Many times when we consider the benefits and blessings of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, understandably enough, we concentrate on all that it means to the Christian. The following is a brief list of what the Church Epistles say about the blessings of the resurrection to the believer.
A Picture of Christ in the Epistles (Benefits to us)
Righteousness of God by the believing of Jesus Christ
Redemption by way of Jesus Christ
Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Access to grace through Jesus Christ
Saved from wrath through him
Reconciled to God
Saved by his life
Atonement (reconciliation) by way of Jesus Christ
Grace abounded to many
Justification by way of Jesus Christ
Reigning in life because of Jesus Christ
Ability to walk in newness of life
Promise of future resurrection because of Christ’s work
Promise of eternal life
Dead to sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ
Freedom from bondage of sin
Freedom from condemnation
Spirit within by the work of Jesus Christ
Life to our mortal bodies because of the work of Christ (spirit within)
Children of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ
Intercession for us by way of the spirit (Christ)
Intercession for the saints by way of the spirit (Christ)
More than conquerors
Delivered from the wrath to come
Never separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
Sanctified in Christ Jesus
Enriched in word and knowledge by Jesus Christ
Confirmed (established) until the day of Christ’ return by Jesus Christ
Called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ
Christ the power and wisdom of God
We have the mind of Christ
We belong to Christ
Christ was our passover lamb
Washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Our bodies are the members of Christ
Christ, the head of every man
In Christ we shall all be made alive
We shall bear the image of Christ
Victory over death by way of Jesus Christ
Our labor in Christ not in vain
Grace and peace from Jesus Christ
Encouragement abounds to us by Christ.
We always triumph in Christ
We are new creations in Christ
Impetus for purity and integrity in our thinking
Sealed with the holy spirit by the work of Christ – a promise of more to come
Exceeding great power to who believe, a power that God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead
Made alive with Christ
Seated in the heavenlies in Christ
Exceeding riches of his grace to be shown to us in Christ
God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works
Made near to God by the blood (accomplishments) of Christ
We are one new man in Christ
Reconciled to God by the cross (accomplishments) of Christ
Peace by Christ
Glorified with him
Access to God by way of Jesus Christ
Fellow citizens with the saints in the household of God by Christ
Bold and confident access to God by Christ Jesus
We are an habitation of God in Christ Jesus (by way of the spirit)
(Followed by hundreds of like statements)
It is very instructive to understand not only what the resurrection means to us but also what it meant to Jesus Christ. When he was raised from the dead by the power of God, he was given a position of the highest authority – that is, higher than anyone but God. As such, because of the resurrection and his being raised to a name that is above all others, the Scriptures also provide details to various attributes of his exalted position. The following is a brief list of what the resurrection meant for Jesus Christ.
A Picture of Christ in the Epistles (Statements about his authority)
Lord of both the dead and the living
The power and wisdom of God
The foundation for all that we are and will be
The head of every man
A life-giving spirit
The reflector of the glory of God
Able to give information by revelation
All things in heaven and on earth to be gathered together under Christ
All power wrought in Christ when God raised him from the dead
Christ above all
The cornerstone of the house, elect and precious
God’s eternal purpose hidden in Christ Jesus
He who fills all
Gives ministries to the church
Christ the head of the church
Nourishes and cherishes the body of Christ
The one who gives the reward for our service
Our master
The name highly exalted above every name
He to whose name every knee must bow
The image of the invisible God
The head of the authority structure involving thrones, dominions, principalities and powers created in Christ Jesus
Preeminence in all things
Responsible for the gathering together of the church
The mystery of God
In whom dwells all the fulness of God
The head of all principality and power
Responsible to direct the body of Christ
The mediator between God and men
The righteous judge of the living and the dead at his appearing
The brightness of God’s glory
Seated at the right hand of God
Made better than the angels
The one who leads man to salvation
The one who destroyed him who had the power of death – the devil
A merciful and faithful high priest who has passed through the heavens
A priest after the order of Melchizedek
A high priest forever at God’s right hand
The one who is able to succour those who are tempted
The apostle and high priest of our confession
He who is worthy of more glory than Moses
In charge of God’s house (who we are)
Author (or basis) for eternal salvation
The guarantor of a better covenant
The one who ever lives to make intercession
A minister of the sanctuary (holy places) and the true tabernacle
The mediator of the new testament
The better sacrifice that purified the heavens
That great shepherd of the sheep
Shepherd and Bishop (overseer) of our souls
The judge of the quick and the dead
The executor of God’s wrath