Life And Death

There are many people that believe in Jesus, believe that He was actually someone who walked on this earth, but they do not believe that He is alive today. They do not believe that He rose from the dead. To these people I would like to say this; if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then there is no point in believe in Jesus at all.

"For if the dead are nor raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." -1 Corinthians 15:16-17

Our prayers, our testimonies, our faith...everything we supposedly have "faith" in is in vain if God had truly not risen. "Believing in Jesus" means nothing if you do not believe everything God has said. "Even the demons believe in God, and tremble!"

Without God's ability to conquer death and His grave, we cannot, either. If we do not believe the dead can be raised, then we, also, cannot be raised. There will be no heaven. No hope. People can say they "believe" there is a God, even pray to one, but unless they know who He truly is (and not just the "man upstairs") then they have no hope at all.

If there are times when Satan tries to make me doubt God's word or begin doubting that I can truly have hope of life after death, I always think of my two friends who have passed on. Kara and Jimmy. They were probably the most passionately joyful people I've ever known. Their lives, the glow in their smile, the joy radiating from their life was all proof of God and the hope He has given us by keeping His promise to rise. You see, humans cannot be joyful through and through by themselves. The only way to have such pure happiness is to have it through Christ Jesus. That joy they had is so bright, it will touch countless lives even if someone simply sees a picture of them.
You cannot explain that joy away as anything but Christ.

Because our joy in not in vain, we must spread it around. We cannot hold it bottled up inside otherwise it will explode! Even if someone asks why you're always so happy, you can just say "Because Christ has risen!" there's nothing else that even NEEDS to be said! We are not dead in our sins, because God is NOT dead, He is alive!

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." -Romans 5:20-21

If Christ died for all of the peoples sins in the past or even today, then was not raised, what would happen to us when we sinned tomorrow? Or next week? Because He rose, we now have the opportunity to go to God and confess our sins daily and repent. The curtain in the temple was torn in two so that we can have free passage to go to God anytime we wish.

Christ was the perfect sacrifice, the only offering that could be a payment for the wicked sins of mankind. But when you tell people of His great sacrifice, be sure to not leave Him in the grave! He didn't just die for us, He lives for us, as well. That is something to be joyful about.

"Each of us has purity, not because we are pure, but because God us pure. Each of us has power, not because WE have power, but because God is powerFUL." -Bro. Doug

Live joyfully...live freely because it cost HIM His life to set US free.