Resurrection
Resurrection is a New Life
April 14, 2007
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Pet 1:3)
The Lord by His resurrection has revealed the possibility of our new life, which is the glorified life according to St Paul in Philippians 3:21, transforming “our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body”, assuring us victory since we are united with him. Through His resurrection, we are now victors over all our enemies, which have been disturbing and weakening us, and even death itself so that we can shout with St Paul, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”(1 Cor 15:55) We should praise the Lord and say “thanks to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14)
In 2Cor 5:17-18, St Paul confirms that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation and should have a new victorious life that is in harmony with the life that Jesus Himself exemplified for us in the four Gospels, a life rooted in love, purity and holiness. This change happens gradually in our walk with the Lord, depending on our response to His gracious work in our lives.
You may ask “How can we obtain this new life which is pleasing to God and which is according to His purpose and will? What is our part?”
First: Let us forget what is past, because “old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”(2Cor 5:17). The past is the life which was imprisoned by the self, which was making us live for ourselves and which is full of sadness, fear, worries (Col 3:9-10). It is certain that this life is alienated from Christ as it is a life without any peace, any joy, any purpose or meaning.
Second: Let us be steadfast in Christ, focus on Him, grow in every area of our lives into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13).
But what is the shape of this resurrected life?
Is it just some beautiful ideas or gentle behavior in which we try to imitate Christ? Is it an outer change or an emotional feeling? Surely it is not like that!
It is rather a life which is steadfast in the Lord and which receives continuously the power of His resurrection to shape in us the new man which was created according to God for righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24). It is a change in mind and heart towards the image of Christ, growing from glory to glory to become more like Christ. It is a life renewed day after day in the spirit of a new mind (Eph 4:23). This resurrected life will seek always and only those things which are in heaven above (Col 3:1-2); thus all its desires, ambitions and behavior will be heavenly.
It is a life immersed in Jesus’ Love and in continuous fellowship with Him; “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom 8:35,37). And because it is a life inspired by great love for our Lord, it cannot remain silent, but must witness and proclaim His Good news to everyone. Thus, life finds its meaning in reaching others, and helping them to get the same resurrected life which we enjoy. “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt 10:8)
Let us pray to the resurrected King to establish in us and in all nations the power of His resurrection and the Glory of His person.
