(The Resurrection - Part 1 | Part 2)
Now, we are ready to answer the question: Why is the resurrection so important to the Christian faith?
In this part we will also look at the differences between the earthly and the resurrected bodies, as well as the future state of both the Christian and the non-Christian
Paul answered these and other questions in his first letter to the Corinthian church.
The Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:13-14
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then even Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
1. If there is no resurrection from the dead, what is the result?
The Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:15-16
“More than that, we are false witnesses about God...For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.”
2. What other consequences does Paul give?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:17
“And if Christ has not been raised, their faith is useless and they are still in their sins.”
3. What are the further consequences?
The Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:19
“[Then] we are to be pitied.”
4. What would be the effect on believers?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:20
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (died).”
5. What does Paul call Christ in this verse?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15: 21-22
“For since death came through a man [Adam], the resurrection came through a man. For as in Adam, all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
6. What is the relationship between Adam and Christ?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15: 23-24
“But each in his own turn: Christ the first fruits; then when He comes, each who belong to Him. Then the end will come when He turns over the kingdom to God after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.”
7. What is the sequence given here?
The Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:26
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
8. What is the last enemy to be destroyed?
9. How long must Christ reign?
The whole validity of the Christian faith lies in the resurrection. For as Paul states, if Christ did not rise from the dead, then our preachers are liars and the believers still live in their sins.
Both Pilate and the chief priests recognized this. Before Jesus was resurrected, Pilate put guards around His tomb so His body could not be removed. Also after learning that Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb, the chief priests bribed the soldiers to say that His body had been removed by His followers while they were asleep.
Another question that intrigues many is what our bodies will be like after death and resurrection.
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:40
“There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.”
10. Will our heavenly bodies be the same as our earthly bodies?
The Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
11. How does Paul describe the earthly body?
12. How does he describe the heavenly body?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:50
“Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”
13. What does Paul say about flesh and blood (the perishable body)?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:51
“We will all be changed in a flash.”
14. How will we all be changed?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:52-54
“For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will be true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
15. Describe Paul’s sequence of events.
16. What will happen to death?
The Scripture: I Corinthians 15:56-57
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
17. What is the sting of death and the power of sin?
18. Who gives us the victory?
We can also draw some conclusions from the appearance of Jesus after His resurrection. In some ways, spiritual bodies are similar to earthly bodies; in other ways they are different.
During His forty days on earth following His resurrection, Jesus appeared many times to the disciples and others.
The Scripture: Matthew 18:9
“Suddenly Jesus met them (the disciples). ‘Greeting,’ He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him.
19. How soon did the disciples recognize Jesus?
On other occasions they were not so quick to recognize Him. In John 24, we have the story of the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Although they spent time together, Verse 16 tells us - that their eyes were restrained and they did not recognize Him for some time.
The Bible does not say if food is essential to the resurrected body, but on at least one occasion, Jesus ate. More importantly, death is not the end of existence for either the non-believer or the believer.
The Scripture: John 5:29
“A time is coming when all who are in their graves will come out…those who have done good will raise to live and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
20. What will happen to the evil doers?
Although we do not know much about the destination of evil doers, it is sometimes described as a place of darkness, of eternal fire and brimstone. Both fire and darkness are symbolic of punishment, banishment from the presence of God.
What then is the destiny of the believer? In Revelation, the Apostle John gives us a picture of the Christian’s ultimate future.
The Scripture: Revelation 21:3-5, 7
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”
21. Where will the Christian live?
22. What will be gone?
The Scripture: Revelation 22:4
“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.”
23. Who will provide the light?
What a glorious future for the Christian: living for eternity with Jesus.
The Scripture: Hebrews 10:12
“When this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”
24. Where is Jesus today?
Yes, the proof of Jesus’ resurrection is of prime importance to the Christian and ultimately the whole world, providing the evidence that Jesus is truly the Son of God who died to save us from our sins.
The Answers
- Their faith is futile and they are still in their sins.
- The disciples are false witnesses about God, and Christ has not been raised either.
- Their faith is useless and they are still their sins.
- [Then] we are to be pitied.
- The first fruits of those who have died
- Death came through one man (Adam) and resurrection through another man (Christ)
- First Christ, then those who belong to Him; then after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power, He will turn over the Kingdom to God
- Death
- Until He has put all enemies under His feet
- No, Paul says they will be different
- Perishable, dishonorable, weak, and natural
- It is raised in power.
- They cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
- We will all be changed in a flash.
- At the sound of the trumpet, the dead will be raised imperishable, the mortal, with immortality.
- It will be swallowed up in victory.
- Sin and the law
- Jesus
- Immediately
- They will rise condemned.
- With God
- Death, mourning, crying or pain
- The Lord God
- At the right hand of God
All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, New International Version
(unless otherwise indicated)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, New International Bible Society
Copyright © 2009 by JoAnne Sekowsky