Why the Resurrection?

IF Christ have not risen, then our preaching of the gospel - VAIN!!

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

We are created uniquely in that we were created with both body and spirit, (or body, soul, and spirit - whichever way you prefer to view it). This marriage of physical and spiritual qualities constitutes our existence. However, none of us can fully realize how it was from the beginning. We are incapable of realizing our nature without the presence of sin.

The resurrection restores the existence we lost in the garden. We will be whole in the fullest sense that God created us to be, fully equipped to enjoy all that God created us to experience both naturally and spiritually.

Redemption is about both soul and body. Both constitute the whole of who we are and both have been purchased by Christ's blood.

 

Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

HankD

 

"The resurrection restores the existence we lost in the garden. We will be whole in the fullest sense that God created us to be, fully equipped to enjoy all that God created us to experience both naturally and spiritually."

I disagree with this (I think) - the resurrection brought us not only forgiveness of sins, but brought us into new life and fellowship with the Father, which, I believe, surpasses that which Adam lost. In Christ we have died to the law, we have been buried, we have risen into new life, and we have ascended to sit in heavenly places in Christ.
Dean

 

The ultimate answer to the question of "WHY?"

is

"WHY NOT?"

Seriously, it is because God said so. Does not really matter what His reasons were, though some others have advanced some good ideas earlier.

Here is another question. Can the resurrection body get fat?

 

Victory over death necessitates life. If Christ was still dead, then he would not have conquered death. Because Christ is life, it was impossible for death to hold him captive.

 

Jesus' resurrection serves as a testimony to us that there is life after death. If there had been no resurrection, then how would we have known Jesus' power over death? What evidence would there be of life after death, and the resurrection promised us?

Another thing, Jesus spent part of that additional 40 days teaching his apostles, who now KNEW He was God and more fully understood His teachings.

 

I have always thought and heard it that Jesus was the sacrifice and that when he rose from the dead, that was God's way of saying that the sacrifice was sufficient and complete. That, if Jesus had not risen, then his work on the cross would not have been complete.

 

From understanding the resurrection was when He was raised again for our justification. Meaning that He declared His people just. This is the proof that God accepted teh Sacrafice of His son three days prior to wit He made His peopel just before a Holy God during the Three hours of Darkenss (2nd 5:21, 2pe 2:24, matt 20:28, Is 53 11-12,etc) This is pictured from Lev 16 and several other passages.

The physical resurection of Christ declared that He finished the work he stated he finished three days prior. This declaration was for us to know that he had finished it. for example do you remember the men going to emmaus? Luke 24 they were down trodden becasue there was a man that should have redeemed Israel and it is the Third day and he is not risen...

Luke 24
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Now he taught them, theses things... then when they arrived back and the blessed them to see Him... their hearts burned within? Why because Christ himself had taught about the redemption from the OT and shortly after that they saw Christ, this is to say... they knew that they were redeemed becuase they had teh proof of the resurection and they were not miserable.

I can share more later..... you are speaking of the atonement and Ex 30 and Lev 16 are teaching in types and shadows of what Christ our eternal high preist performed on our behalf when He expereintially became a high priest to offer the sacrafice.... that was he was experintially a Savior.... he was born a Savior(in mind purpose of God) but His time had to come to full fill his purpose... Matt 1:21...

When we see the empty tomb and believe we realize we are free men by the life He gave on the tree... then He said it is finished bowed His head and gave up the ghost and He went to God... His body laid until He rose again to declare to us that He finished it the proof the atonement was accomplished...

I know you may disagree but let's reason together.. I am here to learn..

God bless,

larry

 

I agree with Pastor Larry.

My pastor says that Christ died to atone for our sins, and resurrected to give us life in the Kingdom.

The atonement was complete on the cross; but physical triumph over death is ours because Christ bodily rose. It also showed Christ's triumph over death.

