The importance of Jesus Resurrection – It really matters!

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

¹² But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

In this passage of Scripture the apostle Paul is addressing the belief amongst some of the Corinthian Christians that there was is no resurrection from the dead.   Rejecting the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead has major consequences and this is why Paul was so blunt with the Corinthians. Here are a few of thoughts on the matter:

• The early apostles witnessed Jesus’ life, death, burial and then resurrected life firsthand. Everything about Jesus is validated by his resurrection and it’s where the gospel message gets its power.  If we don’t believe the apostles on this crucial fact how do we go on and believe the New Testament?
• If Jesus did not rise from the dead then our faith in him is useless as we are still trapped in our sins;
• If Jesus did not rise from the dead then what eternal hope would there be for those who have already died in Christ. It would mean there is no hope beyond this life – a short, false hope.  Paul says that this is pitiful for Christians.  Put simply they are being misled.

Dear Lord, thank you that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead and that there is hope for believers in this life and all eternity.  Amen

Written by Ps. Ainslie Woods