The Believer's Resurrection 2023

By: Angela Lee Price

It is no more remarkable that we should live again than that we should live at all!  We just need to think of the bewildering complexity of the human body and the even more intricate workings of the human personality to see that we are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14).  The God who could make us once can certainly make us again.  What is of utmost importance to the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.  It is a fundamental, factual, and fervent belief.  It gives us hope for the future.  Because  Jesus died and rose again on the third day, we too, by faith shall be raised in our mortal bodies to put on immortality to spend eternity with the Lord.

Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a fundamental belief.  In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth to remind them of the gospel he had preached  to them stating, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...." (1 Corinthians 15: 3-4).  This is the eu angelion, the gospel which means "Good News." Apart from it the Word of God is a false, the work of Christ is a failure, and the witness of the Spirit is a farce.

The Resurrection is a factual belief.  The Apostle Paul referenced the Scriptures used logic and factual evidence to combat the false teaching of those claiming there was no resurrection of the dead.  He provided proof of the resurrection of Christ.  Paul stated, ...he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve, then to 500 brothers and sisters at the same time...He then appeared to James and to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me...." (vv5-8).  Paul put icing on the list of witnesses to the resurrection stating, "and.. he appeared to me". In other words, I am not telling you what I heard or what I think I know. I am telling you what I know.   Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus later on the road to Damascus as he was persecuting the saints.  Do you have a "know-so" faith?  Have you had a personal encounter with Jesus on your own "Damascus Road"?  Then you ought to tell somebody about the Lord!

Paul said if Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is useless.  But Christ did rise from the dead and we will also be resurrected (vv12-14; 20-23).  Jesus speaking to Martha when Lazarus died said, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11: 25-26).  Then he asked her the ultimate question, the question I am asking you now, "Do you believe this?"  Martha answered, "Yes, Lord...."  What is your answer?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ --as wonderous as it is, as marvelous and as game-changing as it is-- it is not the end of God's display of power!  Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, believers shall be raised from the dead also.   Our resurrected bodies will be the same bodies. Thomas would not believe unless he felt Jesus' wounds.  Jesus proved it to Peter, John and the disciples whom he called from their boat to have breakfast with him along sea shore before he ascended. Paul told the church as with Jesus, "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (vv42-44). Our bodies, will be splendid bodies -- the mortal shall put on immortality.  Our bodies will be spirit bodies, incorruptible like Jesus' glorious body.  This is our inheritance, the hope of the  bodily resurrection of the believer.  We praise God for it!

The belief in the resurrection is not only fundamental to the Christian faith and factual with many witnesses, the prospect of it is the rapture of the church.  It is a fervent belief.   Paul said, "Listen, I tell you a mystery:  we shall not all sleep, but we will be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (vv51-52).    The song of the living and raptured saint is "O death, where is thy sting."  The song of the departed but raptured saint is "O grave, where is thy victory" (v55).

Brothers and sisters, we have the hope of the believer's resurrection.  We shall enjoy resurrection bliss.  We shall be with our Glorious Lord in heaven, a glorious land. We thank God for Jesus who gives us  abundant life here on earth, and one day we shall live with Him throughout eternity.

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