The Bible Echo, vol. 8

August 1, 1893

“The Power of the Resurrection” The Bible Echo 8, 15.

E. J. Waggoner

The Apostle Paul’s earnest desire was to “win CHRIST, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of CHRIST, the righteousness which is of GOD by faith; that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Philippians 3:8-10. And in his prayer for us he desired “that the GOD of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which He wrought in CHRIST, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:17-20. BEST August 1, 1893, par. 1

The power of CHRIST is the power of the resurrection. Paul declares that the Gospel of GOD is “concerning His Son JESUS CHRIST, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the SON of GOD with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:3, 4. It was by the Spirit that CHRIST was quickened, or made alive (1 Peter 3:18); and the Spirit has the power of giving life, because it is the Spirit of holiness. See Romans 8:10. Life and righteousness are identical, as we learn from Romans 8:6: “To be spiritually minded is life and peace;” and also from Galatians 3:21, which tells us that if there had been a law given which could have given life, righteousness would have come by it. The Spirit of GOD, therefore, gives life to the dead, because it gives righteousness to sinners. BEST August 1, 1893, par. 2

In order to see that this is what is to be learned from the resurrection of CHRIST, read again the quotation from the first chapter of Ephesians, and then follow on with the second chapter: “And you hath He quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins; ...but GOD, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with CHRIST (by grace are ye saved), and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS.” Ephesians 2:1-6. Therefore we know the power of the resurrection of CHRIST only by experiencing the same power in the forgiveness of sins, and in overcoming sin. Thus we share even now in the resurrection of CHRIST, and that is the assurance of the future resurrection at his coming. BEST August 1, 1893, par. 3

Read also the same thing in the Epistle to the Colossians: “Ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power; in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of CHRIST; buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the working [operation] of GOD, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:10-13. All tell the same thing: the forgiveness of sins comes by the resurrection of CHRIST, not as a historical event that took place eighteen hundred years ago, but as a present thing, which we are to experience day by day with Him. Thus we may see how the resurrection of CHRIST is to be the one theme of Christian preaching now as well as in the days of the apostles. We are to be reminded of it, not by the formal observance of a day once a year, which has never been commanded, but by going through the process daily. BEST August 1, 1893, par. 4