WHY Christ Died-and Rose Again!
IT
IS revealed that Jesus was "Emmanuel" — that is, "God with us" — GOD in
human flesh. He was both God and man — divine as well as human. Can God
die? Was Jesus really dead, or did only His body die? Was Jesus the
divine One alive during the three days and three nights a body was in
the tomb? What, then, is the NEED of the resurrection? Here is a brief,
pointed answer.
This is a question that has perplexed
millions. It is an enigma that has
never been made clear and plain to many minds.
Yet the
Scriptures give us a clear revelation, in plain, simple words — if we
can believe the Scriptures — which is to believe they mean exactly what
they say.
We read, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3).
Christ
means "Anointed" or "Messiah," and while the name Jesus may be used to
denote the human man, the title Christ certainly refers to the divine
One — the One who was God with us. This Scripture says He died and was
buried. And it was He — the Christ — the divine One — who rose from the
dead. He did not rise from life or a living state, but from death!
"For
to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might
be Lord both of the dead and living" (Rom. 14:9, Authorized
Version). There is the answer. Through His death and resurrection
Christ became Lord of the dead as well as the living. He paid the
penalty for our past sins. He made possible the way so that both the
dead and those now living might have life eternal — not mere temporary
existence, but life everlasting.
When Christ rose, He was
revived. When a boxer is knocked unconscious, the attendants work over
him to revive him. The expression that Christ was "revived" indicates
Christ had been unconscious — that He was dead — not that He rose from
a state of conscious mental activity.
"For when we were still
without strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly. . . . while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us" (Rom. 5:6, 8).
God in the flesh
Notice again: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
The
Greek word is Logos. It means "Word" or "Spokesman." This is referring
to the One who coexisted with the Father from eternity — who always
existed — who is one with the Father, yet, as He Himself said, His
Father is greater than He.
Always He referred to Himself as One
sent by the Father. He said that the words He spoke were not spoken of
Himself, but the Father who sent Him gave Him a commandment what He
should say and speak. The one who gives the orders and sends another is
in a position superior to the one sent, and who obeys the orders. A
husband is set by God in a position superior, in the family
relationship, to that of the wife. Yet they are both human — both on
the same level — and | they are one. Not one God, but one flesh.
In God's Church, or local congregation, an elder is in
authority a during a service that all things may be done decently and
in order, and he has the rule over the congregation. Yet Christ prayed
that the Church would be kept as one, even as He and the Father are
one. The Church is composed of many members, yet one body. And its
members, more than one, are to be kept one in the sense of harmony and
unity in love and purpose, as Christ and the Father arc one — and they
form one church, even as the Father and Christ form one God — yet more
than one member, or one person.
Christ the everliving
In the Old Testament the Logos is called by different names. God calls people and beings what they are.
There
was an archangel, perfect in beauty, full of knowledge. He was named
what he actually was — Lucifer, which in English means "shining star of
the dawn" or "light bringer." But when, through pride, he decided to
compete against God for supremacy of the universe, and to take
possession and rule from God, his name was changed to what he now was —
Satan, which in English means "adversary, rival or competitor."
Therefore
the names of Christ have always been — whether names or titles — words
that describe what He is. Most frequently He was called Yahweh,
erroneously translated in the American Standard Version "Jehovah." In
the Authorized Version it is rendered "Lord."
Today we do not
know either the correct spelling or pronunciation of this name — it was
regarded as so sacred it was never pronounced in ancient Judah, any
more than a son who properly honors his father would call him by his
first name. Yet we know its meaning — it means "the Eternal" or the One
in whom is inherent life. It signifies One who possesses life inherent
from eternity to eternity — life-source! He also was called
Yahveh-rophehcha — "God your healer." He gave His name to Moses as "I
AM." That is, the One who is — who exists — who has life inherent in
Himself!
He also is the Word, or Spokesman. God is Creator — but the Father created all things by and through Christ the Word.
He
(Christ) is the One who "spake, and it was done." He is the One who
said, "Let there be light" — and the Holy Spirit (the spiritual essence
or power that emanates from both Father and Son) moving upon the face
of the water performed the command, and "there was light."
