Veroni's Views

Before I address the above question I want to state categorically that I truly believe what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15.3 and 4:

^“3 … that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas,^[  and then to the Twelve.⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.”

Apart from the witness of the Bible as well as other documents, I believe the following facts confirm the truth that He rose from the dead.

1.         The Church that came into existence as a result of his resurrection continues to grow after two thousand years, in spite of tremendous and sometimes even violent resistance.  In fact, the more hostile the environment, the more vigorously it grows.

2.         The Book that was written about Him, is still a bestseller, in spite of countless attempts to destroy it.  The Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book and is bought by more people than any other book. 

3.         Millions of people all over the world declare that He is alive.  They do not base this on “evidence” that can be questioned or challenged, but on personal experience of his life in them.  “I know He is alive, because I spoke to Him this morning”, is what many people say.

4.         Even those who reject Him cannot forget Him.  Every time they use his name in profanity, they are confessing that he is a reality, albeit one they do not like, or whose existence they try to deny.  Why don’t they say “Barak Obama!”, or “Jacob Zuma!” or “Donald Trump!”?  I think it is because Jesus Christ is the greater reality.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is foundational to the Christian faith.  But what does the 

resurrection mean for you and me?

It is the basis of our own regeneration.

Peter writes:

^“3 … In his great mercy (God) has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1.3-5)

Resurrection proved that the power of God can work in the body of a human being to bring

new life.  Paul states with confidence:

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”  (Romans 8:11, NLT)

The Holy Spirit is not just waiting to impart divine life on the day we are resurrected from the dead.  He is living in believers today and is already imparting God’s power to those who accept it. 

What can I do to ensure his power works in me?

Leviticus 9 tells how the people of Israel received a full revelation of God’s glory.

Moses tells the people to follow God’s commands, “so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” (Leviticus 9.6)

Sure enough:  When they had done what God commanded, “the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.” (verse 23).  “And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.” (verse 24)

The commands of God in Leviticus 9 were all about the sacrifices God required for the people to experience his glory.  Thank God, Jesus is our perfect sacrifice through whom we have redemption from our sins and the privilege to experience his resurrection power.  The first step is to accept Him as our Lord and Saviour.  

As children of God we should seek the Lord with all our heart.  He will surely reveal Himself to us in this life, and one day in all his glory.

I will write on the practicalities of this in a future blog.