“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1Corinthians 15:20)
This is a very important Truth of Christianity. There is not a religion on earth whose founder is alive. And the followers of these other religions know their founder is dead. Buddha founder of Buddhism, Muhammad founder of Islam, the Báb founder of Bábism, Baháʼu'lláh founder of Baháʼí Faith, Mary Baker Eddy founder of Christian Science, Charles Taze Russell founder of Jehovah Witness, Joseph Smith founder of Mormonism, L. Ron Hubbard founder of Scientology and any other religion one can name was founded by a person who was born and who died on this earth. Followers of these religions even know their burial place. But our God, the Lord Jesus Christ is alive. He is the only one Who rose from the dead. Paul wrote, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1Corinthians 15:3-8) The divinity of Jesus as the Son of God stands on the fact that He rose from the dead.
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” (1Corinthians 15:21) Jesus, the Son of God, divine and Who was since the beginning with God the Father (John 1:1), had to become man because death came by a man and only a man could redeem man. But there was not a man pure and spotless to be a proper sacrifice. Jesus was all man and all God. Our limited human comprehension can accept that but not fully understand it. Jesus, a sinless and spotless man made the perfect sacrifice. And because He rose from the dead, man will be resurrected also. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.” (1Corinthians 15:22-23) Jesus spoke to Martha when Lazarus had been dead three days and right before Jesus raised him from the dead. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25). Paul wrote: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Our whole belief is based on the divinity of Jesus proven by the fact that He rose from the dead. Paul lists the fallacy of our belief if Christ did not rise from the dead. “Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1Corinthians 15:12-19)
But the proof of the Truth of Jesus, Son of God, all man and all God Who died and rose from the dead is seen also in the new life of every believer. There is a miraculous transformation in thought, word and deed in every true believer. There is a miraculous change working by the Holy Spirit in every believer. His nature has changed. He is now connected to the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, by the Holy Spirit Who indwells.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, believers will be resurrected also. The Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead will raise us up also at the appointed time. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you”. (Romans 8:11) There is a whole study of that time and the resurrection of the saints. But enough is this Scripture: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1Corinthians 15:52)
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