- Published: September 23, 2022
- Updated: September 23, 2022
- University / College: University of British Columbia
- Language: English
- Downloads: 17
An attempted explanation of Christianity without the mention of the resurrection is an exercise in futility. This is because the Christian religion has its foundation in it. Christians are followers of Christ who is the incarnate son of God that came to offer atonement for sin and reconcile humanity to God.
Jesus Christ was able to reconcile man to God through the death on the cross and resurrection back to life on the third day. To Christians therefore, resurrection ranges through a whole spectrum of accounts of Jesus’ crucified body being restored to life (Wedderburn 192). As the focal point of all arguments on Christianity, the resurrection of Christ dates back to early prophesies of the Old Testament. The fall of man ended fellowship between God and man. God out of love started to work on a plan to restore the relationship permanently and the perfect solution was found in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ therefore came into the world in the form of man and died to reconcile man to God. His resurrection serves a number of purposes that maes it the cornerstone of Christianity. The apostle Paul vividly outlines this in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. It is only through Christ’s resurrection that believes are guaranteed of their resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19). Jesus Christ had earlier introduced himself as the life and the resurrection stating that those who believed in him would live again though they die (John 11: 25).
By this, Christ meant that they would be raised again upon his second return to reign with him eternally. God’s initial plan was to remain in fellowship with man but sin became a stumbling block to that as it brought about death. Christ’s resurrection gives hope that indeed there is a guaranteed resurrection for those that die as believer’s in Christ. The other importance of resurrection is the fact that it gives an assurance of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15: 20-54). Every human being is made of spirit, body and soul. The spirit is the medium of connection between God and man in the life on earth after salvation.
The Bible is clear thhat no flesh shall inherit the kingdom of God. It is also clear that only those that believe in Christ will experience the resurrection; after which they’ll reign with Christ forever hence eternity. It therefore translates that believers have no hope in God’s kingdom without the resurrection. In conclusion, it is only through resurrection that the power of death is defeated (1 Corinthians 15: 55-58). Death came about as a result of sin and it is what alienated man from God.
A resurrection from death therefore translates acceptance from God, all the more proving that indeed the blood of Jesus was able to cleanse from sin that cause death. It is indeed without any reasonable doubt that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basic foundation for Christianity. Without resurrection it would have meant that none of the apostles of Christ would have continued from where he (Christ) left. They had even scattered but through the resurrection, they became bold and went a long way to propel the gospel of Christ all over the world.