And as Christ was raised, so are the believers, so that God may show us the "surpassing riches of His grace":

Also, the resurrection gives us hope:

 

Some of My Thoughts on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth writes:

1 Corinthians 15:12-19, KJV
12. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Why does Scripture teach that the resurrection of Jesus Christ necessary? Why is Paul so adamant about the necessity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the salvation of the elect. Jesus Christ through His death on the cross paid the penalty, made atonement, for our sins and paid the ransom price for our redemption.

Jesus Christ, in prophecy and in history, was the first and only one to rise from the dead to die no more. I believe that there are at least three reasons why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to salvation.

1. The resurrection is necessary to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and the promises of Jesus Christ.
2. The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that His death on the cross was indeed redemptive. The resurrection puts God’s stamp of approval on the work of Jesus Christ.
3. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the guarantee of our resurrection.

1. The resurrection is necessary to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and the promises of Jesus Christ.

While the prophecy in the Old Testament of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is perhaps not as clear as those of His sacrificial death, the psalmist, David, spoke of it:

Psalms 16:10, KJV
10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

That the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are clear teachings of Old Testament Scripture is shown in the incident of the risen Lord and two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Luke 24:25-27, KJV
25. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Similarly, the Apostle Paul when defending the Gospel before his accusers, said:

Acts 26:22-23, KJV
22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23. That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

As noted above Jesus Christ Himself inferred His coming death and resurrection. Later in His ministry His teaching would be more explicit as we see in the following passage from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 8:31, KJV
31. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

2. The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that His death on the cross was indeed redemptive. The resurrection puts God’s stamp of approve on the work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:3-4, KJV
3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4. And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Acts 2:23-24, KJV
23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

In His high priestly prayer, before He went to the cross Jesus Christ declared:

John 17:4-5, KJV
4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He indeed had finished the work that the Father had given Him. The resurrection establishes once and for all time that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be. After His resurrection and ascension the full glory of the Triune Godhead was restored to Jesus Christ.

3. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the guarantee of our resurrection.

Jesus speaking to Martha after the death of Lazarus says:

John 11:25, KJV
25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Earlier Jesus had taught His followers:

John 5:28,29, KJV
28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The Apostle Peter writes:

1 Peter 1:3, KJV
3. Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Finally Paul tells us:

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, KJV
20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24. Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26. The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.

Without the resurrection the cross is just another tragedy in a world full of tragedies and we are still in our sins and are of all people most miserable and deluded. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact and one great and glorious day:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, KJV
16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51, 52
51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 7:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 2:11-15
11. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

In addition remember how sad and discouraged the apostles were at the death of Christ. They became timid and were hiding hoping nobody would discover them. Once they saw the risen Christ they became bold. They had visible tangible proof that this was indeed the Lord Jesus Christ Reddemer of the lost.At this point they willingly sufferred beatings and all but John became martyrs they believed so strongly. this also separates Jesus from all false religion.

 

I haven't seen Romans 4 quoted yet (maybe I missed it). Paul is discussing how Abraham's faith foreshadowed ours, and in verse 25 he says that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification. Christ's death for our sins only solved part of the problem. We would be innocent but we would still lack righteousness, which God still requires. Paul says that the righteousness of Christ is imputed (counted, credited) to those of us who believe in God, who raised Christ from the dead.

The ESV says it this way (read the whole chapter to get the full context):

Romans 4:24b-25 (ESV)
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.

Or if you prefer the KJV rendering:

Romans 4:24-25 (KJV)
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Without the resurrection there is no justification for sinners.

 

I am amazed at how people read into verses. Romans 4 speaks of FAITH being counted (or imputed, if you will) for righteousness. There is NOTHING here about a righteousness of Christ being imputed or put to the account of the believer. It is by dying with Christ that we are delivered from the righteous demands of the law, and through his resurrection we are raised to new life, and are made to sit in heavenly places in Him, having become the righteousness of GOD in Him.
Dean

 

OK, OK, you are right, it is in chapter 3.

Romans 3:21-22a (ESV)
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Sorry for saying it was in chapter 4.

 

Romans 3 speaks of FAITH being counted (or imputed, if you will) for righteousness. There is NOTHING here about a righteousness of Christ being imputed or put to the account of the believer.