What If The Resurrection Is Not True?

Dear Bethelites,

In our previous pastoral chat, we have considered how the Apostle Paul spoke about the essence of the gospel 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 (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4). These are the three most essential and vital truths of the gospel: Christ died, He was buried and rose again from the dead. His burial proved that He actually died, and it acted as a connection between His death and resurrection.

Then Paul moved on to take a different approach to the resurrection by asking, “What if Christ was not raised from the dead?” It is like looking at the importance of the sun and then wondering what would happen if the sun stops to shine. What would happen to this world without the sun? Have you ever looked at the resurrection from this perspective? Have you ever considered this question, ““What if Christ was not raised from the dead?” Would that make any difference to my faith? Could I still go on being a Christian?”

A British agnostic once said, “Let us not discuss the other matters, but let us discuss the resurrection of Christ. Because if the resurrection is true, then the other miracles are easily explained. But if the resurrection is not true, then the other miracles do not matter!”

If Christ was not raised from the dead, then our dead bodies would remain in the graves. Indeed, the foundation of the believer’s resurrection, rise and fall on the resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrection, Christ’s death on the cross would be nothing but an awful tragedy!

1 Corinthians 15:12, Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? In other words, Paul was saying, “If it was preached to you that Christ resurrected from the dead, how could some of you say there was no such thing as the resurrection?” The opposite is also true, 1 Corinthians 15:13, But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: If there was no such thing as the resurrection of the dead, then Christ was not risen either.

Paul went on to state five serious consequences if Christ was not raised from the dead.

Our preaching will be meaningless — 1 Corinthians 15:14a, And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain. The word vain is used in other parts of the Bible as an empty jar. The basic meaning is meaningless, useless, fruitless or to no avail. One theologian used this illustrative description: “It is like going fishing in the desert.”

Without the resurrection, Christ could not have conquered sin, death or hell, and the gospel would not be good but bad news. He could not have conquered these three evils. Without the resurrection, the good news would be bad news.

Paul said about preaching in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; Without the power of the resurrection, preaching would only be a lecture, or a moral lesson, with no power to transform the lives of the listeners.

Our faith would be worthless — 1 Corinthians 15:14b, and your faith is also vain. A dead Saviour could not give life, and thus, faith in such a gospel would be in vain. If Christ was not raised from the dead, then He was just a man like us (subjected to mortality). He was nothing but a dead martyr who thought he was God, and we would be placing our entire faith in a mere man.

All the apostles would be false witnesses — 1 Corinthians 15:15, 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.

Many people had claimed to have seen the risen Saviour: Peter, the twelve disciples (minus Judas Iscariot), five hundred brethren, James, the apostles, and finally, Paul. If Christ was not raised from the dead, then they all would be liars.

To deny the resurrection is to call the apostles and every other leader of the New Testament church, liars. The worst thing is that these apostles were not only lying about God, they were claiming that He did something which He did not. If the apostles and the New Testament writers had so blatantly lied about the resurrection of Christ, why should we believe them when they said that the Bible was the Word of God, perfectly inspired and preserved for us (c.f. 2 Timothy 3:16-17)? One can clearly see how the entire Bible stands and falls based on the resurrection!

Sin would be sovereign — 1 Corinthians 15:17, And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; yet are ye in your sins. Of all the consequences, perhaps this was the worst scenario. The believer trusts in Christ for the forgiveness of sin because it is from sin that he or she needs to be saved from. But if Christ was not raised from the dead, then the power and penalty of sin is still sovereign, and there would be no atoning sacrifice (c.f. Romans 6:23). If sin is sovereign, the adulterer, homosexual, alcoholic, liar, cheater and every other sinner, could never be transformed. The believer would be under the dominion of sin, and doomed for eternal damnation!

Death would have dominion — 1 Corinthians 15:18, Then they also which are asleep in Christ are perished. The word perished means to be destroyed or lost. It is the opposite of having everlasting life (c.f. John 3:16). If Christ was not raised, then we would be lost for all eternity. If He could not defeat death, then no man can! To be alseep in Christ refers to all those who die in Him (the believers). They would still be under the wrath of God; their sins are unforgiven, and they cannot be reconciled to Him.

Christians would be the most pitiful people on this earth — 1 Corinthians 15:19, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. The Christians believe that their sins were forgiven, they have eternal life, and Jesus is preparing a place for them in heaven. But if Christ was not raised from the dead, and He did not defeat sin and death, they would be believing in a myth or lie. Thus, they would be the most pitiful people on this earth!

Having considered the five serious consequences, Paul said, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:20). Sometimes, the word but can be quite annoying. For example, when we tell our children something important that they must do or not do, and they respond, “I know… but…” It can be anti-climactic. At other times, like in this case, but is the sweetest word. It is a word that changed the entire situation.

But now is Christ risen from the dead — Our preaching is not meaningless but profitable. Our faith is not worthless but true and precious. All the testimonies of the apostles are true - when Jesus was crucified and buried, the disciples were so fearful that they went into hiding. But when He rose again from the dead, all of a sudden, they became a group of bold and courageous men who went around testifying and preaching the risen Saviour. They refused to recant even when they were beaten, imprisoned and martyred. Sin and death have no more dominion over us for Christ had conquered these two great enemies. Christians are not the most pitiful but hopeful people on this earth, for the future is so wonderful and blessed. As we often sing the hymn, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!”

Dear friend, all these are made possible only because Christ was raised from the dead on the third day. If we truly believe in the resurrected Christ, then we ought to respond by living our lives as new creatures, transformed by His resurrection power. Whatever sin, struggle, affliction and difficulty we face, let us look to our risen Saviour and cry out to Him, “My risen Lord and Saviour, help me! Grant me the resurrection power that I may live in the newness of life, to glorify you!”

With love in Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng

1 CORINTHIANS 15

The Essence Of The Gospel Message

The Essence Of The Gospel Message

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

What If The Resurrection Is Not True?

What If The Resurrection Is Not True?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20