The book of Leviticus carries an important picture:
a bird couldn’t be released until the leper was declared clean.

It shows us a shadow of Jesus’ redemption work.

Christ could not be released from death
until you were declared righteous.

Paul writes:

“[He] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
Romans 4:25

Jesus did not rise in hope of your justification. He rose because of your justification.

The verdict over you changed before the stone rolled away.
The resurrection simply revealed what God had already decreed.

His rising wasn’t God reconsidering your case.

You were pronounced clean, and then Jesus walked free.

God doesn’t wait for you to understand grace before he acts on it.