Why is the resurrection of Jesus important?
Bible Study Network
The simple Gospel message is “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, and that He was seen by Cephas
[Peter], then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred
brethren at once.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6.)
This account was written by the Apostle Paul in a letter to the church
in Corinth in about 55 A.D. Interestingly, Paul says of the five hundred
brethren who saw the resurrected Jesus, “of whom the greater part
remain to the present.” In other words, most of these 500 men were still
living when Paul wrote his famous letter. If the resurrection was not a
historical fact, a skeptic could have easily written that no such group of
men existed. However, there is no known writing refuting Paul’s
assertion. (Of course, the four gospels and the Book of Acts also refer to
Jesus’ resurrection.)
The tomb in which Jesus was buried is empty. No mere man—no
matter how “spiritual”—rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
All gurus, religious icons, philosophers, and men of renown have met the
fate which awaits us all—death. None of them came back to tell us what
it is like “on the other side.”
Only one person—the man Christ Jesus—died and rose again to
explain to all humanity what awaits on the other side and—most
importantly—how to achieve eternal life in heaven. Jesus is the only
credible witness as to how to obtain eternal life in heaven; all others have
died and have not come back. While their writings may continue to be
published, their “testimony” is not credible. Only a person who has
personal experience is worthy of belief.
Therefore, “God . . . now commands all men everywhere to repent,
because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in
righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained [Christ Jesus]. He has
given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-
31.)
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his
great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus
Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have
a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you,
pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” (1 Peter 1:3-
4 NLT.)
“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down
(that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house
in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by
human hands.” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT.)
In order to know that you know that you know your eternal destiny
will be in heaven, please heed the words of the Messiah, the Christ, the
Son of God, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men
by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12.) Among other things, Jesus
told us:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father but through Me.” (John 14:6 NASB.)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3.)
“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching
the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’”
(Mark 1:14-15.)
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I
would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2
NASB.)
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with
Me.” (Revelation 3:20.)
By accepting Jesus, our means of salvation, we can truly live out the
words of King David, “Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:4
NASB.)
See also, A Savior From Outside of Time.
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