MONDAY, MARCH 12
Luke 18:31-34
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“…if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again… them…
which sleep in Jesus will God bring…”

DEATH UNTO RESURRECTION

Jesus showed how it was only through His perfect active obedience in the keeping of the law and His passive obedience by dying on the cross that life eternal was earned for mankind. He alone fulfilled all the demands of the law. Therefore He as the unblemished Lamb of God is the only qualified sacrifice. Only those who have repented of their sins and have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are declared not guilty of their sins and therefore are reconciled back to a proper relationship with God.

Jesus’ submission to His Father’s will made the atonement possible for the sins of mankind. Read Romans 5:19. He submitted Himself to men’s ridicule and abuse; He was bruised, spat upon, pierced and suffered on the cross for six hours before He died. Jesus suffered for us that we may not be sent to eternal suffering. It is not by what we have done but by what Jesus did that secures us an eternal inheritance. This message has to be preached repeatedly. Being born depraved, man will neglect it and even Christians tend to forget it.

The most valuable inheritance a Christian can receive is resurrection unto eternal life with Christ. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thess 4:13-14). At the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christians whether alive or dead will receive glorified bodies like the resurrected body of Jesus (1 Cor 15:51- 55). This inheritance is received by believers as they go into His presence. Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor 15:19). Our faith must be anchored on the resurrected Christ and on believing from our hearts that He who was raised from the dead shall raise us up also.

THOUGHT: Am I assured of a glorified body?
PRAYER: Father, teach me to understand the believer’s eternal security.