Sunday, May 18, 2014

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ The Fruits Of The Resurrection

The Fruits Of The Resurrection 

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

The fruits of our Lord’s resurrection from the dead are many and important.

First, there were immediate results. It silenced those who had ridiculed His claims, and struck terror into their hearts. It explained how the prophecies would be fulfilled which predicted the death of Christ and the kingdom glory to follow. It heartened His followers, making cowards bold, turning their fear into faith, their sorrow into joy and their despair into glorious victory.
Then there were also long range results, for our Lord’s resurrection is a warning to unbelievers:
“Because [God] hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31. See also John 5:22,27; Acts 10:42).
As to believers, first, Christ’s resurrection from the dead assures us that our debt of sin has been fully paid:
“[HE] WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES, AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION. THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Rom. 4:25; 5:1).
Second, His resurrection gives us a living Savior to help us in our daily walk.
“WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME UNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM” (Heb. 7:25).
Third, His resurrection is the pledge of our own:
“FOR IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, EVEN SO THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING [FROM THE DEAD] WITH HIM” (I Thes. 4,14; cf. Heb. 13:20). 
“BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO, ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY, HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVING HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD” (I Pet. 1:3).

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

5 comments:

  1. Good reminder post this morning my friend. Happy Day!

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  2. Thanks, I enjoyed this. One of my brothers and I were talking the other day, and I was lamenting about the sad decline of the culture. He reminded me that the best coping strategy is that we already know the ending.

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  3. The atonement of Christ and His resurrection makes all things possible. It is such a wonderful blessing to know this! Thanks for this post. Happy Sunday!

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  4. Very good reminder. Thank you..Blessings

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  5. I never get tired of hearing of the resurrection.

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