A favorite phrase of Christians is “Without Christmas, there would be no Easter” calling attention to the fact that without the physical birth of Christ, there would be no resurrection.

A similar and less heard phrase, is that “without Good Friday, there would be no Easter” meaning that if Jesus never suffered and died, there would be no resurrection.

While this statement is also true, it still doesn’t get to the “heart”, and personal nature of what all of these events represent, and the purpose behind them.

While many Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ today, I encourage you to celebrate the resurrection that He brought about in you. The fact that you are a new creation in Christ—through Him— that He died on the cross, as you and today, the life you live is through Him.

Romans 6:11 says : “Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Reckon means “to account” as in a financial record. It is a statement of reality, not fantasy, or wishful thinking, anymore than you would record fake numbers on a bank statement.

I encourage you today, to “reckon, to account, your old self as dead and gone, and your new identity in Christ. And in so doing, truly celebrate, this Resurrection day.

Be blessed.