For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,… (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
These two verses reiterate the basis for the Christian faith. The stated facts are why believers have eternal life and the opportunity and privilege to follow Christ here in this life.
The apostle Peter wrote, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)
So, Christ's actions on the cross were not just to save us because of our perilous position and great value to God, but also to provide us an opportunity to be empowered so as to live in a manner where we might glorify him while we are still here on earth. God's word emphatically encourages us to do just that and so we must!
