The Resurrection Proves
Author: Daniel Miller
April 01, 2023
Like Christmas, Easter is celebrated in our country both
as a Christian holiday and as a cultural holiday. As a cultural holiday, many
businesses are closed and many attend a church service who only do so once or
twice a year. Kids do egg hunts. People buy chocolate rabbits and bright
colored marshmallows in the shape of chicks and load up on sugar. Amid the
festivities of the holiday, it is imperative that Christians not miss the impact
of the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus was an event the early
church unequivocally accepted without dispute as true and factual. There is no
treatise written in the Bible to prove that Jesus rose from the dead. However,
we find in 1 Corinthians 15 a chapter dedicated to revealing what the
resurrection of Jesus proves to believers. There are many truths in 1
Corinthians 15, but I want to highlight
8 affirmations that the
resurrection of Jesus proves with certainty.
1. Jesus is alive today (vss. 5–8, 20)
Paul
recounts the events that happened around the time of Christ’s death and
resurrection. Jesus died for our sins according to Scripture. He was buried, He
was raised from the dead on the third day according to Scriptures. After He was
raised, He appeared to many different people over the course of many days
including Simon Peter, James, all the apostles, 500 disciples, and finally to
the apostle Paul. All those people were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Their
witness testifies to the fact that Jesus is alive today.
Paul
says in Romans 6:9 that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never
die again. Death no longer has dominion over Him! He is alive and will be alive
forevermore. Because of the resurrection of Christ, we know with absolute
certainty that Jesus is alive right now and forevermore.
2. A believer’s salvation is eternally secure (vss. 2, 17–19)
In
addition to verifying that Jesus is alive today, the resurrection also proves
that our salvation is eternally secure. The gospel is the believer’s only hope
of salvation. That Jesus died for our sins,
was buried, and rose again on the
third day is the believer’s only hope for freedom from the condemnation of sin.
But for the resurrection of Christ, we would still be lost in our sins (17),
everyone who has died has perished eternally (18), and those who endure
hardship for believing in Christ have the most pitiful lives ever (19).
Praise
God this is not true! The fact that Christ was resurrected proves that a
believer’s salvation is eternally secure. There is no “if”, “but”, or “maybe”
about our salvation’s security.
3. Christ will return and reign (vss. 23, 25)
Christ’s
resurrection proves both that He is alive today and that He will fulfill His promise
of returning to earth. Jesus is called the “first fruits” of those who have been
raised from the dead. That’s like saying that the first crops are ripe, so the
rest are cerain to follow. He is the first One to be raised and never again
experience death. We will be next! Soon, Christ will return to take His bride
home and raise those in Christ who have already died. The resurrection of Jesus
proves that He will return and take us home.
4. Christ will reign (vs. 25)
Because
Christ has been raised from the dead, it proves that He has been given
authority to judge and reign over all things. He must reign until all enemies
have been subjected to Him. It is no coincidence that the last enemy that will
be put into final submission is death itself (26). Resurrection itself will no
longer be necessary because there will be no death. Death will be swallowed up by life and will
have no power and no sting (55). Jesus will reign and will be victorious over
all things including death itself (57).
5. Suffering for Christ is worth it (vss. 30–32)
If
Christ had not been the first fruits of the resurrection, there would be zero
profit in suffering for Christ. Of all people, we would be most pitiful because
we would not be experiencing all the temporary pleasures. If YOLO, then why
waste any of this life with suffering? Live it up with all the temporary
pleasures possible!
But
Christ
has been raised and His resurrection proves that suffering in
this life is worth it. Why? Because we will be raised from the dead and
rewarded for the deeds that we have done on this earth, whether good or bad (2
Corinthians 5:10). Temporary, light afflictions are nothing in comparison to
the weight of eternal glory we look forward to because of the resurrection of
Christ (2 Corinthians 4:17).
6. We will have an imperishable, glorified body (vss. 42–44, 49, 52–53)
Back in
verse 35, Paul answers the objection of how it could even be possible for a
person to be resurrected to a new and glorified body after death. It may seem
impossible, but the resurrection of Christ proves that we will have an
imperishable, glorified body that will always be ours. This body will be very
different from the one we have right now. Our perishable body will be replaced
with an imperishable. Our dead, rotting corpse will be raised to shine with
glory. Our weak and frail body will be replaced with one having incredible
power. Our current body of flesh will be replaced with a body constituted of spirit.
This huge, exciting change awaits us because of the resurrection of Christ!
7. We will inherit the kingdom of God (vs. 50)
Christ’s
resurrection proves not only that we will receive a glorified body, but also
that we will receive the inheritance of the kingdom of God. I am pretty certain
that the inheritance I receive when my parents pass will be very minimal. Even
if it was a substantial inheritance, it would be nothing in comparison to
having an inheritance in the kingdom of God. I would take this inheritance over
an inheritance from Jeff Bezos any day!
Usually,
it is the
death of someone that guarantees the inheritance for children.
In this case, it is the
resurrection of Christ that guarantees an
inheritance in the kingdom of God. Because of His resurrection, we as believers
have our names written on that inheritance, which we will receive in the age to
come. What a glorious inheritance that will be!
8. That we can live victorious Christian lives in the present age (vs. 58)
Paul
ends his discussion on the resurrection with words of comfort for believers. It
is ONLY because of the resurrection of Jesus that we can live victorious lives
as Christians in this age. By “victorious” I mean that we can do the things
listed in this verse. We
can be steadfast. We
can be immovable.
We
can abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that our toil is not in
vain. We
can be less sinful and more like Christ because of the
resurrection. We do not need to be swayed by every new and popular belief or idea
that comes around. We don’t even have to go to the empty tomb to prove the
validity of any of these statements. We can be certain that
the resurrection
of Christ proves that all of these things are true!
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