“10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.”
As we have seen in the last few devotionals, in verses 6-11, Paul has been describing Christ Jesus’ role in the salvation of those who follow Him. Paul has described that it is through Jesus’ perfect life and substitutionary death (His death in our place) that the way of salvation has been made available to God’s elect.
Today, Paul points out that while it is true that we are reconciled to God in Jesus’ death, we are reconciled even more so in Jesus’ life and resurrection. If Christ died for us but did not transfer His righteousness, we would have a clean slate, but one that would forever and constantly be made filthy by our recurring sin. We are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus, but we are justified and made new by His life and resurrection. Because of Christ’s life, when the Father looks at us, He sees Jesus’ righteousness instead of our sin. Paul says that is reason for great boasting in God! (v. 11) Thank you God for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection!
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul provides a great summary of our journey from sinfulness to salvation that closely mirrors the language of this section.
“Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him — if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.” — Colossians 1:21-23
It is made clear by Paul that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is pivotal to the good news of the Gospel. Without it, we would not be able to be saved! With it, we have eternal security in what Christ has accomplished for us upon the cross. The resurrection of Jesus is what proves that He is indeed sinless and that God the Father has accepted Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for His elect. That is why Paul, describing the way to be saved, has said that one must believe in their heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead:
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” — Romans 10:9