The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead
Have you ever considered just how important the resurrection of Jesus is to our faith and the overall scheme of redemption? I doubt that many have really felt its weight. It is paramount. In I Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul defends the truth of the resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees denied the resurrection, and Paul argues that with such a position they were also denying the deity of Jesus Christ!
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: (I Cor. 15:12-13)
Like dominos dropping, Paul argues how our hope of heaven falls apart with this one false notion about the resurrection. In verses 13-19, the master logician inspired by the Holy Ghost lays it out for us.
“If Christ be not risen...”
1. We have nothing to teach. “...then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised...” If He is not risen we are preaching a lie and are false witnesses. It is as true today as in the first century–if we are robbed of the resurrection, the entire doctrine of Christ is empty and vain. We are preaching the Gospel, and Paul defines the Gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
2. We have nothing to believe. “... And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain...” Vain means empty and worthless. Paul is right. We sing the words, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness...” Here is where our hope is. We believe Jesus told us the truth: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt. 16:21).
3. We have nothing to hope for. “...ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Forgiveness is the most precious word in our language. Guilt is the most painful hurt. Without our hope through Jesus, the comfort and release we feel from the guilt of our sin is plastic. We feel better, but the awful truth is that our sins still stain our souls. Carry this a step further and you realize that those faithful Christians who have “fallen asleep” (i.e. died), are eternally lost too. We have said our final good-bye.
4. We are of all men most miserable. “... If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” We are the most pitiable of men because we have put our everything into being Christians. We knew this required a total sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2), and we gave it. If now it turns out that Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are like people who bought into a bogus insurance policy which promises to pay until the day you need it.
There you have it. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead fills us with the courage necessary to daily live the Christian life. It validates our walk and efforts. All of these sad and negative statements can truly be reversed to positives because Jesus did rise from the dead! Our preaching is valid. Our faith is valid. We are telling the truth when we preach the Gospel of Jesus and include His resurrection. We are not still in our sins because they have all been forgiven. Our Christian loved ones who have died are in blissful existence in the loving arms of Jesus, and we can dream of the time when we will meet again in the land that is fairer than day. And therefore we, of all men, are most contented.
By: Glenn Colley