THE RISEN CHRIST OUR HOPE

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile […] If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (I Corinthians 15:12-17, 19).

Jesus Christ is without doubt, the central figure of the Bible and the most important person in human history. Everything that God did before the coming of Christ pointed to Him, and everything God has done after the coming of Christ depends on Him. “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). The apostle Paul teaches us that in Him all things consist, i.e., hold together (Colossians 1:17). He further says, “Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:8-9).

Our eschatological hope depends on Him. Christ’s resurrection was for us a guarantee that we would have a resurrection like His! He is the guarantor of this eschatological hope that all believers have. Therefore, we can expect God to keep this promise because of what He has already done in Christ. What God has done cannot be undone. Our confidence in Christ’s resurrection gives us a certainty of which we can never be deprived! Some of the Corinthians had begun to contradict the incontrovertible truth: that God raised Jesus from among the dead! Based on this undeniable act of God, Paul leads us to the undeniable reality that all of God’s promises are in Christ, Yes, and in Him Amen!

As we walk out this great salvation, I urge you to remain unshakably confident in the finished work of Christ! Your hope of future reward in Him is certain!