What implications does denying resurrection have on Christian doctrine and hope? The Staggering “If” of 1 Corinthians 15:13 “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.” Immediate Domino Effects Paul Identifies • Christ Himself would still lie in a grave (v.14). • Preaching would be “worthless,” and faith would be “useless” (v.14). • Apostles would be false witnesses of God (v.15). • Sins would remain unforgiven; we would still be “in your sins” (v.17). • The dead in Christ would be “lost” forever (v.18). • Believers would be the most pitiable people on earth (v.19). Core Doctrines Rendered Hollow 1. Incarnation and Atonement – Romans 4:25: “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.” – Without resurrection, the cross appears a tragic failure, not a triumphant sacrifice. 2. Gospel Credibility – Acts 2:32: “God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.” – If resurrection is denied, the apostolic witness collapses, leaving the gospel with no historical backbone. 3. Lordship of Christ – Romans 10:9 links salvation to confessing Jesus as Lord “and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.” – Deny resurrection, and Christ’s Lordship loses its divine validation. 4. Future Judgment and Reward – Acts 17:31: God “has set a day” to judge the world, proved “by raising Him from the dead.” – Erase resurrection and the promised righteous judgment and reward become conjecture. Hope Drained from Everyday Life • Victory over death evaporates (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). • Comfort for grieving believers is gone (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14). • Courage to face persecution weakens (2 Corinthians 4:14–16). • Motivation for purity falters (1 John 3:2–3). • Expectation of a glorified body disappears (Philippians 3:20–21). Positive Certainties When Resurrection Is Embraced • A living Savior guarantees living hope (1 Peter 1:3–4). • Death’s sting is neutralized (Hebrews 2:14–15). • Every labor “in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). • The same power that raised Jesus works in believers now (Ephesians 1:19–20). Bottom Line Denying resurrection unravels the fabric of Christian doctrine and strips believers of present and future hope. Embracing it, we stand on unshakable ground, assured that Christ is risen and, with Him, so shall we be. |
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