The necessity of resurrection Week 13, 2016

“What is so important about the resurrection? Why is it such a hot topic? I know Jesus gained victory over the grave but is there more to it than that?” And if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing1Cor 15:14(ISV). 

Oh yes, a whole lot more. In fact the whole plan of salvation would have failed if Jesus Christ didn’t rise from the dead: and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins1Cor15: 17 (ISV). The claim that sins are forgiven would be a fraud without His rising.

“I don’t understand that. Isn’t it enough that he died for our sins? In dying had Jesus not paid the penalty we owed for salvation?”

I see. Now who was the payment made to and where was the sacrifice presented?

“I know Satan held us captive and Jesus paid our ransom…”

Not to the devil, but to God. Do you remember that in the Old Testament the high priest had to bring the blood of atonement into the holy of holies in the temple when making the yearly sacrifices which only covered sins temporarily? All that was a picture of the real thing to come: a shadow dress rehearsal for real permanent salvation. Well the blood Jesus shed had to be presented in God’s presence, at the original holy of Holies made without hands so as to make it effective as our ransom.  For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf Heb 9:24(ESV). Jesus Christ needed to rise bodily and enter into heaven to present His blood of atonement right there before God for us. But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption Heb 9:1, 12(ESV). That’s how eternal salvation was secured.

“Are you saying if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead He couldn’t have presented His sacrifice to God’s presence?”

Exactly. The sacrifice was made to God, not Satan. The price for our release was presented before God for us to be set free. Our salvation from sin depended on His rising from death. God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God Rom 4:25(CEV). If Satan knew He would rise there is no way he would have had Jesus crucified. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory1Cor 2:8(ESV). 

“Is that so? I can now see why there’s such a fight to ignore or dispute Jesus rose”

Also it makes us know we shall rise too. But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life1Cor 15:20(CEV).