Expert: Scott Talbot - 4/7/2007

Question
Was Jesus' sacrificial death the beginning of salvation?  It seems like we're taught that it is and also, at times, taught that his resurrection was what completed salvation.  The veil was torn at his death- immediately.  Thus it seems that the resurrection was not needed for salvation itself- because that was days later (after the veil was already torn).  And the thief on the cross was promised that he would be with Jesus in heaven.  Making it seem like salvation, as we know it, was going to be available that night as soon as Christ died, in time for the thief to be saved before he died himself.  The thief, didn't wait to die until the resurrection days later right?  All of these things point to Christ's death itself as salvation.  The resurrection was needed for Jesus to be our intercessor, when talking to God, though, so where does the resurrection fit into salvation?  I've never thought about it until now and now it is really bugging me.  Thank you.

Answer
Rob,

You aske a good question. Was the resurrection needed for salvation? The answer is yes--absolutely yes.

The thief on the cross was saved prior to the resurrection. In addition, all saints who died prior to this date, from Adam and Eve to that time, were also saved prior to the resurrection (and even death) of Jesus Christ.

How can this be? To God, time does not matter. Unlike us, time is not a limitation to God. So even though Jesus did not die and rise from the grave until a certain period in time, to God, it has been an eternal reality.

All Old Testament saints were saved in anticipation of Christ's death and resurrection. Today, we look back to this as an accomplished event. To God, it has always been an accomplished event.

Was the resurrection a part of what was need to accomplish the work of salvation? Yes. If Jesus had not risen from dead, then His death on the cross would have been meaningless. Only His resurrection demonstrated that He was more than just a man, He was not liable for His own death, and that He has conquered death.

Read I Corinthians 15, which deals with the importance of the resurrection. Also, the book of Hebrews explains how the events of the Old Testament and the Law pointed forward to Christ and were fulfilled by Him.

I hope this helps. Feel free to write back if you would like to discuss further, or if you have any other questions.

Scott