What Christ’s Resurrection Did!
For the apostle Paul, Christ’s resurrection was the
essential truth, the hinge doctrine of the Christian faith. “And
if Christ has not been raised,” he testified, “your faith
is FUTILE, you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).
Strong words. Paul emphasized it twice: “If Christ has not
been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (v.
14).
What was so important about Jesus coming back from the dead?
There had been biblical resurrections before – the boy Elijah
healed, the man in Elisha’s day, Lazarus of Bethany being
raised by Jesus. What made the resurrection of Jesus the sine qua non
of the Gospel story? Consider four things:
- Jesus, the Second Adam, repaired and restored the failure of the
First Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). As in Adam all were led into sin,
so in Christ has all humanity now been made accepted in the Beloved
Son (Ephesians 1:6). By living a sinful life as perfect man and
perfect God, Jesus drew all men to Himself and the Father – the
curse has been lifted, we all have access to God.
- The Resurrection of Jesus through the Holy Spirit confirmed and
certified all the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20). Through that
one act the promises made to the Fathers – once held in trust,
we could say – have now been fully activated. That promise
includes our own eventual rising from the dead at the Resurrection
of the Just when our spirits will once again be united with our
bodies.
- Jesus’ Resurrection made possible his Ascension to the
Father. This is the event described in Hebrews 9:16 whereby the Son
entered the heaven of heavens with his own blood to make full
atonement for our sins. Where would we be without that act of
intercession?
- Jesus’ Resurrection gives us a living High Priest, one
always on the job interceding for us daily in heaven and shielding
us from the accusations of the Devil when we stumble (Romans 8:34).
Surely this by itself is cause for great rejoicing and thanksgiving.