The Resurrection is Our Hope

1 Corinthians 15:14-19 - And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain: If there is no resurrection, then Jesus is not risen, and Paul and the other apostles have preached in vain. There is no real, resurrected Jesus whom they serve.

Worse, if Christ is not risen, then we are found false witnesses of God. If there is no principle of resurrection, and if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then the apostles are liars.

Worse yet, if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! We can follow Paul’s logic point-by-point:

· If there is no principle of resurrection, then Jesus did not rise from the dead.

· If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then death has power over Him and defeated Him.

· If death has power over Jesus, He is not God.

· If Jesus is not God, He cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins.

· If Jesus cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins, our sins are not completely paid for before God.

· If my sins are not completely paid for before God, then I am still in my sins.

· Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save.

Worse still, if Christ is not risen, then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If there is no principle of resurrection, then the dead in Christ are gone forever.

Worst of all, if Christ is not risen, then in this life only we have hope in Christ, and we are of all men the most pitiable. If there is no principle of resurrection, then the whole Christian life is a pitiful joke! If we don’t have something beyond this life to look forward to, why hassle with the problems that arise from being a Christian?

See how important the truth of the resurrection is! This is one of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

· The divinity of Jesus rests on the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 1:4).

· The sovereignty of Jesus rests on the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 14:9).

· Our justification rests on the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 4:25).

· Our regeneration rests on the resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3).

· Our ultimate resurrection rests on the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 8:11).

“The fact is, that the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the blessings, from regeneration onward to our eternal glory, and binds them together.” (Spurgeon)

John 20:31 - But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Based on The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.