HISTORY’S GREATEST FACT
"But now IS Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." (I Corinthians 15:20)
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- BOTH the cross and the tomb are EMPTY!
- Many are the proofs of His resurrection.
- Christ's resurrection affirms that He is God.
- Christ's resurrection is the basis of our justification.
- Christ's resurrection guarantees our resurrection.
- The bodies of the "dead saints" and the transformed
bodies of the "living saints" shall he caught up together.
Apart from our Savior's resurrection this could not be a reality.
THEREFORE,
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the GREATEST fact in all human history.
HISTORY’S GREATEST FACT
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (I Corinthians 15:20).
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Numerous are the great events which have occurred in our nation, as well as in our world. Once the world was engulfed in the shadows of the dark ages -millions were slain - an average of 118 a day over a period of 1,200 years. BUT THEN A GREAT REFORMATION! What a great historic event! Once tyrants ruled the known world -but after hundreds of years they were put down. Once a world of sinners was declared to be under the sentence of death -but THEN God sent His Son to redeem hell deserving, hell bound sinners. Once the Son of God, who came to save lost humanity, was crucified and His beloved disciples met in gloom and despair, BUT THEN! -GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, and He is alive for evermore. Once mankind, even godly men, feared death, BUT THEN! Death could not keep its prey! And, now we have the Gospel informing us that even while we were "enemies" Christ died and ROSE again to give us life eternal.
The RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ IS the greatest event which has occurred in human history. OUR REDEEMER IS ALIVE! And, He lives forever more. And, since He lives, we shall live also.
There are a FEW great heathen "religions." but their founders are all DEAD! Without serious dispute, Christianity is greater than all the world's other great "religions." Now Christianity is actually NOT a religion. It is a PERSON -that of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son.
One could be a "good Confucian" without knowing hardly anything about Confucius. The same could be said about a "good Mohammedan". We do not become "Christians" by accepting a code of credentials, or a system of ethics, but by coming to know a Person -that of Jesus Christ Himself. "As many as received HIM, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."(John 1:12). One cannot become a Christian apart from coming to KNOW Jesus Christ.
As a child, attending Sunday school and church services and listening to Sunday school teachers and preachers, I learned numerous facts concerning Jesus Christ. But on February 13, 1936 I came to KNOW Him as my personal Savior as I confessed to the Heavenly Father my lost and sinful condition and placed my trust in His beloved Son who died for me. That night I came to "KNOW Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior," In study of the Word of God, I eventually learned that He knew me "before the world was."
BOTH THE CROSS AND THE TOMB ARE EMPTY!
The empty cross symbolized the fact that the great offering of the Lamb of God has been made, and the empty tomb announces that Christ is ALIVE! The work of redemption is COMPLETE! Having presented His blood for the propitiation of our sins, He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding in behalf of His redeemed ones.
Now we say this is the greatest fact in history. By that, we mean that not only is His resurrection the greatest phenomenally fact, and it certainly is that! But essentially it is the greatest thing that ever happened. Nothing so marvelous ever happened, in human history, as the resurrection of Jesus. It means more to the human race than anything else that the world has ever known. And, the Scriptures support this statement.
I Corinthians chapter 15 testifies to that fact. It tells us that if Christ be not risen from the dead, we, who call ourselves preachers, are FALSE WITNESSES. If Christ be not risen from the dead, our faith IS VAIN, and we are still IN OUR SINS. Then, if Christ be not risen from the dead, our departed loved one is GONE FOREVER. They have PERISHED!
"But now Christ IS RISEN from the dead and has become the firstfruits of them that slept." Christ's literal resurrection is at the foundation of our faith, the basis of our hope, and of our Heaven. Christianity has NOTHING to rest upon if Jesus Christ is not literally risen from the dead.
MANY ARE THE PROOFS OF HIS RESURRECTION
Not only is our Savior's resurrection the greatest fact in history, but it is one of the most authenticated facts of history. One only needs to accept the plain, reasonable evidence .Whether one is a theologian, or just a plain ordinary
Bible reader - if one will simply take the truth of the Scriptures it will become very clear. Honest investigation has satisfied the minds of some of the most infamous doubters.
