The Apostles’ Creed: God The SonSample

The Work of Jesus’ Resurrection: Romans 6:4-5

Many Christians don’t realize this, but Christ’s resurrection was just as important to our salvation as his death was. This is why 1 Peter 3:21 talks about being saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see, our salvation is not merely something that Christ purchased on our behalf, and then gave to us as a gift, even though we often describe it that way. Rather, it is a gift that Jesus gives to us by means of our union with him — this is the idea of being “in Christ” that we hear so much about in the letters of the New Testament. 

We are forgiven through his death because, through our union with him, we died with him on the cross. And we gain eternal life because we were also raised in new life through his resurrection. Scripture speaks about this in Romans 6:3-11, and 8:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:14 and 13:4, Colossians 2:11–3:3, and many other places. As just one example, Paul wrote these words in Romans 6:4-5:

We were ... buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (Romans 6:4-5).

In short, the work that Christ did by rising from the dead ensured that we too would have new spiritual life when we come to faith, and that in the future we will receive our own resurrected and glorified bodies, just like his. In this sense, his exaltation is also our exaltation, bringing us dignity, glory and honor.

In dying Jesus is placed beyond the power of sin. You cannot tempt a dead man. He’s placed beyond their demonic powers. But sin turns Jesus over to death, his mightiest ally. So he allows Jesus to meet death, and in meeting death, Jesus conquers death. And the implications of that for his people are stupendous. So, in Revelation 1:18, Jesus the risen glorious Christ declares, I am the living one, I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and hell. He used them to free himself, but he still retains them because one day he will use those keys to liberate his people from bondage to death. – Dr. Knox Chamblin