Believer, You Need the Gospel: Understanding the Foundations of Your Faith, Part 4
- Joe Venturo
- Jan 30
- 13 min read
Part 4: The Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ
Introduction
At the heart of many false notions about Christian living is an incomplete understanding of the transformation that takes place when a person repents and believes in Jesus as his Savior from the wrath of God against sin. Repeatedly in his letters, Paul combated two opposite attitudes from false teachers about Christian behavior. Some argued that strict adherence to the Mosaic Law was necessary for salvation (an example is the book of Galatians), while others retorted that the grace of God entailed license to sin (see the discussion in Romans 6 for an example).
I think the latter error is more prevalent in today’s society. People think that they can live however they want after becoming a Christian, because they are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:15). But when we truly understand the Bible’s teaching on the symbolism of Jesus’ burial and Resurrection, we will realize what has occurred to us inwardly as a result of our decision to follow Christ and as a result of God’s gracious inner working on our behalf because of Christ’s work.
So far, we’ve studied what Scripture has to say about God’s holiness, man’s sin, and the atoning death of Christ. This knowledge has hopefully led you to better understand the depth of God’s grace toward you, leading you to become more grateful and devoted to Him. Let’s review what we’ve covered in our latest series of devotionals.
The Symbolic Significance of the Burial of Christ
In speaking of the Gospel, the Bible focuses mainly on the death and Resurrection of Christ. But Christ’s burial is significant as well.
Now, Jesus’ burial plays no role in saving us from sin. Christ’s death satisfies God’s wrath against us, turning us into redeemed children instead of guilty criminals. Christ’s Resurrection is a crucial part of salvation, as we will soon see. Jesus’ burial has no part in saving us. But it does have symbolic significance as a picture of what happens when a person turns to Christ in faith and repentance.
The key verse on understanding this powerful symbol is Colossians 2:12: “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” In the context, Paul is exalting Christ and speaking of all the wonderful things that Christ has accomplished for us on the Cross. In this verse, he describes what Christians commonly call “regeneration”—the idea that Christians have died to themselves and now live to Christ. Just as Christ died and was buried, so also do those who choose to follow Him die with respect to their former lives and live as new people in Christ.
When we truly understand the Bible’s teaching on the symbolism of Jesus’ burial and Resurrection, we will realize what has occurred to us inwardly as a result of our decision to follow Christ and as a result of God’s gracious inner working on our behalf because of Christ’s work.
Other passages speak of this remarkable transformation. Romans 6:4 says almost exactly the same thing as Colossians 2:12: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Similarly, in Galatians 2:20, Paul says he has been crucified with Christ, and the life he now lives is totally by faith in the Son of God. According to II Corinthians 5:17, we are a new creation in Christ.
What a powerful image! What a life-transforming reality! Paul says you have died! (Colossians 3:3). Your old identity is powerless, lying slain in the dark, sealed tomb. Your new self is raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1). Your new identity is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). The things of this world have no more power to control or attract you (Romans 6:6). No sin can destroy you. And no material thing, no matter how good it is, can distract your attention from Christ, who is seated at God’s right hand preparing a home in Heaven for those who love Him (John 14:2; Colossians 3:1).
God accomplishes this regenerating work (Titus 3:5), but it requires constant effort on our part to put off the old self and put on the new self. Ephesians 4:22-32 and Colossians 3:1-17 provide practical guidelines on how to do this. Our new selves speak the truth, putting away all forms of deception (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9). Our new selves put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy speech, replacing wrong words with edifying words that build up the body of Christ and bring glory to His name (Ephesians 4:29). Our new selves are not distracted by earthly, fleshly cravings that turn our attention away from Christ (Colossians 3:5). Our new selves are humble, kind, and compassionate toward other believers, forbearing, forgiving, loving, and promoting peace (Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:12-15). Our new selves are thankful and full of God’s Word (Colossians 3:16-17).
