We Who Are Resurrected with Christ

[Romans 6:1-14]

There is resurrection after the death of Christ. A death without resurrection is meaningless. A resurrection without death cannot exist. The death and resurrection of Jesus are like the front and back sides of a coin. Just as the front and back of a coin cannot be separated, the death and resurrection of Jesus cannot be separated.

Look at Romans 6:4: "We were therefore 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." Here, the word "dead" can be translated in two ways: (1) in the original Greek, it means "from death," and (2) in the Korean Bible, it translates as "from among the dead." Which translation is more appropriate? The Korean Bible uses "from among the dead." The reason for this choice is that "from death" is ambiguous, as we cannot know if the dead are present, whereas "from among the dead" clearly implies that there are dead people. The Apostles' Creed also says "from among the dead." In conclusion, Jesus Christ was raised from among the dead.

This term "the dead" is used in the plural form elsewhere. Look at Romans 1:4: "through the Spirit of holiness he was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead..." Also, Ephesians 1:20: "he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead..." And 1 Corinthians 15:20: "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." Here in 1 Corinthians 15:20, both the singular "dead" and the plural "those who have fallen asleep" (i.e., the dead) appear together. The fact that Christ is the "firstfruits" of those who have fallen asleep indicates that many more resurrection fruits will follow after him—pointing to the resurrection of all the dead when Christ returns. Because of Jesus' resurrection, those who have fallen asleep in Christ (the dead) will also be resurrected [“new life” (Rom. 6:4)].

So, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead? It was God the Father who raised Jesus Christ. How did God the Father raise Jesus from among the dead? Romans 6:4 tells us that God the Father raised Jesus through his glory—that is, through the power of God the Father. Here, the "power of God the Father" refers to the supreme and greatest power. Such astonishing power comes from love. God the Father loved his only Son, Jesus Christ, with the utmost love, not just in words but in a devoted way. Just as the power of God the Father is limitless, the power of God the Son is also limitless. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). Jesus also said, "...I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again..." (John 10:18). God the Son overcame the power of death and rose from the grave. The Holy Spirit also possesses limitless power. The Holy Spirit raised the dead Jesus Christ (Romans 1:4). Look at Romans 8:11: "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 because of his Spirit who lives in you."

What is the purpose of God the Father raising God the Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead?
[“As He was raised” (Romans 6:4)]
Let us look at Romans 6:10: “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God” [(The Modern Translation) “Christ died once for sin and lives forever for God”]. In this passage, the phrase “to God” can also be translated as “for God,” and the Modern Translation has chosen the word "for." This means that Jesus Christ is alive for God. Even when Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, was on earth for 33 years, He lived for God. After His death, resurrection, and ascension, He continues to live for God in heaven. Jesus Christ lived on earth for our salvation, and He continues to work for our salvation in heaven.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our resurrection. We have been raised with Christ.
Let us look at Romans 6:4: “… just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” We have been raised with new life by the power of the Triune God. What does this mean? Let us look at Romans 6:5: “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” We have been raised with Christ in the same likeness. The phrase “the same likeness” here means that there is indeed a reality, because without reality, there cannot be a likeness. For example, the elder pastor we see in the online worship video is not the real person; it is just a likeness. The real elder pastor is at home. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reality, and we, who have been raised with Christ, are in the same likeness. In this likeness, we have been raised to new life (verse 4). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a bodily resurrection (just as His death was a bodily death for our sins). The body of Jesus, which was buried, was raised. Our resurrection, however, is not a bodily resurrection (that will happen when Jesus returns); it is a resurrection of the soul.
Let us look at Ephesians 2:1: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” [(The Modern Translation) “You were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sin”]. The phrase "He made alive" means that He made us to be new life (regeneration/birth again). Our resurrection means that our inner being, our soul, which was dead in trespasses and sins, not following God but following Satan, died with Jesus Christ and was raised with Him. As a result, our dead souls have come to life again. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the reality, was a bodily resurrection, but our resurrection, like Jesus’s, is not a bodily resurrection but a resurrection of the soul, so our resurrection is in likeness and not in reality. Let us look at Romans 6:8: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” [(The Modern Translation) “If we died with Christ, we also believe that we will live with Him”]. Here, the phrase “live with Him” refers to our living with new life, continuously being sanctified, and ultimately reaching eternal life. The word “believe” here means to believe absolutely. In other words, it refers to a firm belief that is unshakable.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
The reason we must stand firm in the faith and not be moved is that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. In other words, we will receive a reward from the Lord when we go to heaven.
Romans 6:11 says: “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [(The Modern Bible) “Likewise, you also consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus”].
We are to live for God. We must not live for ourselves. We have been resurrected with Jesus and live for the new life, so we will also enter heaven. Therefore, we must live for God.
Romans 14:7-9 says: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” [(The Modern Bible) “There is no one among us who lives only for themselves, nor anyone who dies only for themselves. We live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. This is why Christ died and rose again, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.”]
We do not live for ourselves. We live for the Lord both in life and in death. For this reason, the Lord rose from the dead. While we are alive, we can live for the Lord. But what does it mean to die for the Lord? It means that after we die, we will live in heaven and live forever for the Lord.
Therefore, we will live for the Lord whether in life or death. We no longer live for Satan or ourselves because we have become new creations. Now, we must live only for the Lord. And when we go to heaven, we will live for the Lord forever.