1 Corinthians 15:17
The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves His deity, confirms that His atoning sacrifice for sin was accepted by God, and guarantees the justification of all who place their faith in Him.
Theme
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pillar of the Christian faith.
No Resurrection = No Christianity.
Introduction
This morning, we looked at the historical details of the resurrection and refuted some common objections to the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This evening, we will look at the theological implications we can draw from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, from its validation of his personhood to the authentication of his ministry, to the core message of the gospel.
The Resurrection Proves the Deity of Jesus Christ
(Matthew 16:21 & Romans 1:4)
The Lord Jesus Christ claimed to be God in human flesh.
John 10:30-33
“I and my Father are one.”
Although many cults today will tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God, the Jews knew differently.
When the Lord Jesus said, “I and my Father are one,” he was stating that he was equal with God the Father.
The claim the Lord Jesus was making is that the two persons, the Father and the Son, are actually the one God. To state it another way, “the Father and I are one and the same God.”
This is the truth of the triune nature of God. While Israel was very clearly told:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD,”
the Bible very clearly presents this one God in three different persons.
When the Lord Jesus claimed to be one with the Father, the Jews knew that this was a claim to divinity and they took up stones to stone him because such a claim was thought to be blasphemous.
When the Lord Jesus said:
John 8:58
“Before Abraham was, I am”
he was claiming to be eternal.
The phrase I am means “the eternal, self-existent One.”
The Jews knew that this was a claim to divinity because, once again, they “took up stones to cast at him.”
The Resurrection Verifies Christ’s Claim to Deity
If Jesus had remained in the grave, then his claims about resurrection after three days would have been proven false, and he could not be God.
This is explicitly stated by the Apostle Paul.
Romans 1:4
“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
The resurrection authenticated the claims of Jesus. If he had been lying about his claims to being the Son of God, then God would not have raised him from the dead, since he would have been a sinner worthy of eternal torment and not the holy Son of God.
The resurrection proves that Jesus is who he claimed to be and that his message was a message from God.
This is the basis of the Christian faith. If the Lord Jesus had not been raised from the dead, then we would have to conclude that the message of salvation that he proclaimed was a false gospel and that there is no hope through faith in him.
The Resurrection Proves the Atonement Was Accepted
(Romans 4:25)
What Is the Atonement?
The atonement, in biblical terms, was the work of Christ in reconciling man with God.
Firstly, man was separated from God and in need of reconciliation.
In order for man to be reconciled with God, the sin that separated man from God had to be dealt with. The problem that existed was that there was no way for man to meet the demands of the Law in order to justify himself in the eyes of God.
Our sin, which separated us from God, also brought the condemnation of God upon our heads. Our sin demanded that God pour out his wrath upon us.
The only way for man to be reconciled with God was for another person, a sinless person, to provide justification for us by making atonement on our behalf.
The word atonement has been defined in the following way:
“Atonement refers to the act of making amends, repairing a broken relationship, or offering reparation for a wrongdoing or injury. It represents a ‘return to harmony,’ frequently used to describe reconciling human actions with divine requirements.”
Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross
The Lord Jesus made atonement on the cross when he took our sin upon himself and made the blood sacrifice that the Law of God demanded.
Such a sacrifice could not be just any blood sacrifice but had to be:
- Sinless blood
- Shed by man
- Unlimited in its efficacy
To put it simply:
- The Lord Jesus had to be sinless in order for the blood to be accepted.
- The Lord Jesus had to become man in order to take the place of man.
- The Lord Jesus had to be divine in nature so the sacrifice would have eternal power to atone for sin.
The Resurrection Confirms the Atonement
The resurrection verified that God had accepted the atonement made by the Lord Jesus and that it was now possible for sinful man to receive justification in the eyes of God.
If the Lord Jesus had remained in the grave, we would have to conclude that the sacrifice he made was not sufficient to atone for sins.
The resurrection is God the Father’s declaration that the sacrifice made for sin was sufficient.
When the Lord Jesus cried:
“It is finished”
that phrase literally means “paid in full.”
The atonement for sin had been made, and the resurrection proves that the atonement was accepted by God the Father.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ made atonement for sins and satisfied the wrath of God, he has been made the only divinely approved path to reconciliation with God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…”
John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The Resurrection Guarantees Our Justification
(Romans 4:25)
The Doctrine of Imputation
The doctrine of justification depends on the doctrine of imputation.
2 Corinthians 5:21
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Imputation is seen in two ways:
My Sin Imputed to Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ took our sin upon himself when he died on the cross.
My sin was imputed to his account.
To impute something is to add it to a person’s account.
We are born with a sin debt, but Christ took that debt upon himself and fully paid it through his sacrifice at Calvary.
If Christ had not risen from the dead, that would mean the debt had not been fully paid.
The resurrection proved that “Jesus Paid It All.”
Christ’s Righteousness Imputed to Me
Through salvation I receive the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to my account.
Not only has he taken away my sin debt, but he has also given me his righteousness.
This occurs through my identification with Christ.
When I repented of my sins and accepted the atonement made on my behalf, I became a new creature in Christ.
Because of my position in Christ, his righteousness is imputed to my account.
Praise God:
- He paid my sin debt
- He gave me Christ’s righteousness
- He made me his child
- He made me a joint heir with Christ
Justification Defined
Justification means that when God looks upon me, He sees me as possessing the righteousness of Christ.
Justification = The act of God declaring a sinner righteous (not guilty) based on faith in Christ’s finished work rather than personal works.
This truth was prophesied:
Isaiah 53:10-11
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied…”
God saw the righteous Son suffering for sin and was satisfied.
Because of this:
- Christ bore our iniquities (Imputation)
- God declares sinners righteous (Justification)
Why the Resurrection Matters
If Christ had not risen from the dead, we would still be guilty in the eyes of God.
Romans 4:25
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
The entire gospel message hinges on the truth of the resurrection.
Without it:
- The penalty would not be paid
- The wrath of God would remain
- Reconciliation would be impossible
- Humanity would remain condemned
But praise God:
Christ rose from the dead.
Conclusion
If you have been listening to this message and you have realised that you have never personally accepted the gift of salvation that God has offered through Jesus Christ, let me tell you now:
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
You need to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour or else you will remain under the guilt and penalty of your sin for all eternity.
Ask God to forgive your sins and to give you the righteousness of Christ today.
For those of us who know we are saved and that our home in heaven is secure, I hope this message has stirred your heart with greater love for your Saviour and for those he calls his brethren.