Christ’s burial, therefore, is a symbol of an inward reality that takes place when a person repents and believes in Jesus.
The Importance of the Resurrection
In I Corinthians 15:4, Paul lists the Resurrection as a necessary aspect of the Gospel. I get extra excited when speaking of the Resurrection. Why does the Bible present the Resurrection of Christ as such an important part of the Gospel?
The Resurrection marks a new era in salvation history. It was out with the old, in with the new. The “old way” was called the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was the Old Testament system which required adherence to the Law of God and animal sacrifices to atone for transgressions against that law. Rather than looking back on the accomplished work of Christ, Old Testament saints had faith in a coming Messiah who would one day redeem them from sin, and the prophets foretold His arrival (e.g., Isaiah 59:16-20; 63:1; Zechariah 9:9).
On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and by those words consummated the age-old plan of God to redeem mankind (Ephesians 1:4). Now, looking back on Jesus’ sacrifice, we see God accomplishing salvation for us through the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:28), who died to take the punishment we deserve for our crimes against God’s Law. No more Old Testament sacrifices are necessary, for they only symbolized Christ’s effective sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1). If we repent and trust in what Christ has accomplished for us, we need no longer fear God’s judgment on us for breaking the Ten Commandments. Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant, a system in which people find mercy through Christ by placing their faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross.
But Jesus’ death would be pointless without the Resurrection. If Jesus had remained lifeless in the tomb, Paul points out that “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (I Corinthians 15:17). Jesus’ victorious Resurrection from the dead is part of what makes Him “the guarantor of a better covenant [i.e., the New Covenant]” (Hebrews 7:22). If it did not occur, Jesus cannot save us completely from our sin; He cannot finish the work of salvation (Hebrews 7:23-25). The object of our faith then becomes powerless and useless. His death is no longer meaningful.
The Resurrection is also important because, if untrue, then there is no resurrection of Christians. If you have believed in Christ, you have no hope of life after death. And what is the point of doing anything at all if there is no life after death? Why trust in Christ at all? “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (I Corinthians 15:19). “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead” (I Corinthians 15:20). And because this is so, Paul goes on to tell us, Christians shall also be raised with Christ and given glorious, new, spiritual bodies (I Corinthians 15:21-57; cf. Romans 8:11; I Thessalonians 1:10). Christ has defeated death, and thus not only sin but death also have no power over us. There is life after death, and your hope is secure and eternal.
The Resurrection is a crucial part of the Good News, then, because it marks such a turning point in salvation history, because it validates our faith and reveals the power of our Savior to completely save us, and because it provides assurance that the believer’s hope is eternal (cf. I Peter 1:21). Without the Resurrection, the Gospel has no power to solve our dilemma with sin or rescue us from the world’s suffering—Christianity is no different than other religions. So make sure that you include the Resurrection when you share the Gospel with people.
Christ has defeated death, and thus not only sin but death also have no power over us.
Personal Application of the Resurrection
Have you ever wondered to yourself, “What if I sin after I become a Christian?” The Resurrection of Christ plays a role in helping to answer this question. I hope you will be encouraged by how that historical event of over 2,000 years past affects you personally today.
When Christ died on the Cross, He atoned for your sin and became your propitiation for sin so that He could redeem your soul and reconcile you to God (click here for more about those incredible terms!). Jesus paid your fine once for all when He died on the Cross (Hebrews 9:12). Sin’s penalty—eternal death in Hell—can have no claim on you if you have repented of your own way and trusted in Christ’s finished work (Romans 8:1).
Yet because you still have what the Bible calls your “flesh” (that is, your sinful nature that is hostile to the will of the Spirit, see Galatians 5:17), your own sinful desires constantly tempt you and try to draw you back into your old way of life (James 1:14). That is why you may find yourself struggling with questions like, “Why can’t I stop sinning? Shouldn’t I have grown in Christ more than this by now? Is it really enough to trust in Jesus, or do I have to keep trying harder so that I don’t mess up again?”
