The Christadelphian, December 1898, C. C. Walker

“Raised For Our Justification”

“What has the resurrection of Christ to do with our justification?” Paul says, “He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” How are we justified by his rising?—N. I.

Answer.—You will see if you look round and realise the whole position. It was a risen Christ that was to be the exerciser of God’s power in the salvation of sinful men. Who would there have been to raise us from the dead, and give us eternal life, if Christ, who died for our sins, had not risen? Nay, how, in the absence of such a mediator between God and man, could we have approached God and received the forgiveness of our sins, and the adoption of children? In the way of Himself, as God has revealed it, His holiness could not have permitted the recognition of sinners whose righteousness is as filthy rags; and His justice could not have revoked the power of death passed upon them. Consequently, if Christ, who was to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:24), and as Lord both of the dead and the living, to change our vile bodies by the power entrusted to him by the Father, had not risen, we must have remained unjustified and perished. His being delivered for our offences was only the first part of the work. If his resurrection had not followed, his “deliverance for our offences” would have been a nullity, like the sowing of a seed which perishes in the ground instead of germinating. His rising justifies (or makes right) by giving us a mediator possessing the power to raise from the dead all who came unto God by him (Heb. 7:25; 2 Cor. 4:14; Phil. 3:20).