Question 45. What does the “resurrection” of Christ profit us?
Answer: First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death; (a) secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life; (b) and lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection. (c)
(a) 1 Cor.15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: Rom.4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 1 Pet.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (b) Rom.6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Col.3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Col.3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Eph.2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Eph.2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (c) 1 Cor.15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1 Cor.15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 Cor.15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. Rom.8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
–The Heidelberg Catechism
As has become abundantly clear, this question, and the related question about the bondage of sin for which this is the answer, have become the watershed points in our present troubles.
These answers cannot be optional, they are of the essence of Christianity. I have become convinced that this is no longer the official teaching of the TEC, although dissenting pockets remain.
John Wilkins rather articulately defined one view in another thread, I think #14, [i][url=http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/11324/]View it here[/url][/i]
Even when attractively stated, the differences are profound.
[i][url=http://rericsawyer.wordpress.com/]R. Eric Sawyer[/url][/i]
As Alexander Nowell’s Catechism puts it this way:
“M. But whence have we regeneration?
S. None other ways but from the death and resurrection of Christ. For by the force of Christ’s death our old man is, after a certain manner crucified and mortified, and the corruptness of our nature is, as it were buried, that it no more live and be strong in us. And by the beneficial mean of his resurrection he giveth us grace to be newly formed unto a new life, to obey the righteousness of God.”
Which continuing from where Mr. Sawyerleft off, if there is not “corruptness to our nature”, in the believer’s rebirth we would have to ask rebirth from what state? As many have observed, there is a such a void between the orthodox Anglican (which is just “mere Christianity) view of human nature and that in much of the TEC leadership that it’s difficult how the TEC can continue with such diverse fundamental differences
Pax et Bonum!
Steve Goodman
R. Eric Sawyer said, “this is no longer the official teaching of the TEC”
Because you don’t believe the PB believes it? Because you don’t believe the Episcopal priest round the corner believes it? Because you don’t believe (lacking any hard evidence) that the majority of delegates to GC believe it?
The official teaching of TEC is what’s contained in the current BCP, where we say, among much, much orthodox else, “he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life.” I said that last week, I’ll say it next week — as it was and will be said in countless Episcopal churches, surely the overwhelming majority of Episcopal churches.
Thank you Kendall for posting this.