Victorious
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? … But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
On Resurrection Sunday crowds gather in churches to celebrate the victory of Jesus over death. While it is true that Jesus came to save that which was lost, the ‘biblical contract’ establishes conditions that we often take lightly. In order to make this victory ours:
1. We have to believe in Jesus
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
We must believe that with his sacrifice Jesus paid the debt of sin that kept us away from God. Now, believing is not only about accepting that this is true for us, but also living in constant recognition of it. Believing also implies accepting that all his teachings about how to live life are applicable to us.
2. We must confess that Jesus is our Lord
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. – Romans 10:9-10
The translation of ‘Lord’ means one who has the right of ownership and absolute authority. Therefore, to receive Jesus as Lord means submitting to His authority, not only in the spiritual realm but also in every area of our lives. In other words, if Jesus is our Lord we should not do anything with which he disagrees. Once we understand and put into practice this truth, then we will be able to confess that Jesus is our Lord.
Having Jesus as Lord doesn’t mean that we will never fail, however it is required from us to recognize our faults before Him. The good news is that Jesus understands our weakness and he is willing to forgive us if we come to Him with a sincere heart.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
The victory that we celebrate on this day is for you and me. As believers we have the victory secured in Jesus our Lord.
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