Post by Sheila on Mar 16, 2024 10:09:51 GMT -5
The Bible states 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). The teachings such as this found within the Bible form the basis of the doctrinal statements of the Christian faith. To summarize those beliefs stated in 1 Corinthians, we have the Apostles Creed, part of which states that Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead". All of the elements in this creed are essential to our belief in the truth that Jesus is our risen Lord and Savior. If none of these happened, all of our faith and beliefs fall flat. Simply put, Christianity has no basis for its existence if Jesus didn't die and/or wasn't raised from the dead.
According to the ancient Jewish leaders, they wanted Jesus punished because they say he blasphemed by declaring himself to be God. In Jewish law, such a crime was punishable by death; however, the Romans forbid the Jews from carrying out the death penalty by crucifixion and they wouldn't do it because they really didn't care about the Jewish laws. Then the Jewish leaders had to come up with a reason good enough for the Romans to mete out the punishment so they convinced the Romans Jesus claimed to be the king of the Jews. Pontius Pilate finally relented and ordered Jesus to be crucified, although he lay the blood on the hands of the Jews. These accusations led to the crucifixion, but were not the real reason for that form of death. From the beginning, God's plan was to sacrifice his own Son as a way to cover the sins of the people and reconcile all believers to him. Jesus died for us, the ungodly (Romans 6:6) and while we were still sinners (Romans 6:8).
Most people understand why the crucifixion is so important to Christians. We wouldn't be freed from our sins and reconciled to God without the shed blood of Jesus. However, some can't understand why believing he rose from the dead is so important. According to the prophets, the Jewish Messiah would be killed and then rise for death. Without a resurrection, the person claiming to be the Messiah would only be a liar and not worthy of the title. The apostles and many other people proclaimed they saw and interacted with a resurrected Jesus. If true, Jesus was the Messiah; if not, anyone making those claims were deceived, hallucinating, or outright liars. Christians still proclaim their Lord and Savior rose from the dead. Also, like Paul, they know the resurrection fulfills the prophecies and that, as stated in Romans 1:4, Jesus was he "who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead . . ."
According to the ancient Jewish leaders, they wanted Jesus punished because they say he blasphemed by declaring himself to be God. In Jewish law, such a crime was punishable by death; however, the Romans forbid the Jews from carrying out the death penalty by crucifixion and they wouldn't do it because they really didn't care about the Jewish laws. Then the Jewish leaders had to come up with a reason good enough for the Romans to mete out the punishment so they convinced the Romans Jesus claimed to be the king of the Jews. Pontius Pilate finally relented and ordered Jesus to be crucified, although he lay the blood on the hands of the Jews. These accusations led to the crucifixion, but were not the real reason for that form of death. From the beginning, God's plan was to sacrifice his own Son as a way to cover the sins of the people and reconcile all believers to him. Jesus died for us, the ungodly (Romans 6:6) and while we were still sinners (Romans 6:8).
Most people understand why the crucifixion is so important to Christians. We wouldn't be freed from our sins and reconciled to God without the shed blood of Jesus. However, some can't understand why believing he rose from the dead is so important. According to the prophets, the Jewish Messiah would be killed and then rise for death. Without a resurrection, the person claiming to be the Messiah would only be a liar and not worthy of the title. The apostles and many other people proclaimed they saw and interacted with a resurrected Jesus. If true, Jesus was the Messiah; if not, anyone making those claims were deceived, hallucinating, or outright liars. Christians still proclaim their Lord and Savior rose from the dead. Also, like Paul, they know the resurrection fulfills the prophecies and that, as stated in Romans 1:4, Jesus was he "who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead . . ."
There are many unbelievers who create various theories to disprove the bodily resurrection of Jesus. [Those theories will be covered in a separate thread here at the forum.] The attacks on this single doctrine happen because if they can prove Jesus never rose from the dead they can silence the teachings of Christianity. And Christians would be silenced because all of the major Christian teachings are based on the crucifixion and resurrection. For Christians who think otherwise, remember what Paul stated: "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then to be found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead".
* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible
Copyright © 2024 by Sheila Rae Myers