Big Deal (part 4): The Resurrection Provides Ultimate Victory

One of the great differences between the religions and philosophies of this world are their various and contrasting versions of the future.

Is there any hope for the future? ... Or are we destined to the dark hole of a grave. You can listen to many who forecast deterioration of our earth, our economy, and our society – and get depressed and fearful. They offer little hope with the message: "this life is all we have." I think for example of that otherwise great and brilliant mind of Bertrand Russell - Lord Russell. He once wrote, "When I die, I believe that I shall rot, and that that is the end." Then he went on, "All the labors of the ages - the inspiration, the noonday brightness of human genius - are destined to extinction. The whole temple of man's achievement must inevitably be buried in the debris of a universe in ruins." To Russell, the future is dark and he has no hope of participating in it.

Others think of the future not in a linear way (a line that's going to end in paradise), but in a circle, so that everything is continuously repeated in an endless cycle of reincarnations. There is a future in this idea – but there is not source or center. The only conclusion to this philosophy is extinction.
Christians, on the other hand, are confident that Jesus Christ is going to come back at the end of time, not in humility and weakness, as in his first coming, but in divine power and in ultimate triumph. The second coming of Jesus Christ will be beyond our wildest dreams and imagination when he comes in power and glory. And when he comes, he will restore all things to God's intended goal. He will raise the dead, and he will create a new world, and he will make everything NEW.

That's the Christian hope: that the whole creation is going to be liberated into freedom and new life with God. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away ... He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Rev. 21:1, 5) The groans of nature, Paul writes, at the moment resemble the birth pains of a new order; a new world is going to be born. There's going to be a new heaven and a new earth in which God reigns, and on that day we shall be new people with new bodies.

But some say, "Isn't that wishful thinking? Isn't that people using their religion as a 'CRUTCH' – keeping them from facing reality? Is there any evidence for this outrageous assertion that the universe is going to be reborn and resurrected along with us?" Thanks for asking those questions. The answer is "yes." There is evidence. The evidence is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is our guarantee of the resurrection of our bodies and the hope of a new world. In 1Corinthians 15, Paul calls the resurrection of Jesus "the firstfruit" of the new creation; a promise of what is to come.

But, Romans 8 tells us that this victory and power not only given for us in for our future – but it brings power to our present life and bodies. Paul tells us: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Rom 8:11)

We are only visiting this planet. Our final destination is with God ... but for now, we can live like new creations. You have to start by believing that the victory is won and that the victory is yours.

No matter how you look at it: This is a BIG DEAL!

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