Jesus' Resurrection and Why It Matters

Easter Sunday is just a couple of weeks away, we are most likely aware of this because any store you visit will see a mix of Easter lilies, Easter bunnies, and the ever-popular plastic eggs for Easter egg hunts. In church, as Easter nears and on Resurrection Sunday itself, we will hear sermons on the resurrection of Christ, and hopefully, we will spend time meditating on that great truth. But what about other times of the year? We might emphasize other truths of Christ and unintentionally minimize the glorious truth of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

In sharing the gospel with others, we may think we need only present the truths we read about in John 3:16 (which highlights God’s love, the giving of his only Son, and the need to believe to be saved). But the resurrection is an essential component of the gospel, and understanding its significance completes a gospel presentation; furthermore, it tells us what will happen to all of mankind eschatologically. 

In 1 Corinthians 15:1–19 the apostle Paul considers a hypothetical question: What if there was no resurrection? He notes six negative implications if that were the case. The first is that if there was no resurrection of the dead, it means that Christ had not risen and would not be alive today (vv12–13). Second, all preaching and the believer’s faith would be worthless, having no saving power (v14). Third, the New Testament eyewitnesses and all preachers of the resurrection would all be liars (v15). Fourth, all of mankind would be unsaved (vv16–17), and fifth, all who have died previously would have perished (v18). Lastly, Christians would be the most pitiable of all having no hope (v19). 

Paul highlights the importance of Christ’s resurrection by using negatives rather than positives, accentuating its necessity. If the resurrection had not taken place, there would be no saving faith or hope for heaven. Believers can have hope because it was God’s will to crush Jesus to be an offering for sin, and he would “see his offspring; he shall prolong his days” (Isa 53:10). Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would rise, and it would show that God’s wrath had been satisfied (Isa 53:11). Jesus would be resurrected to rule on his throne forever (Ps 89:4). 

It is of utmost importance to include the resurrection when presenting the gospel message, as Romans 10:9 says, “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” God crushed him, raised him, and forgiveness is found with God through Christ’s atoning work. 

The Bible reveals that all mankind will be resurrected one day. Daniel 12:2 states “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Old Testament saints will be resurrected along with those who came to faith and were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev 20:4–6). New Testament believers who have died will be resurrected and joined with the living, raptured believers (1 Thess 4:13–18). Once the resurrections have taken place, all will be judged; Christians will be judged at the Bema Seat (2 Cor 5:1–10) and given rewards; all unbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11–15) and condemned according to what they had done during their lifetime. The truth of coming judgment is a wonderful hope for the believer and a chilling warning for the unbeliever. The same God that has power to raise the dead to life, also has the power to judge in righteous vengeance (Rom 12:19).