I’ve always heard, as I’m sure you have, “Jesus died for our sins,” but I don’t often hear much about the significance of the resurrection. Sure I’ve heard “Jesus showed His power over sin and death” or “It showed His victory over Satan,” but I’ve never really read a systematic study of this. After all, the focus has always seemed to be we’re forgiven through His sacrifice. That’s always been what we share when we offer the gospel to others. What’s the significance the resurrection? So, I decided to see what I could find about this, and here are six significant points:
1. Jesus’ resurrection Confirms Jesus’ Deity
Rom. 1:4 (ESV) and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
It was the resurrection that declared Jesus to be the Son of God. We know to be God’s own Son is the same as being God the Son and equal with the Father:
John 5:18 (ESV) This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
So, the bodily resurrection of Jesus declared to the world of mankind that Jesus is God the Son.
2. Jesus’ resurrection validates the atonement
Rom. 4:23-25 (ESV) But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses.” He was raised to show His sacrifice has been approved and we are justified. Not only was this sacrifice approved, the approval is shown to have been endorsed by all three persons of the trinity: Father (Gal. 1:1), the Son (John 2:18-22), and by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:11).
3. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our resurrection
1 Cor. 15:20 (ESV) But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Jesus is the firstfruits, the first of many who will die in Christ, so we will be raised as He was raised:
Rom. 8:11 (ESV) If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
4. Jesus’ resurrection grounds our future hope
1 Cor. 15:14 (ESV) And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
This is a form of negative affirmation. Paul is arguing against those in the church at Corinth who believed the dead would not be raised. He says the resurrection is the center of our faith. Without it our faith is pointless, empty, worthless. But because Christ is raised, our hope is secure. We are justified and will spend eternity with Him in His kingdom.
5. Jesus’ resurrection establishes Christ’s Lordship
Phil. 2:8 -11 (ESV) And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
One day every knee will bow to our Lord, Jesus, every tongue will confess that He is Lord. This could only happen if Jesus did not remain in the tomb but was raised in power and glory, His lordship there for all to see.
6. Jesus’ resurrection empowers the believer’s new life
Rom. 6:4 (ESV) We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
We Christians carry that same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8:11) within us. Because of Jesus resurrection, we have new life. We have peace with God and are justified to approach His throne unafraid.
Why is this important?
Ours is a wonderful God. He died horribly for our sins and has risen from the dead to show His love for us. He then raised that same body from the dead, to assure us of our hope, our permanent and guaranteed place in His kingdom. He has done this by a public display, His public execution on Calvary and His gloriously rising bodily as seen by at least 500 people at one time (1 Cor. 15:6).
Believers Armed and Dangerous 