What difference does the resurrection make? It is a true and historical fact that Christ arose, but so what? How are we to live as Christians in this present day, in light of His resurrection? The world gets worse and worse and harder and harder. It’s pretty bleak when you turn on the news. What is our response? What are we to do? How then should we now live?
Paul wrote to the Ephesians about who they were in Christ. They were made alive together with Christ through being born again. Even when they were dead in their trespasses, He made them alive together with Christ, by grace, and raised them up with him and seated them with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He called them beloved children of God and children of light, not children of wrath and disobedience. They were walking in the light and bearing good fruit, they were saints and a fragrant offering to God and pleasing to Him. They would inherit the kingdom of Christ and God. They were wise and understood what the will of the Lord was. They were the community of God, filled with the Spirit, and we are these things too, today if we are in Christ.
So how then should we live, because of who we are? “Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Do not even name things like sexual immorality, impurity, or covetousness and idolatry. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. We live carefully, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because we live in evil days. We must not be foolish nor drunk but be filled with the Spirit. We speak the truth in love and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with our hearts, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is God’s will for us in evil days.
The wrath of God is coming. He will judge every thought and feeling you’ve had, every word you’ve spoken, every action you’ve done. And you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. The wrath of God will come upon the children of disobedience, those outside of Christ. As we celebrate His resurrection this Easter Sunday, we in Christ can look forward to the glory that awaits us in our resurrection, but those outside of Christ can fear the judgment and wrath reserved for them. Until then, we in Christ imitate Him, living as His children and walking in His paths.