The Christian church is founded upon the physical resurrection of Jesus more so than the teachings of Jesus. If it were not for the physical resurrection, there would be no Christianity nor a Christian church. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1Co 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?
1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. …. 1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins… 1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
We have hope and promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come because of the physical resurrection of Jesus from among the dead. As Paul said, if he be not risen then our faith is in vain. But now is Christ risen from the dead…”
The Bible says in order to have the gift of eternal life, we must believe that Jesus rose physically from the dead. Some teach contrary to the Bible, saying Jesus only rose a spirit being but not physically. Others teach that Jesus did not die but was in a swoon, like unconscious state and his disciples nursed him back to health. A far-fetched contrary teaching of the Bible. Robert Russell in his writings “Resurrection Promises” shares this story. A woman wrote J. Vernon McGee saying: “Our preacher said that on Easter Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed him back to health. What do you think?” McGee replied, “Dear Sister, beat your preacher with a leather whip for thirty-nine heavy strokes. Nail him to a cross. Hang him in the sun for six hours. Run a spear through his heart. Embalm him. Put him in an airless tomb for three days. Then see what happens.”
The fact is, according to the Bible, Jesus rose physically from the dead and is our guarantee that if we receive Him as our personal Savior and Lord, that when we die or when He comes for His Bride the Church, those who have died, being in Him, will rise physically to meet Him in the air and take us to heaven with Him for eternity. A person cannot go to heaven with Jesus if they do not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus. The Bible says in Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Belief in the physical resurrection of Jesus is what the early church was persecuted for but all the persecution did not stop the church from growing and confessing the physical resurrection of Jesus. Many are still persecuted today for believing the same truth. But this is the Gospel in simple faith.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
This Easter, confess and receive the risen Christ, who is our guarantee as well.