If Christ Be Not Raised

One of the cardinal doctrines of the New Testament is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are 38 references to the resurrection of Jesus in the books of the New Testament. The resurrection of our Lord is mentioned at least 13 times in the book of Acts alone so it was the center of the preaching of the apostles and other inspired men. If a person believes in the resurrection of our Lord then all the other miracles listed in the Bible can be easily accepted as being true. Should a person deny the resurrection of Jesus then the other miracles would also be denied.

In the epistle to the “church of God which is at Corinth” the apostle Paul writes in detail concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The general resurrection at his second advent is predicated upon the fact that our Lord Himself was resurrected from the dead. To deny one is to deny both. In the time of Paul, the Greeks did not believe in the resurrection of the body. They felt like the spirit relieved of the body was actually a blessing and the human body would never be resurrected. Even among the Jews, there was a sect called the Sadducees that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (Matthew 22:23). In the great resurrection chapter of I Corinthians 15, the apostle deals at length with this important subject.

Here are some fateful conclusions which must be accepted if Christ was not raised from the dead.

1. “OUR PREACHING IS VAIN” (V.14). The central theme of the apostolic message was the resurrection of Jesus; that is, “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he arose again the third day according to the scriptures”. The first gospel sermon that was preached by the 12 apostles dealt with the death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:24, 30, 31).

2. “YOUR FAITH IS IN VAIN” (14, 17). Our faith in the deity of Christ rests largely upon His resurrection. If He had not risen, His words were false because He Himself predicted His resurrection. “Jesus answered and said unto them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remember that he spake this; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said"  (John 2:19-22; See also Luke 9:22; Matthew 12:40). IF Jesus was not raised from the dead he would have proven to be inferior to death and the grave. The redemptive work of God was accomplished through the resurrection of Jesus. It gave spiritual power to those who believed to live a life of holiness and to posses the belief in eternal life. Please observe that the term “vain” in verse 14 and in verse 17 are different. “Vain” in verse 14 means void and in verse 17 it means “devoid of force and truth.”

3. “WE ARE FOUND FALSE WITNESS OF CHRIST” (V. 15). The apostles were told by Jesus that they were to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8). If Christ was not raised, the apostles were false witnesses in stating that they had seen him after his resurrection. Either one of the following two things would have to be true. The apostles deceived themselves; or, they were some of the world’s greatest liars and imposters. To bear false witness against men is bad but to bear false witness concerning Christ is even worse.

4. “YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINS” (V.17). A dead redeemer who has not been raised is no redeemer at all! It is true that Jesus died for our sins but Paul wrote in Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Also, Jesus “was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). The resurrection of Jesus lies at the foundation of faith and forgiveness of sins, and without it a confession of faith in Jesus Christ is meaningless.

5. “THEY ALSO THAT HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST HAVE PERISHED” (V.18). Their loved ones who had obeyed Christ and lived for him who had died were lost if Christ was not raised. It isn’t that they were annihilated but rather they were before God the Father without an Advocate and Mediator. There was no one to help them. They were in God’s presence with their sins still upon them if Christ be not raised. If Christ was not raised from the dead then the term “asleep in Jesus” is nothing but a mocking rhetoric, a worthless expression denoting no comfort whatsoever. But Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that they have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28, 29; See also I Thessalonians 4:13-17, Emphasis, Mine, RE).

6. “IF WE HAVE ONLY HOPED IN CHRIST IN THIS LIFE, WE ARE OF ALL MEN MOST PITIABLE” (V.19). Believers in Christ are worse off than the unbeliever if Christ be not raised. Degrees of pitiableness are regulated by hope. Christians are most pitiable because of their willingness to suffer, to be mocked and to die because of their hope in Christ if he be not raised from the dead. The apostle Paul compared all his sufferings as “light afflictions” in comparison to that “eternal weight of glory” awaiting him in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18). But such sufferings would be in vain if Christ be not raised. However the Christian has this precious promise: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3;Emphasis, Mine, RE).

The apostle Paul writes of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as being an established fact in chapter 15:20-22. During the 40 days between the resurrection of Christ and his ascension back to heaven, he appeared 10 times to different ones beginning with his appearance to the women (“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary”, Matthew 18:1). In 1 Corinthians 15:5-9, Paul mentioned several of his appearances: “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” The evidence therefore is overwhelming that Jesus Christ did in fact arise from the grave.

The lives of his apostles were changed after his resurrection. Christianity began to spread with great rapidity throughout the Roman World. Even after nearly 2,000 years the resurrection of Jesus Christ is having a tremendous impact on the lives of countless men and women who believe in Him as being the divine Son of God. Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome wrote the following: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17, 18). A “form” is a likeness and the “form” of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is found in Romans 6:1-4 when Paul wrote that the Christians had died to sin and were buried with their Lord in baptism and were raised to “walk in newness of life.”

The empty tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea is proof beyond any reasonable doubt that we serve a risen savior.

Encouragers

Webster defines the word “encourage”: “to give courage, hope, or confidence to; embolden, hearten. To give support to; be favorable to; foster help.” In the epistles to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul used the word “encourage” several times: “Therefore, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens and send Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in the gospel of the Messiah, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions, for which you are aware that we were destined” (1 Thess. 3:2, NIV). “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (4:18, ESV). ‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (5:11, ESV). “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (5:18, ESV). “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thess. 2:16, 17, NIV).

There are Christian men and women who have the God given talent to speak words of kindness and encouragement to their brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. Paul, in his epistle to church in Rome, exhorted those members to use that gift: “if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:8, NIV). We need more Christians like Barnabas whose name means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). To encourage is to “exhort”, that is, to build up and strengthen one another in the most holy faith. In Hebrews 3:13 we are admonished to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13, NIV).

One of the reasons for us to encourage (exhort) one another is because Satan has a camouflaged weapon that really takes a toll on weary Christians and that is discouragement. If he cannot win you over through the lust of the flesh, the lust the eyes and the pride of life, he often uses this weapon to get members to give up the Lord and quit the church. Here are words of inspiration that are found in Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” One of the primary reasons for our worship assemblies is to exhort (encourage) one another. “(N)ot neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV). And we often do this very thing through our singing. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). The following hymn, written by Frank M. Davis in 1892, is one that we have often sung as a source of encouragement. (You can click HERE to find out more about this Christian song writer.)

LIVE FOR JESUS

“Live for Jesus, O my brother, His disciple ever be; Render not to any other, What alone the Lord’s should be Live for Jesus, wandering sinner, Under Satan serve no more; Of the prize a winner Thou may’st be, when life is o’er. Live for Jesus in life’s morning; At the noontide hour be His, And at eve, when day is turning, And inherit endless bliss. Live for Jesus, live for Jesus, Give Him all thou hast to give; On the cross the world’s Redeemer Gave His life that thou mightst live.”

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