“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 24:5
Disprove the resurrection of Christ and Christianity is destroyed. Paul states in his first letter to the Corinthians that if there is no resurrection, then Christ Himself has not been raised and if Christ has not been raised we are still dead in our sins (1Corinthians 15:15-17). In fact, he states three realities if Christ did not rise from the dead.
Our message is meaningless. 1 Cor. 15:14-16. It is empty of truth, it is fruitless, and those proclaiming the gospel are misrepresenting God.
Our faith is worthless. 1 Cor. 15:14,17. Our faith is in vain and our faith has no effect. Our faith is futile, results in absolutely nothing is useless, and serves no purpose.
Our lives are hopeless. 1 Cor. 15:17-19. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then we are still separated from God, still under his condemnation and wrath, are under His judgment, and are destined for an eternity of torment. In fact, Paul goes on to say we are to be most pitied. (v19)
Yet, the fact is that Christ has risen! The resurrection of Christ is rooted in history. It is based on reality, grounded in truth, and open to investigation. Because of this, we do not live like others who do not have hope. The bodily resurrection of Christ affirms at least three things:
It affirms that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is who He says He is.
" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through
him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only Son of God". John 3:16-18
It affirms that his work of salvation is finished. His sacrifice for our sins was acceptable to God and satisfied God’s wrath. We are no longer under His condemnation and have the assurance that Christ has done it all for us.
It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification
Romans 4:24-25
It empowers us to walk as new creations in Christ
"for anyone who is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things pass away. Behold! All things become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of
life. Romans 6:4
The same power that raised Christ from the dead imparts new life to us! Christ lives in us and through us all for the glory of God.
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