We know that Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial and miraculous resurrection is a central, historical doctrine of Christianity. In fact, we know by faith that it is the central event of human history because of what it accomplished for mankind.

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (died physically). For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so all those in Christ will be made alive (physically). But each in turn – Christ, the first fruits, then, when He returns, those who belong to Him,” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)

While skeptics abound today, the first generation of Jesus’ followers witnessed the miraculous events before and after Calvary and were willing to be martyred for their convictions. One of those leading the persecution, Saul of Tarsus, met Jesus personally, became reborn as Paul, and wrote this testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 and 17:  

For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. … and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins (and therefore, still spiritually dead to God in Adam.)

So that is why this one historical event is singularly important. Jesus’ Finished Work on Calvary – verified by His Resurrection from the dead – made it again possible for all the members of the spiritually dead race of human beings – those still in Adam – to become children of the only God of the Universe, by grace through faith in Christ.

Now you know why Paul repeated the phrase “in Christ” a total of seventy-five times throughout his thirteen New Covenant books – the Fifth Gospel. That two word phrase – and the phrase “in Him” that he used many additional times – is short-hand for all believers who have been spiritually crucified with Christ, died, buried, Risen and Ascended through rebirth by faith. We receive a totally new, spiritual identity – with, through and in Christ Jesus.

Jesus’ Resurrection validated His claim of being God’s Son, who came in the flesh to offer salvation to a spiritually dead mankind. It also established a new race and a royal priesthood of believers – with Him as the first of many newly-minted brothers and sisters who become reborn in Christ, 1 Peter 2:9 and Romans 8:29. In prophetic anticipation of what His sacrifice would accomplish, Jesus prayer to His Father – just before His death – was, in effect, His last will and testament, John 17:18-24:

As you sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave to Me, that they may be one as We are one — I in them and You in Me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those You have given to Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.

This glorious request was actually Jesus’ public declaration of His prior agreement with Father-God before the Universe was created. Adam’s Fall made necessary an even more magnanimous display of the Trinity’s unselfish love for all humans in their willingness to pay the priceless gift of Jesus’ sacrifice of His divine Blood on our behalf – to make all who choose Jesus to be the very righteousness of God in Christ. May Father-God bestow a church-wide revelation of a Second Reformation that embraces and declares the Fifth Gospel of total Grace – as He revealed to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. And may this Grace-based Gospel become the clarion call to a dying world so they can hear and accept our loving Father-God’s invitation to His heavenly banquet, made possible by accepting Jesus Christ’s Finished Work on Calvary.

Therefore, from now on, we know no one just physically. Even though we have known Christ physically, now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation (spiritually). The old things passed away. Behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us. We beg you (if still in Adam), on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So are you Resurrected and Ascended? You are if you are in Christ because He is seated in heavenly places and, therefore, so are you, as clearly stated by Jesus through Paul in Ephesians 2:6. This and many other mysteries – revealed to the saints primarily through Paul – constitute the Fifth Gospel. It has not been fully proclaimed and believed in by most of the Body of Christ because of the mixture of two incompatible covenants. Jesus’ Gospel of total Grace revealed to Paul constitutes a revolution of revelation – the Second Reformation – that is now in progress, which some fittingly call the “Grace Movement.”

“… that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, (Colossians 1:26-27)

“… I am Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles. …You have heard of the administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you that, by revelation, there was made known to me … the mystery of Christ … that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. … This grace was given to me to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church, to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3:1-12)

These Posts and songs are offered FREE to help all reborn saints in Christ to understand the fullness of what Jesus accomplished for every believer. This week’s rap song, In Christ, is a capsule summary of this glorious Gospel of lavish Grace from Jesus. May your mind catch up with what it means to be a victorious Easter person because of whose you now are and where you are now – Resurrected and Ascended in Christ. Enjoy the view year-around!