CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also
you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... -1 Corinthians 15:1-4

This passage in 1 Corinthians 15 is one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. This is the
gospel. We never graduate from the gospel. Paul goes on to talk about all of the people the resurrected Christ appeared to. I especially love this bit when he says, “He appeared to
more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now.” I love that,
“most of whom remain until now.” It’s like Paul is saying, “listen, Jesus really rose from
the dead, but just in case you don’t believe me, go ask these other people who are still alive… they saw Him too!”

When I have the opportunity, I like to ask atheists what proof of the resurrection would they accept? So many people like to try to justify their own unbelief by appealing to the lack of proof, but the truth is there is a lot of proof for the resurrection of Christ. Paul even says “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1 Co 15:14). Everything hinges on the Resurrection. If it happened, it is of ultimate importance. If it didn’t happen, then even Paul says that our faith is in vain.

This is our hope as believers. Christ is “the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Co 15:20). The penalty for sin, going way back all the way to Genesis is death, but praise God, for His free gift of eternal life to all who believe (Romans 3:23). As Christians, we don’t believe in some ethereal, ghostly, afterlife. No! We believe that one day, the dead in Christ will rise and live forever with Jesus as He reigns upon the throne of David forever and ever (See 2 Samuel 7).

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:3-5a).

Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!