Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so important and how do we benefit from it?
We need only turn to the great “Resurrection Chapter” in the New Testament to answer your question. Of course, I’m speaking of 1st Corinthians chapter 15. We will look at key verses to see that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital to the believer and the benefits are monumental.
Verses 1, 3-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand…For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He ROSE AGAIN the third day according to the Scriptures” (NKJV). We learn in this passage the resurrection of Jesus Christ is part of the gospel message. Sometimes we focus only on the DEATH of Christ for our salvation but that is only HALF of the gospel message. The other half is that He ROSE AGAIN! We see that He “rose again according to the Scriptures,” which means that the Old Testament prophets had foretold His resurrection. One verse that speaks of this is Psalm 16:10, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” The Lord Jesus is the speaker here and He states clearly that the Father would not allow His body to remain in the grave and see corruption. That is why He was raised on the THIRD DAY.
Verses 12-19: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then OUR PREACHING IS EMPTY AND YOUR FAITH IS ALSO EMPTY. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And IF CHRIST IS NOT RISEN, YOUR FAITH IS FUTILE; YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS! THEN ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST HAVE PERISHED. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” Here we learn why the resurrection of Christ is so important. If He did not rise from the dead “our faith is empty” and “we are still in our sins.” It would also mean that those who died believing in Christ have “died in their sins,” which means they are lost forever. This surely proves that the resurrection of Christ is vital, for our salvation depends on it. Thank God that He was raised from the dead, for it was God’s “stamp of approval” on the work Jesus did on the cross to take away our sins. Romans 4:24-25 speak to this, “It (righteousness) shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and WAS RAISED BECAUSE OF OUR JUSTIFICATION.” His resurrection proves that our “sins are gone and we are righteous in God’s sight!”
Verses 20-23: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the FIRSTFRUITS of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the FIRSTFRUITS, afterward THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S AT HIS COMING.” We already saw two great benefits we received from the resurrection of Christ: “our sins are gone” and “we have been justified” (declared righteous). Here is a third benefit; all THE BODIES OF ALL BELIEVERS WHO HAVE DIED WILL BE RAISED AT HIS COMING. We read in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout…and THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” In Philippians 3:20-21 we learn that our bodies will be gloriously changed, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will TRANFORM OUR LOWLY BODY that it may be CONFORMED TO HIS GLORIOUS BODY.” I would encourage you to read verses 35-49 of the chapter we’ve been meditating on to see exactly what our new body will be like. Praise be to God for the DEATH and the RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! We owe every blessing we have, for time and eternity, to these two events. May we never forget that the “resurrection of Christ” is just as important as the “death of Christ.” (DO) (506.5)