五月十日

但基督已經從死裡復活……（林前15：20）

基督教整個的體系在於“基督已經從死裡復活”這一事實，因為，“若基督沒有復活，我們所傳的便是枉然，你們所信的也是枉然。”由基督的神性就可證明他的復活，因為他“按聖善的靈說，因從死裡復活，以大能顯明是神的兒子”。若他不復活那末就沒有理由不叫人疑惑到他的神性。基督的權能更在於他的復活，“因此基督死了，又活了，為要作死人並活人的主。”我們的稱義——這是主約中最好的福份——也與基督勝過死和墳墓有關，因為，“耶穌被交給人，是為我們的過犯；復活，是為叫我們稱義。”不但如此，我們的重生更與基督的復活有關，因為，“藉耶穌基督從死裡復活，重生了我們，叫我們有活潑的盼望。”而我們末了的復活也在於此，因為，“叫耶穌從死裡復活者的靈，若住在你們心裡，那叫基督耶穌從死裡復活的，也必藉著住在你們心裡的聖靈，使你們必死的身體又活過來。”若基督不復活，我們就不能復活；但若他復活了，那在基督裡睡了的人也不會滅亡的，只要他們在身體活著的時候能仰望他們的神就必復活。因此，復活像一條銀線一樣把信徒所得的一切福份貫串起來，從他的重生一直到進入永遠的榮耀，都被這線連結起來了。他被高舉的這一榮耀事實是多麼重要呀！信徒因“基督已經從死裡復活”的千真萬確的事實所得的快樂也是不可言喻的。“應許已應驗，救工已成全，神使子復活，恩義兩顧全。”

May 10

"But now is Christ risen from the dead." -- 1 Corinthians 15:20

The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that "Christ is risen from the dead;" for, "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins." The divinity of Christ finds its surest proof in His resurrection, since He was "Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." It would not be unreasonable to doubt His Deity if He had not risen. Moreover, Christ's sovereignty depends upon His resurrection, "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the covenant, is linked with Christ's triumphant victory over death and the grave; for "He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Nay, more, our very regeneration is connected with His resurrection, for we are "Begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here, for, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." If Christ be not risen, then shall we not rise; but if He be risen then they who are asleep in Christ have not perished, but in their flesh shall surely behold their God. Thus, the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the believer's blessings, from his regeneration onwards to his eternal glory, and binds them together. How important then will this glorious fact be in his estimation, and how will he rejoice that beyond a doubt it is established, that "now is Christ risen from the dead."

"The promise is fulfill'd,

Redemption's work is done,

Justice with mercy's reconciled,

For God has raised His Son."