If Jesus had remained lifeless on the Cross, what could He do about the sin with which we struggle on a daily basis? Thankfully, Jesus did rise again (Matthew 28:6), and by virtue of His Resurrection He has the authority and ability to be our faithful High Priest and continue to work on our behalf (Hebrews 7:15-17).
The book of Hebrews extensively develops this concept. A priest is someone who mediates or intercedes between people and God. He offers sacrifices so that humans can have access to God (see Leviticus 5:1-6 for an example of what this looked like in the Old Testament). Jesus, as our High Priest, has already offered Himself as a once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12). But by rising again and retaining His human body (Luke 24:39), He appears in the presence of God on our behalf (Hebrews 9:24). His human nature makes Him sympathetic to our weaknesses, while His divine nature qualifies Him as a sinless intercessor (Hebrews 4:15).
Therefore, when we sin, we can come boldly to God’s throne through Jesus by prayer (Hebrews 4:16). When we confess our sins to God, admitting our guilt and agreeing with His Word about our sin, Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us from sin! (I John 1:7, 9). Jesus, our High Priest before God’s throne, can point to His sacrifice and plead before God for us, thereby turning away His wrath from us.
By these truths that we can avoid two wrong attitudes about our sin. First, we can avoid downplaying the wickedness of our misdeeds. Sometimes we think that, because God has shown grace to us by sending Jesus to be punished for our sin, we therefore can do whatever we want and simply apologize afterwards (Romans 6:1-2). However, the fact that Jesus has shed His precious blood to take away our guilt shows us that sin is so serious to God that its payment requires the death of His only Son. Meditating on Jesus’ sacrifice and His role as an intercessor should drive us to see our sin in is true light and be grieved as a result (cf. II Corinthians 7:10).
Second, we can avoid wallowing in excessive remorse. Though we will continue to sin after we are saved, we can be confident that Jesus’ blood will continually cleanse us and that He is now in Heaven fulfilling His priestly role and reconciling us to God. The Christian faith is more than a one-time decision to place one’s trust in the work of Christ on the cross; it is a daily confidence in the continuing work of Christ to save us “to the uttermost” or “completely,” as Hebrews 7:25 describes.
Another way in which the Resurrection personally affects you today is the future glory of believers. I have written another devotional on the physical Resurrection of believers, which you can access here. For now, let’s hone in on the practical application of the truth that believers will someday share the glory of Christ. First, a quick summary of the concept: Philippians 3:21 teaches that Jesus will transform our lowly bodies to be like His own glorious one. Thus, His Resurrection represents a pattern for what will happen to Christians someday. They also will rise again, completely transformed as Christ was (see also I Corinthians 15:35-49).
This truth applies to our behavior as Christians because it means, as Philippians 3:20 teaches, that “our citizenship is in heaven.” We should be living as citizens of a heavenly kingdom, as though this world is no true home at all (Philippians 1:27, where the same Greek word “citizenship” is used in its verb form, “live as citizens”). “Set your mind on things above, not on the things on this earth,” Colossians 3:2 exhorts (see also Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19-21).
The fact that Jesus has shed His precious blood to take away our guilt shows us that sin is so serious to God that its payment requires the death of His only Son. Meditating on Jesus’ sacrifice and His role as an intercessor should drive us to see our sin in is true light and be grieved as a result.
Not only does Christ’s Resurrection provide a picture of what will occur to us in the future, but it also symbolizes a present reality. The Bible teaches that our old selves have died with Christ, but our new selves have now been raised with Him (Romans 6:2, 8; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:20; 3:3). We are new people now (II Corinthians 5:17). Read Ephesians 4:22-5:33 and Colossians 3:1-4:1 to discover practical ways that you can renew your mind and live as a transformed person today.