Yet
Jesus spoke, or commanded, only what the Father had commanded Him.
Father, Word and Holy Spirit combined in perfect harmony in creation!
Now, the Logos — the Word — was God. "The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him ... In him was life
. . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:2-4, 14,
AV).
Christ was CONVERTED into flesh
Notice,
the "Word," who was the Eternal — the Everliving — in whom was life —
eternal life — by whom all things were made and created — the very God
Himself — He was made flesh.
Notice, He did not merely enter
into some mortal, fleshly body — the body of another. He was not
separate from the flesh, as One inside the flesh. It says in plain
language — if we believe the Scripture — IF we believe it means what it
says — it says He was made flesh!
That is, He who had existed
from eternity — He by whom God created the worlds and all things
therein, He who was and is life, He who was God — He was made flesh —
converted into flesh, until He became flesh, and then He was flesh!
And,
being flesh — being human — He divested Himself of inherent immortality
for the time being that He might die for us — pay the penalty of our
sins in our stead.
But, though human, He did have, from birth,
what we may receive as God's gift by grace — the indwelling of
God's Spirit — that He, even as we, might be resurrected from the
dead, and given by the Father immortal life — that is,
converted back into spiritual immortality so that He by the
resurrection once again became divine spirit — or very God! Thus He
made the same resurrection possible for us — that we may also become
divine sons of God.
Yes, Jesus was a fleshly man.
The
Garden Tomb, where the body of Jesus Christ was laid — and the site of
Christ's resurrection. Photos show exterior and interior views of the
tomb.
He was God come in human flesh. And, when converted into human
flesh, the life that kept Him alive resided in the blood, as in all who
are flesh (Lev. 17:11). The breath oxidizes the blood and is called the
"breath of life" — of animal, or human, life.
Jesus was also God
— He was both human and divine. But He was not God inside of, yet
separate from, the body of flesh — He, God, was made flesh, until He,
still God — God with us — became God in (not inside of) the human flesh
— God manifest in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16) — "Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same" (Heb. 2:14, AV).
That is, as we humans
are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus Christ, also, in exactly the
same manner, was partaker of flesh and blood.
And why? That He
might die! — "that through death he might destroy [annul] him that had
the power of death, that is, the devil.. . For verily he took not on
him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. . . .
made like unto his brethren" (verses 14, 16-17, AV).
Jesus came
not in the nature of angels — that is, spirit nature. He was a human
being. He was made flesh — made human — He took on, at birth, human
nature. He was tempted in all points like we are. He suffered as we do.
He was forced to resist the pull of human nature, even as you and I.
He, God, became man — man so that He could die for us, that our sins
might be erased and forgiven!
It was CHRIST who died
Jesus died! Jesus was dead!
And for three days and three nights the second person of the Godhead — Emmanuel — God with us — God made human flesh — was dead!
And
dead matter cannot impart life. Life can come only from life. As a
human, Jesus was the Son of God the Father. God was His only Father.
Mary was His mother. He became the son of man at His human birth. And
now He was dead — yes, dead! If He was not dead, then the penalty of
your sins is not yet paid. You are yet in your sins. You are without
hope! But Jesus was dead!
If there were no other person in the
Godhead, then the giver of all life was dead and all hope was at an
end! If there were no Father in heaven while Jesus Christ lay dead —
His blood, in which resided His life, shed from His veins, given for
you and for me — then all human life everywhere had come to its doom.
But the Father still reigned in high heaven! And the Father had life inherent in Himself!
Life
can only come from life! And Christ Jesus was now dead! His life had
gone from Him — poured out on Calvary's cross — poured out from His
veins! That's where His life resided — in His blood, not in
spirit! He did not shed a spirit to save us from our sins; He shed His
blood, and in so doing gave His life.
But, "as the Father has
life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself"
(John 5:26). God the Father raised Jesus from the dead!
