In a few short weeks Christians around the world will celebrate Easter. It is the biggest day on the calendars for those that name Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Churches are making plans for worshipping our Lord with songs, prayers, preaching, teaching and praising their resurrected Lord. However, the skeptics will be out in force. They always are! The slandering began the day the tomb was discovered to be empty. Matthew 28:11-15 tells the story of the first conspiracy concerning the empty tomb. The chief priests heard the tomb did not have the body of Jesus any longer. Panic set in. They called the tomb guards and bribed them to say. “The disciples stole the body.” Of course, this does not pass the smell test. A well-armed group of Roman soldiers, tasked with securing the tomb, was tricked or overcome by a group of ragged, un-armed, untrained disciples because they wished to foment the big lie. The lie of course, was Jesus was raised from the dead. If these guards failed, it meant their lives. Yet, that is the first story that hit the streets.
The world knows quite a bit about death. It is part of every group of people and has been since the beginning. Every civilization has experienced death, feared death and tried to overcome death only to fail. In our lives we are constantly hearing of death. In our history books, at least the older ones, death is on their pages. It could be the “Black Plague” in Europe, the genocide on the continent of Africa or the Middle East, or the 100 million that died in the 20th century under socialist governments. Cemeteries testify to death, funeral homes seeking to help families through difficult times have a steady clientele and the obituaries always have fresh names. What the world does not know about is resurrection.
I Corinthians 15 is a chapter that explains much about the resurrection. The beginning of the chapter has proof from the testimony of eyewitnesses, hundreds of witnesses. This testimony would be overwhelming in any court of law. Beginning in 15:12-19, Paul logically lays out the case for the importance of the resurrection. It is like a chain reaction. Let’s look at the seven “ifs” used by the great Apostle in this passage.
- 15:12. “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead.” Deniers had infiltrated the church family. If a man or woman does not believe the resurrection of Jesus they are not saved, period. This cardinal doctrine cannot be dismissed, yet there are some that are denying the resurrection as vehemently as any Sadducee.
- 15:13. “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen.” Do you see the progression? If there is no resurrection then Christ cannot be resurrected.
- 15:14. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” The preaching of salvation is useless if Christ did not rise. The faith that supposedly saves is empty and useless if Jesus is dead.
- 15:15. “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.” If there is no resurrection then we are lying wolves rending the flock, and false witnesses because we said it was true.
- 15:16. “For if the dead rise not, then Christ is not Christ raised:” If no one that died will ever be raised, then Jesus was not either.
- 15:17. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” Without the resurrection of Christ, you are still lost, separated from God and bound for an eternity without any hope. 15:18 explains that even those of the church family that have died are hopeless. They have perished.
- 15:19. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Think of the troubles these Corinthian Christians faced. Persecuted by haters, constantly failing in their walk with the Lord and basically living a life without much joy. No hope. This is the best it gets if there is no resurrection.
But there was a resurrection. No subject in the Bible has been more thoroughly investigated than the resurrection. Every denying argument conceived by man has been tried and has failed miserably. In 15:20, Paul declares “But now IS Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” I will not give an inch on the resurrection. Salvation is wholly dependent upon that doctrine. Jesus died, was buried and three days later he rose from the grave just as he said he would. Accepting resurrection denier’s claims puts you on a hopeless path. No compromise here. No giving in just to get along. Because he resurrected the first fruits, so we shall live with him even if we pass away before he comes. We will be raised incorruptible (15:52). We already have victory (15:57). Because of the resurrection, stay strong and work hard for the Lord (15:58).