So, when you sin as a believer, humbly confess your sin and ask God to renew your heart to live as a citizen of heaven who has been raised with Christ as a new creation. But also take heart and place your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and His present, intercessory work on your behalf!
Where Is Jesus Now?
What happened, though, after Christ rose from the dead? What is His place and role now? The Bible teaches that Jesus ascended into Heaven after being raised alive from the dead, where He took His rightful place in an exalted position at the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34). God the Father sits on the throne of heaven, and Christ sits on his right hand in a place of honor and privilege as God’s only Son. Let’s look at three additional wonderful implications of the reality that Christ has ascended into Heaven.
First, it is significant that Christ returned to Heaven. In other words, Heaven was His original abode and remains His rightful habitation. Jesus, as God, lives in the dwelling place of God. The Bible teaches that God’s dwelling place is in heaven (I Kings 8:30, 34, etc). Yes, He is omnipresent, but His “home” is in the exalted realm of Heaven, although at the same time the “heaven of heavens cannot contain thee” (I Kings 8:27 KJV). The Bible also teaches that God’s throne is in Heaven, where He sits as King over all things (Isaiah 66:1). Regarding Christ, Scripture reveals that He exists in heaven for all eternity with God the Father (John 1:1). He lives there still, having completed on earth the work that His Father had sent Him to do (John 17:4-5; 13). The return of Christ to His heavenly abode points to His deity.
Second, it is notable that Christ is exalted in Heaven. He possesses a lofty status that God has granted to Him in reward for His obedience to the divine will (Philippians 2:8-9). In fact, God has exalted His name above every other name, and someday all will bow the knee to Christ (Philippians 2:10-11). In the words of Colossians 1:18, “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.” To Christ God has given authority to judge, and He will come again to bring judgment on a sinful world (Acts 17:30-31). The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of the Father reveals His authority and reminds us that He is returning to earth to conquer and destroy His enemies (Revelation 19:11-16).
Last, it is important that Christ, Immanuel, has not left us alone. In John 16:7, Jesus told His followers, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” Jesus has gone away from us, but He has sent the Holy Spirit to help us in our walk with Christ. The Spirit leads, helps, comforts, and convicts believers, strengthening them to live righteously in a wicked world, to keep believing in Christ in the midst of suffering, to find encouragement in the face of trials, and to follow the will of God (John 16:7, 13; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Galatians 5:16-18). The ascension of Christ into the presence of God reminds us of Christ’s concern and care for His children as He has sent a Comforter to our aid.
It is never enough to simply know what the Bible says; you must appropriate its truth in your life. How can we appropriate the truths we have uncovered today? If you are a believer, you already believe in the deity of Christ (I John 4:15), and Jesus’ return to Heaven is a natural assumption of that belief. Yet there is more to Christ’s nature than that. As we learned in our second point, God has exalted His name above every name, and this means two things for believers: 1) Jesus Christ should be first in your life, controlling every decision, no matter how seemingly small and insignificant, and 2) the coming of Christ should motivate you to eagerly anticipate His arrival, live presently as citizens of heaven, and seek to share the Good News of the Gospel that will save unbelievers from Christ’s final judgment on evildoers. (Read Colossians 3-4 for practical ways to put Christ first in your life.) Believers can also take comfort in the fact that Christ has left us a Helper to help them as they seek to follow these two principles on a daily basis. They can place their confidence in the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to lead and keep them.
If you are an unbeliever, however, then it is time to come to grips with everything we have covered in our Bible study on the foundations of the Christian faith. While this series was written primarily to encourage Christians and ground them firmly in a more thorough understanding of the roots of their faith, I invite you to study deeply, too. There is no more study-worthy topic than what will happen to you after you take your final breath. And in this particular case, what you do with the results of your study will affect whether you spend eternity in the fiery, eternal prison of Hell or in the glorious realm of God and His Son.
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To read this series as separate daily devotionals, follow the links below:
Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked "KJV" are from the King James Version of the Bible.
