Raised with Christ 7
Chapter Ten: Resurrected with Jesus
Chapter Eleven: Transformed by the Resurrection
The author of Raised with Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything, Adrian Warnock, continues with the consequences of Jesus’ resurrection. In Chapter Ten, regeneration and union with Christ are briefly explored and in Chapter Eleven, Adrian focusses on the need for the spiritually resurrected believer to continually deal with sin in our lives. Some points that caught my attention in these two chapters include:
- “salvation is a miracle caused by the same creative power that conquered the grave” – great statement!
- our new birth (spiritual resurrection) is designed to free us from the slave-like compulsion to continue in sin – and we have a part to play in this battle (Rom 6:11ff). We deal with sin in the power of the Holy Spirit and in response to the grace we have already received – not to win God’s favour
- a Christian is someone who can be described as ‘raised with Christ’
- we are already seated with Christ in the heavenlies – this must not distract us from current life realities; it gives us wonderful assurance that we are “in Christ” and share in His authority
- I love the following paragraph: “Some things that should have happened to us, like death and punishment, happened instead to Jesus. God considers us as if we really had experienced what Jesus experienced on the cross. Conversely, there are things that happened to him that we did not deserve – like resurrection and receiving the approval of God. Thanks to our union with Christ we share in these benefits.”
- Because of the resurrection, we are already part of the new creation – the renewal of all things has begun in us.
- Focus on the wonder of Jesus and His resurrection life – as we do so, our desires will change. As an example, our author provides a helpful exposition of the vision of the glorified Lord Jesus in Rev 1:12-18
- “God wants us to fear him but not to be terrified of him….This is the Jesus we come to today – the living one, the fearsome one, and yet the loving one, who delights in reaching his hand out and touching you. When he touches you, amazing things happen.” That’s my experience - trust it is yours.