By Ige Abosede
The District Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Peaceland District, Odi Olowo DCC, Lagos, Pastor F.A. Oke has said that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ proved that physical death is not the termination of human existence
Pastor Oke stated this in his Easter Sunday message obtained by our Correspondent entitled "The Significance of Christ's Resurrection."
In his exact word, the Cleric stated that:"the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the foundation of the Christian faith. This doctine is a fundamental importance in Christianity, both historically and doctrinally. It was the crowning demonstration of the truth of all Christ's claims, (1 cor. 15:14-18). If there was no resurrection, Christianity is a hoax, and we are wasting our time. But the truth is that the event of Jesus' resurrection is incontrovertible.
IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST JESUS:
Professor Thomas Arnold of Rugby, a world-renowned historian, once said that Christ's resurrection from the dead is the "best-attested fact in human history". This being the case, let us briefly examine the significance of Jesus' resurrection:
Firstly, the resurrection is one of the major evidences that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Paul affirmed that Christ is "declared to be the son of God with power... by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4).
Secondly, Jesus' resurrection represents an assurance that we can have forgiveness of our sins. Paul contented: "If christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). The reverse of the apostle's affirmation would be this: if jesus was raised, sins will be forgiven when we obey the gospel (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
Thirdly, the resurrection tells the world that the kingdom of God is ruled by a living sovereign. Other founders of religions in this world are dead and their bones lie dormant in the earth. But the founder of Christianity sixty years after his death appeared to John on the Island of Patmos and said: " I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore" (Revelation 1:17-18).
Fourthly, Jesus' resurrection proves that physical death is not the termination of human existence. God, who is the Giver of life ( 1 Timoth 6:13), has the power to re-animate the human body. Christ's triumph over the grave is Heaven's to pledge to us that we too shall be raised. This is why Jesus is referred to as the "first-fruits of them that are asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23).
Furthermore, the Lord's resurrection previewed the ultimate victory of Christianity over all its enemies. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is doepicted as a lamb that had been slain, but was standing again (5:6). This same Lord was " the lion of the tribe of Judah" that had overcome his foes (5:5). Christians too will overcome as a result of the Lamb's sacrifice and victory over death (cf. Revelation 12:11).
Also, it witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He must have power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not the God worthy of our faith and worship. Only He who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the hideousness of death itself, only He can remove the sting of death and victory that is the grave's (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.
Similarly, the resurrection of Jesus is a testimony to the resurrection of human beings, which is a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Unlike all other religions, Christianity alone possesses a founder who transcends death and who promises that His followers will do the same. All other religions were founded by men and prophets whose end was the grave. As Christians, we take comfort in the fact that our God became man, died for our sins, and was resurrected the third day. The grave could not hold Him. He lives, and He sits today at the right hand of God, the father in heaven.
In 1 Corinthians 15 : 14-20, Paul explains in detail the importance of the resurrection of Christ. Some in the city of Corinth as at that time did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and in this chapter Paul gives *six disastrous consequences if there were no resurrection (of Christ Jesus):
★ our preaching of Christ would be senseless. (v. 14);
★ our faith in Christ would be useless (v. 14);
★ all the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars (v. 15);
★ no one would be redeemed from sin (v. 17);
★ believers who slept in Christ would have perished (v. 18); and
★ christians would be the most pitiable people on the earth (v. 19).
But Christ indeed has risen from the dead and "has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep" (v. 20), assuring that we will follow Him in resurrection.
OTHER BENEFITS
Other benefits of Christ's resurrection can be summarised thus:
1. His resurrection from the dead makes it manifest that his sacrifice was accepted.
2. Our justification was secured by his obedience even to the point of death, and therefore, he was raised from the dead for our justification (Rom. 4:25).
3. His resurrection is a proof that he made a full atonement for our sins, that his sacrifice was accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice, and his blood a ransom for sinners.
4. It is also a pledge and an earnest confirmation of the resurrection of all believers.
5. It proved him (Christ) to be the son of God, in asmuch as it authenticated all his claims (John 2:19; 10:17). " If Christ did not rise, the whole scheme of redemption is a failure, and all the predictions and anticipations of its glorious results for tme and for eternity, for men and for angels of every rank and order, are proved to be mere figment of our imagination. ' But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept'. Therefore, the Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation. Hallelujah!
6. By the resurrection, the kingdom of darkness has been overthrown, Satan has fallen as lightning from heaven, and the triumph of truth over error, of good over evil, of happinessnover misery is forever secured".
7. Resurrection is a victory over death and grave for all believers. (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:47-49; phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:2). As he lives, they shall live also.
8. Christ's resurrection proves that death and grave have no power to hold Jesus Christ, and so is a guarantee that believers in Christ cannot be held down by the powers of death and the grave. Acts 2: 24-32.
CONCLUSION
The inspired Word of God guarantees the believer's resurrection at the coming of Jesus Christ for His Body (the Church) at the Rapture. Such hope and assurance result in a great song of triumph as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55, " Where, O death, is your sting? Where, O grave, is your victory?"
The resurrection is the triumphant and glorious victory for every believer. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose the third day according to the Scripture. And, He is coming again! The dead in Christ will be raised up, and those who remain and are alive at His coming will be transformed (changed) and receive new, glorified bodies (1Thessalonians 4:13-18). The resurrection demonstrated that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. It proves that God has the power to raise us from the dead. It guarantees that those who believe in Christ will not remain dead, but will be resurrected unto eternal life. That is our blessed hope!"