Many years ago, in England, an infidel club gathered regularly. Some of the best known British infidels are reported to have belonged to that club. Two of these, well known jurists, were requested to undertake to disprove two things concerning the Christian faith. One was the account of Christ's resurrection, and the second one was that Saul of Tarsus was never converted. These two well chosen jurists were Lord Littleton and Gilbert West.
Lord Littleton was to investigate the story of our Lord's resurrection. To the amazement of the other club members, Lord Littleton reported: "I have taken the evidence in this case, and I have weighed it carefully as in the case of any great cases I have dealt with, and I have determined that Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, died on the cross at Calvary, that He was buried, and that He rose again just as the Scriptures informs us. And I have accepted Him as my Savior, and tonight I am one of His disciples."
Gilbert West, in his research, determined that Saul was indeed converted the way the Scripture says that he was, and that he, too, had become a disciple of Jesus Christ. How shocking this was to this infamous infidel club!
These accounts were recorded in a book, and trustworthy preachers of yesteryear (Dr. P. W. Philpot and Dr. R. A. Torry, both former presidents of Moody Bible Institute) testify that they have read these accounts.
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AFFIRMS THAT HE IS GOD
It is beyond any honest dispute that Jesus laid claim to being God (equal with the Father). Therefore, either Jesus IS God, or He is one of the world's greatest, and most successful, deceivers. He professed to have power to forgive sins. He professed to have power to give eternal life. "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish" (John 10:28). "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). "I am the door" by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved" (John 10:9). "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). "Every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40).
No ordinary man, not even a world-renown, and remarkably good man, could make such statements. But, Jesus made those statements, and He made them prior to going to the cross and to the grave. And the Scriptures support His claims. (Romans 1:4) "..declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness," perhaps better translated: "by the Holy Spirit be the resurrection from the dead".
THE BASIS OF OUR JUSTICATION
While we often speak of justification, not a few fail to comprehend its importance and what it really means. In Deuteronomy chapter twenty-five we have the law concerning justification, and we note what it says. If two men appear before the judges, one of them innocent and the other guilty the judges shall justify the innocent man and condemn the guilty man. Job asked the question: "How should man be just with God?"
No man can justify himself, but God, in His wisdom and grace has found a way whereby He can even justify the GUILTY. So in Romans 4:5 we are told, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the UNGODLY, his faith is counted for righteousness." This is a biblical doctrine which often baffles the human mind.
Paul asks: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" (Rom. 8:33). Continuing, he says: "It is God that justifieth." Note verse 34: -"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that IS RISEN AGAIN, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us."
Now, the instant an exceedingly vile sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior, he immediately stands before the throne of God perfectly clean, and cleared of all charged against him! That's the meaning of justification, and apart from that act of justification, no man could ever so stand before God. There he stands! Just as though he never did any of those terrible acts. "Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe axe justified from all things from which-he-could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38,39).
Guilty criminals can be pardoned and set free, but in justification, God does MUCH MORE than that.
"He breaks the POWER of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free."
Unlike the pardoned criminal, the justified one can now face the world, his family, his friends with a clean slate - a clean life - as a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus -just as clean as if he had never committed any of those evil deeds. This isn't simply theology -though it is that. It is an EXPERIENCE which is available to every lost sinner, and is made available because of the death and RESURRECTION of the One who paid for that sin.
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION GUARANTEES OUR RESURRECTION
Not only did Christ die for our sins, but He rose again for the sinner's JUSTIFICATION! Job asks what is generally considered to be a question: "If a man die, shall he live again" (Job 14:14). Actually, in the literal translation, this is a positive statement, not a question. If a believing man die he SHALL live again, and all because of the accomplishment of the resurrection.
Some false teachers had infiltrated the little congregation at Thessalonica, perverting the Gospel of Christ. These false teachers were telling them that their departed loved ones were gone forever. But, as Paul writes to these young converts, he corrects that false teaching. Note I Thessalonians 4:13- 16.
