Resurrection

The other day Andrew, who is taking a women's studies class on the Church and is understandably frustrated, asked me the following question: Why did Christ have to be resurrected for his atonement to be complete? Isn't his death enough to pay the debt own God?

We pondered that for some time, batting things back and forth. At first glance it seems that simply giving up his life should pay the life-debt; after all, no sacrificial animals ever came back from the dead. It took me a while to realize that was the whole point.

Death, separation, is the chief consequence of sin. As long as Christ was in the grave, death still had enough power to separate Him from from the body and from God. If Jesus of Nazereth is still in the grave, then death still has power and sin is not conquered fully. But with a resurrected Christ, death is overthrown. Sin is not just payed for, every effect of it has been covered over by a triumphant sacrifice. The punishment due for the sin of Christ's people has run out, and can no longer bind him. And if it cannot bind him, it will not bind us. We are truly set free from sin and death; if we turn to Christ to pay our deficit of perfect obedience to God, He has it covered. Good to know, don't you think?