The resurrection of Jesus Christ symbolises victory over sin and death. We receive this victory by faith in Christ, whose grace justifies us and transforms us into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18).
So we can proclaim with joy and certainty along with the apostle Paul:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:54–58).
There are three ways we can practically enjoy Christ’s victory through his death and resurrection. Each connects deeply with core identity markers in Indian culture—guilt, shame, and curses.
The Resurrection of Jesus is Removal of Guilt
In Romans 4:25, the Bible describes Jesus as the one, “who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
The word justification is a legal term. It means pronouncement of a verdict of not guilty. God declares us righteous. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has removed our guilt and God has forgiven our sins.
In our modern secular culture, we try to remove our guilt by turning our vices into virtues. We deny any form of absolute truth, so nothing can make us feel guilty or recognise our guilt.
In Christ, God not only forgives us; he honours us.
Alternatively, in our religious culture, we try to remove guilt by replacing our vices with virtues—through good works. But nothing can remove this crushing feeling of guilt that gnaws at us from within.
In the movie The Fisher King, Jeff Bridges plays the role of Jack Lucas. He is a cynical, arrogant radio host. One day he makes an insensitive comment on his show that triggers a disturbed listener to go on a mass shooting spree in a restaurant where Parry (played by Robin Williams) and his wife are having dinner.
Tragically, Parry’s wife dies right before his eyes. This trauma turns Parry, a former professor, into a homeless man suffering a mental breakdown. Guilt over this death consumes Jack, who tries his best to help Parry, to appease his own guilt. But the more he tries, the more he spirals. He loses his career, isolates himself, and starts to drink heavily.
We too may try to erase our guilt—by denying our wrongdoing or compensating for it with good works. But there is good news: the resurrection of Jesus provides a way. God declares you not guilty—by grace through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection.
The Resurrection of Jesus is Reversal of Shame
“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore” (Heb. 13:12-13).
Jesus suffered “outside the city gate.” It signifies his exclusion from the community. Those who crucified him treated him as a criminal and outcast, subjecting him to rejection and shame.
In his death, he bore our disgrace and took our shame. And in his resurrection, he turned our shame into honour. He ascended in honour and victory, and through him, we receive the same honour and victory.
The resurrection of Jesus brings victory over our fear of curses.
In Christ, God not only forgives us; he honours us.
The famous story Les Misérables vividly depicts this reversal. Jean Valjean is unjustly condemned for a petty theft. So he carries the shame of being branded a criminal all his life. But rejection by people and disgrace in society crushes him.
Eventually, he finds refuge in the home of a bishop, who welcomes him and treats him with dignity. Yet, Jean Valjean steals silver from the bishop and flees.
When the authorities catch him red-handed with the stolen silver, the bishop does something remarkable. Instead of condemning him back to prison, which he deserved, the bishop says, “Ah, there you are! I’m so glad to see you. But I gave you the candlesticks too—why didn’t you take them?”
This kindness of the bishop not only covers Jean Valjean’s crime. It turns his shame into honour. Jesus does more for us through his death and resurrection. He not only covers our shame but honours us by giving us his righteousness, acceptance, and inheritance.
The Resurrection of Jesus is Redemption from the Curse
In Galatians 3:13, the Bible says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'”
In our Indian culture, we take curses seriously. Fear of all kinds of curses is one reason people immerse themselves into religious practices. Rituals, pilgrimages, amulets, and mantras are some of the ways people try to break a curse in our culture. It is common for certain groups of people to expect money from families with newborn children. Families give in to these demands, only to prevent such people from putting a curse on the family.
The resurrection of Jesus brings victory over our fear of curses. Christ Jesus defeated the greatest and irreversible curse of sin, which is death. His resurrection means this curse has no power. He has defeated death and reversed the curse.
In its place, we experience the blessing of God by faith. He transfers us from darkness to light, death to life, slavery to freedom, and alienation to becoming children of God.
This Easter, will you let the truth of the resurrection fill your heart with joy and hope? Christ’s death on the cross was the payment and his resurrection was the receipt for that payment.
You are free. You are victorious.
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
