Jesus Christ the Savior, Alleluia! Has this day the victory won. He has conquered death. Sing Alleluia! One and all sing praises to the Son. (Frederick Parsonage)
Eternal Perspectives by Sally Bair
Christ is risen! Hallelujah!
The very core of the Christian faith is based on the biblical fact that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead. His resurrection, proclaimed by the early church, brought joy in the fact that Jesus was not only a suffering Savior but their living Lord. However, a certain sect of people believed that Jesus rose from the dead as a spirit and not as a human. Many still believe that misguided truth.
The apostle Paul, who received many personal revelations from the Lord, refutes such teaching in his chapter 15 of First Corinthians. His words substantiate the truth about Jesus’ bodily resurrection.
Paul writes: “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 … and that He was seen by Cephas [Peter], then by the twelve. After that, He was seen by over 500 brethren at once … was seen by James, then by all the apostles.” (verses 3-8) Paul even quotes the prophecy of Psalm 16:10. “For You will not … allow Your Holy One [Jesus] to see corruption.”
First Corinthians 15 also says, in part: “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. … And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have [died] in Christ have perished.” (verses 13-14, 17-18)
As Jesus lay in the darkness of His tomb, so do buds and flowers and the vegetable seeds we sow remain in the darkness of earth until moisture and warmth resurrect them. Paul writes: “How are the dead raised up? … Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. (verse 35)
Paul’s continued teaching reveals that Jesus’ resurrection was meant to show what lies ahead for those of us who put our trust in Christ. Because He conquered death through His bodily resurrection, we need not fear death. We too can expect to live eternally, through faith, once we die physically.
Thank You, Lord, for the hope we have through Your Son’s bodily resurrection. As we consider the shortness of our days, bring us to a sure and steady faith not only regarding our future life with You in eternity, but also a daily trust in Your Word and promises. In Jesus’ name, we proclaim hallelujah, He is risen! Amen.
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