Not resurrected in same body
Now
notice carefully: God the Father did not cause Jesus Christ to get back
into the body that had died. Some seem to believe that it was only the
body that died — that Jesus Christ never died — that Christ was alive,
and preached to "spirits in prison" during the three days and nights
His body was dead. What they believe is that a body Christ lived in
died, but Christ Himself never died. Christ was God and, they argue,
God could not die!
They do not realize that Christ had given up
His immortal life inherent in divine glory and been converted into
human mortality for the purpose of death.
If they are right, they
are lost and doomed to eternal punishment! If Christ did not die for
their sins — if it was only a mortal body that died — then we have no
Savior, and are lost.
What happened is that the Logos — the Word
— the Eternal — was made flesh. He was converted into, changed into,
flesh. Now He was flesh and blood, exactly as you and I.
His
life was in His blood, and He gave His life by the fact His blood
poured out while He was on the cross! He had taken on a human nature.
He was God — but now God changed into flesh and blood — God with us —
Emmanuel!
Yes, the Word was made flesh, and He was flesh and blood, not just an immortal spirit in a body of flesh and blood.
We
may argue that God is immortal and could not die. But the Scriptures
reveal that God so loved us that while we were yet sinners, the
Eternal, the Logos, who was with God and who was God in the second
person, permitted Himself voluntarily to be changed into a
flesh-and-blood man, until He became a human who could and did die. But
God the Father — God in the first person — still reigned in high
heaven, and He raised Jesus from the dead, not from life.
It was
Christ Himself who was dead. He was revived. Nowhere does the Scripture
say He was alive and active, or that God had Him get back into the
human body that had died and was now resurrected.
Jesus Christ
was dead. He was as much "out" as a boxer knocked senseless — much
more, for the boxer usually is not dead but only unconscious. Jesus was
dead — but was revived!
And the resurrected body was no longer
human — it was the Christ resurrected immortal, once again changed! As
He had been changed, converted into mortal, human flesh and blood,
subject to death, and for the purpose Of DYING FOR OUR SINS; now by a
RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, HE WAS AGAIN CHANGED,
CONVERTED, INTO IMMORTALITY — and He is
alive forevermore! Now a living Savior, not a dead Savior. He was dead
— but only for three days and three nights.
Now, how about YOU?
Do
you realize what a tremendous price was paid that you might be released
from the death penalty of your sins? The very Eternal — the Spokesman
of the Godhead, and very God Himself — permitted Himself to
be changed into a mortal human — stepped down, descended to the human
plane, suffered, was tempted, persecuted, despised, rejected of men,
crucified!
If Jesus had been only human, His death could have
paid the penalty for but one other human being who had incurred that
penalty by transgression of God's spiritual law (Rom. 6:23). Since God
the Father created all things by Jesus Christ (Col. 1:16), and since
all things, including man, were made by Jesus Christ, He is our Maker
and therefore God, and His life that He gave was of greater value than
the total of all human beings (John 1:1-3).
He died and for
three days and nights was dead! He who was in the beginning, and was
God! He stooped to human level, submitted to death — trusted the Father
to restore Him to life! That is the price paid for you and for me. He
gave Himself for you — and in so doing bought and paid for you! And
therefore you belong to Him! Will you give yourself to Him?
That
is the only way of salvation — the only way this greatest price ever
paid in the universe from eternity can save you, great as it was.
You
must give yourself up! Give yourself to Him! Give Him your life —
yourself. Let Him come into your mind and heart, through His Spirit,
and live His
LIFE IN YOU!
It means full, complete, utter,
unconditional surrender. You are no longer your own, you are His. Give
your life to Him, and see what great usefulness and accomplishment He
will put it to! See what great joys will be yours as a result of the
great good He can and will do through you — if you arc His, wholly in
His power, wholly subjected to His will! Yes, Jesus Christ died and was
dead! But God the Father raised Him from the dead. He lives forevermore!
You
are already dead in trespasses and sins unless, or until, you repent of
sins, surrender to God, give yourself to the living Savior who died for
you, but was raised to become your High Priest and coming King! We have
to die in order to live. Give yourself to Christ, and He will give you
eternal life!
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life;
he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (I John
5:11-12)!
By Herbert W. Armstrong The GOOD NEWS March 1983
