“If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.” – Isaiah 7:9b
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you-unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas then to the twelve.” – 1 Cor. 15:1-6
“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” – 1 Cor. 15:12-20
“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen as He said. Come see the place where He lays.'” – Matthew 28:56
He has risen
All of Christianity stands on this truth. As Paul says, if Christ has not been raised our faith is in vain. He goes on to say that if we have no hope of an afterlife, Christians are of all people most to be pitied.
But our faith is not in vain. It is based on facts. Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus was buried. Jesus rose from the grave. Each of these historical events had eyewitnesses, as well as the bodily ascension of Jesus.
The resurrection is not only historical fact, it is unique to Christianity. Christians alone worship a resurrected Savior. Christ wasn’t just a good moral teacher. He didn’t simply impart wisdom to His followers. Nor did He merely live an “upright” life as an example for other. No. Jesus was God in the flesh. He lived a perfect life fulfilling the Law. He bore our sins on the cross, paying a penalty we deserved. He rose from the grave, defeating Satan and death.
Jesus has risen. Because He has, we will too. If we are believers.
Grief with Hope
In 2000, we buried my wife’s dear mother. A woman who had a “firm faith”. In 2010, we buried an infant daughter. Obviously, in both instances, we grieved, but not as those who have no hope. Instead, we practice the wise counsel of Paul. We take encouragement in the truth of the resurrection.
“But we do not want you to be uninformed brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep…Therefore encourage one another with these words.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14,18
As he is teaching about the resurrection, Paul makes this interesting statement, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals'” (1 Cor. 15:33).
Firm in Faith
Literally, what Paul is saying is avoid false teachers. In the context, he is specifically warning against being exposed to those who deny a literal resurrection. The doctrine of the resurrection is foundational. Paul would echo the words of Isaiah quoted above.
“If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.”
We need to take Jesus at His word. “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22).
Happy Resurrection Sunday!!
Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!!