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as other which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even also them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by THE WORD OF THE LORD, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first."
"No hope?" Sadly, that is true. There is no hope for those who are unbelievers, but listen to Paul's comforting statement: "For if we believe that Jesus died and ROSE AGAIN, even so then also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Just as the Father brought His Son out of the grave, even so will God bring all the saved dead when Christ returns. Paul then adds: "This I say unto you by the WORD OF THE LORD."
Some day, perhaps soon, Jesus will descend from Heaven with the sounding of the voice of the arch-angel, and the blaring heavenly trumpet. Then what will happen? "The dead in Christ -shall rise first.." in their resurrected bodies. "Then we which remain.." the living saints shall be - "caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." But apart from Christ's resurrection, this would not be true.
We are informed that "this corruptible MUST put on incorruption, and this mortal MUST put on immortality." To be physically with the Lord, we must be given an immortal body. That body must be an eternal one -one suited for heaven. This is a part of the inheritance purchase for believers through the death and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 3:20,21 Paul speaks concerning our conversation (citizenship) which is in heaven even now. That's where we belong. And we anticipate our Lord descending from heaven to take us to be with Him. "From whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body,..." This body of humiliation grows old, it endures pain, it has been decaying for some while, but that is going to change. We are going to have a body like that of our Lord Jesus Christ - we are predestined to be "conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom. 8:29).
We don't anticipate seeing any "old folks" in heaven. While we are unable to explain this "ageless appearing" matter, we do recall that on the mount of transfiguration, there appeared with Christ two Old Testament characters. One had been in Heaven some 1,500 years, the other one about 750 years, and neither is said to have looked old. When the women came to the tomb of Jesus, they discovered two "young men". The description of their attire was much like that of those on the mount of transfiguration.
So the Christian hope is surely bright, fair and encouraging.. No matter how good, or bad, today appears to be, the best is surely before us. There is going to be that moment when we awake in His likeness. The Psalmist had it right when he said: "I shall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness." (Psa. 17:15)
For further description of our glorified bodies, we suggest our paper on the biblical description of our redeemed bodies.
BEING "CAUGHT UP TOGETHER"
In the rapture, the bodies of the "dead saints," and the transformed bodies of the "living saints" will rise "together".
Considerable speculation has been offered as to the statements that the living saints "shall not prevent them which are asleep" - "the dead in Christ shall rise first". We are told that the literal translation is - "the dead in Christ shall stand up first". What is important to note here is that we "shall be caught up TOGETHER with them to meet the Lord in the air..."
Other questions such as, "Shall we know them?" Surely, we SHALL know them! When I shall "know even as I'm known" there is no question that such recognition will be extended to, and concerning, those having preceded us.
It was written of Abraham (Gen. 25:8) "Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, and old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people." While there are numerous precious truths bound up in this verse, we wish to underscore the last phrase - "and was gathered to his people".
The Holy Spirit isn't speaking of a cemetery lot hundreds of miles away back in Ur of the Chaldees. He is speaking of that city, without foundation, for which this old saint had been looking and longing most of his 175 years. That place where his beloved Sarah, and others, had gone. Did he anticipate knowing them? Why would he be gathered unto those whom he did not know? They are said to be "his people".
In our childhood days, we read about this city with considerable interest in, and emphasis upon, the streets of gold and the gates of pearl. Now in our latter years, we think much more about the Savior who purchase us with His own precious blood, and who is now there preparing a place for His own. When I awake, I SHALL be like Him! We think also of those whom we loved, and to whom we/have had to say an earthly "goodbye," even to some in more recent stays. In actuality, this is the only hope of a Christian. This world IS NOT our home. We, like Abraham, have been looking for that city...whose builder and maker is God.
Apart from our Savior's resurrection this could not be a reality. We submit, my brethren, that the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the GREATEST fact in ALL human history.
Lee R. Russell, January 2007 Used by permission.