Considering Christ’s resurrection, there are three points to be expressed: first, the necessity of the resurrection; second, the significant characteristics of the resurrection; and third, the uses of the resurrection for comforting the child of God.

Christ’s resurrection was necessary for three reasons. First, His resurrection evidenced a complete victory over death. For believers, the resurrection confirms that Christ’s whole obedience was a work both of perfect satisfaction, destroying death, and of a meritorious nature, earning life. Second, Christ’s resurrection was demanded by virtue of His divine nature as the Son of God. He is the Author of life itself; for this cause, it was neither fitting nor possible for Him to be overcome by death. Thus, it was imperative that Christ rise from death to life. Third, Christ’s resurrection confirmed that His priestly work consisted of two parts. One was to make satisfaction for sin by sacrificing Himself on the cross. The other was to apply the virtue of this sacrifice to every believer. Therefore, Christ rose to perform this second part of His priesthood for His people.

Christ’s resurrection had significant characteristics. First, He rose again as a public person, standing in place of His people not only in death, but also in resurrection. Con­sequently, when Christ rose, the whole church rose in Him (Eph. 2:6). Second, Christ by His own power raised Himself from the dead (John 2:19; 10:18). This demonstrated that He was not only man but also true God. Further, this exhibited Christ’s power to raise also His church from death to life. Third, Christ rose again with an earthquake. This was to prove that He had lost no power by death, but that He still remained the absolute Lord of heaven and earth, before whom the earth yet trembled.

Fourth, Christ’s death and resurrection were accom­panied by other wonders as well. For example, Matthew 27:52-53 declares that the graves were opened and many appeared raised. This occurred that the church might know that there is a renewing and quickening virtue in the resurrection of Christ, whereby He is able to raise those who are dead in sin to newness of life. This signifies the order of it all: Christ arose, then the saints after Him; thus, He is the firstborn of the dead, with many to rise in following Him (Col. 1:18).

This flows into the uses of the resurrection in comforting the child of God. These comforts are three. First, Christ’s resurrection serves for the justification of all who believe in Him (Rom. 4:25). Indeed, life was the very wage He was sent to earn (Isa. 32:17); therefore, being reconciled by His death, much more shall we be saved by His life (Rom. 5:10). Second, the resurrection of Christ is the notable means by which God works sanctification (1 Peter 1:3; Rom. 6:4-5). As Christ by the power of His Godhead freed His manhood from death and from the guilt of our sins, so does Christ free the believer from the corruption of nature in which he lies dead – all that he may live unto God (Rom. 14:8).

Third, the resurrection of Christ discloses the church’s resurrection. He that raised Christ from the dead “shall also quicken your mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11). This is why Christ is called the firstfruits of the dead (1 Cor. 15:20). His resurrection is a pledge and assurance of the resurrection of the church. He is the head of His church; therefore, all His members must follow after Christ in their time. The godly rise by the power of Christ their Redeemer, who raises them up that they may be partakers of the benefits of His death (Heb. 3:14), which is to enjoy both in body and soul the kingdom of heaven that He has so dearly bought for them. The godly rise as Christ, by the virtue of Christ’s own resur­rection. They rise, as He, unto eternal glory.