The Resurrection and the Atonement

Tomorrow is Easter. Many will be celebrating the resurrection of Christ. But did you ever stop to think that the resurrection would not have been possible without the atonement. Don't misunderstand me; without the resurrection, "we are of all men most miserable." (1 Cor. 15:12-23) But without Christ's atoning death on the cross, there never would have been a resurrection. Jesus Christ went to the cross to atone for all sin (1 John 2:2). He became a sacrifice for sin and bore our sins for us (Isaiah 53:10; Hebrews 9:28). He was made a curse for us because "cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Gal. 3:13)" And since "the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23), every sin had to be atoned for so that God would be justified in resurrecting Christ. Of course there was never any question about the outcome, because the plan of redemption was foreordained before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:18-20; Hebrews 4:3).

Sadly many professing Christians are celebrating the resurrection without affirming the atonement (some aren't even acknowledging the resurrection). Some may do this out of willing ignorance, but many are simply not hearing their pastors preaching on the atonement. This simply shouldn't be so. But Paul told the Corinthians, "...I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Cor. 2:2)

Lighthouse Trails Research has a good post on this sad subject: "Celebrating the Resurrection, but Denying the Atonement"

This Easter, let us not forget what makes our salvation and our hope of resurrection possible:

1 Cor. 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.