Dakota Beacon

Easter offers a time to reflect on the many blessings flowing from Christianity. Here are a few of those blessings.

            --Set up a multitude of hospitals from the Middle Ages onward.

            --Founded many universities also dating from the Middle Ages.

            --Fostered literacy and education across cultures; includes translating world’s languages.

            --Developed the economic basis for free-enterprise.

            --Gave the world the foundation of representative government and civil liberties.

            --Started the struggle against slavery.

            --Laid the foundation of modern science.

            --Established charities and benevolent organizations.

            --Laid the groundwork for higher standards of justice.

            --Provided a sense of value of human life especially for the elderly, infirm, and unborn.

            --Inspired some of the world’s greatest works of art, music, and literature.

This heritage followed the impact of the Gospel by those who believed in, lived by, and sacrificed for it. Today, whether from naiveté, historical illiteracy, or the voiding of traditions, western culture sadly became separated from a knowledge of its own roots -- including Easter. Faced with the growing reproach of Christ, Easter becomes even more significant.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ becomes more than a word describing an event. He was not resurrected to institute a social welfare system or set up a university of well doing. Scripture makes clear that God through Christ came to restore fellowship with mankind. A recounting of several verses from the New Testament points to a mystery revealed within believers every day if they will accept Christ for who He said He was.

John 14:20 “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”

II Corinthians 4:6-11 “For God… hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, … Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”

II Corinthians 13:5 “…Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you…?”

Galatians 1:15-16 “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Colossians 1:26-28 “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach,… teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;”

These verses illustrate the point. There are many, many more.

A wayward and rebellious people could be restored to fellowship with their God if they replaced the kingdom of Self with the kingdom of God in their hearts. Sin and the sin nature in rebellion against God, of “doing one’s own thing,” could be expunged and replaced by Christ’s nature. All sense of placing oneself first above God would be displaced.

And Jesus said, “…The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21-22) Paul’s definition: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17) If allowed, Christ may rule in that kingdom. In this way God the Father may be glorified by each believer through His indwelling Son made manifest day by day. The resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies more than just going to Heaven in the sky in the sweet bye-and-bye. That is true, of course. But it starts now!

There is no substitute for Christ living His own life through believers. We are meant to function as dead men -- dead with Christ. He is meant to be the Resurrection and the Life within us. We can try to love better, pray harder, and read our Bible more, but these efforts are hopeless without the Life of Christ filling us. It is only the Divine Nature that pleases God. We are at odds with God if we are trying to live up to biblical standards without Christ. He is not just our helper and healer. Sooner or later, we realize that we are not the central focus of God’s plan. Christ is. God’s desires rest with Christ His Son as the True Vine, and we are His intimately joined branches. If this is good news to you, then you will discover a fulfilling way of relating to God.

No one should take offense. May the reality of the indwelling Christ be genuine this Easter in the life of all believers.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).