On the incarnation by Athanasius (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 5 (The resurrection).
For example, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead:
(i) death has been destroyed;
(ii) the fear of death is removed;
(iii) Christ is the victor;
(iv) Christ is immortal and working today;
(v) those who disbelieve might as well deny the very laws of nature.
I enjoyed Athanasius' delight in the defeat of death: '...for men who, before they believe in Christ, think death horrible and are afraid of it, once they are converted despise it so completely that they go eagerly to meet it, and themselves become witnesses of the Savior's resurrection from it. Even children hasten thus to die, and not men only, but women train themselves by bodily discipline to meet it. So weak has death become that even women, who used to be taken in by it, mock at it now as a dead thing robbed of all its strength. Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot the passers-by sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Savior on the cross. It is bound hand and foot, all who are in Christ trample it as they pass and as witnesses to Him deride it, scoffing and saying, "O Death, where is thy victory? O Grave, where is thy sting?"'
Instead of fearing death, the Christian looks forward to his death.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 6 (Refutation of the Jews).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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