, had he in any way been identified with iniquity in his own desire and purpose, he would still be locked in the prison-house of death, never to be released. But, praise God, he was righteous, and righteousness will ever prove triumphant. Right is might. This is the meaning of his resurrection. He arose a victor; he demonstrated the power of godliness, righteousness, obedience over sin, not for a day in a year or a day in a week, but forevermore. He did it for us, as we have learned, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," "even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference." Rom. 3:22. While Jesus "was delivered [unto death] for our offenses," he "was raised again for our justification." Rom. 4:25. By faith we accept his death, die with him, and the same faith lays hold of his life, the resurrection life, the life of righteousness, the life of humble obedience to the will of God. The Memorial of His Resurrection.
The symbol, the memorial of the death and resurrection of Christ, has been called Christian baptism. But the mere ordinance alone does not meet this. Baptism means more than a form of words and immersion in water. It means this, but unless it means more it is empty, and will prove a snare to him who trusts in it. Christian baptism is the beginning of a new life, the divine marriage ceremony which unites before the world the believer to Jesus Christ; it is the outward profession that the believer is henceforth to be one with Jesus even as wife and husband are one. "The twain shall be one." These profoundly important truths are set forth in the following scriptures:— "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death [for sin, Rom. 6:10]? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory [goodness, righteousness, character] of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. 6:3-6. "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Rom. 7:7. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3:26, 27. "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation [working] of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Col. 2:12. Baptism, then, is the marriage ceremony by which we publicly put on Christ, take his name, and are made one with him, in death to sin, in life to righteousness. We accept by faith his death for us; he died unto sin. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin." Rom. 6:11. The dead have no desire, no purpose, to sin. We accept by faith his life for us, his life which "knew no sin," which in its righteousness had power over sin and death; and "He liveth unto God." Rom. 6:10. "Likewise reckon ye yourselves . . . alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." What then is the sign to the world that Jesus has risen again? It is not the celebration of the vernal festival of a heathen goddess. It is not the observation of one day in the week, because he rose on a moment of that day. It is not a form of baptism. It is a new life in Jesus Christ unto God, beginning at baptism, bringing forth fruit unto God, walking in newness of life, separate from the world, one with Christ, living his life over again in us. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Gal. 2:20. This is the meaning to the world of the resurrection of Christ. It means, or should mean, Christians walking "above the world and sin," "that they might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Isa. 61:3. If this is not the lesson the church of Jesus Christ is teaching to the world, if this is not the witness she is bearing of her risen Lord,—power over sin,—her mission is vain. Her elaborate rituals, her ornate trappings, her multitude of songs by paid and godless choirs, her aping of heathenism, her appeals to the sensuous, are all the veriest mockery. O, that the professed people of God would turn to him! O, that they would, by the power of God in righteous lives, every day of the year, every day of the week, and every hour and moment of the day, proclaim, "The Lord is risen indeed!" So Jesus came to bear witness unto God, to declare or reveal the Father. John 5:36; 1:18. And he says: "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." John 17:18, 19. Reader, Christian friend, the question comes home to you as an individual, Is the power of Christ's life in you? Are you a witness to the resurrection of Jesus?