Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 24:44-53; 1 Corinthians 15 "THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION DEFENDED"
Day 351 – Luke 24
Text: Luke 24:44-53; 1 Corinthians 15
THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION DEFENDED
Jesus was right in teaching His Disciples many deep lessons concerning the doctrine of the resurrection. In just one generation, this doctrine was assailed badly, and the Apostle Paul had to rise up to answer the many attacks that had been mounted against it.
There was no question about Paul’s ability to defend this doctrine. Let us take time to study the doctrine of the resurrection carefully. The doctrine of the Resurrection of Jesus came under severe attack in the 20th century. Many Christians were mauled by these attacks, and have been very quiet about defending this doctrine of Christ’s resurrection. The doctrine of the resurrection of Christ seems to be almost like an embarrassment to some believers! Let us learn deep lessons from the Apostle Paul so that we can defend this Biblical doctrine stoutly.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION AS PART AND PARCEL OF THE GOSPEL
It is interesting to note how Paul began his exposition of the doctrine of the resurrection. Let us take time to study what he wrote in the following passage.
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel,
which I preached to you, which also you received
and in which you stand, by which also you are saved,
if you hold fast that word which I preached to you –
unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:
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 15:1-4
As far as Paul was concerned, the doctrine of the resurrection was part and parcel of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The doctrine of salvation is incompletely taught if it does not include the mentioning of the resurrection of Jesus!
The doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus was also clearly taught in the Scriptures. To deny the reality of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is to question the authority of the Scriptures!
Paul went on to make a quick list of people to whom Jesus appeared. He added this note with reference to himself,
“Then last of all He was seen by me also…”
1 Corinthians 15:8
Paul wrote with a very great sense of certainty concerning the reality and the significance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
Paul was aware that some people taught that Jesus never rose from the dead. How did he answer these people?
“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead,
how do some among you say that there is no resurrection
of the dead?
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty
And your faith is also empty.
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because
We have testified of God that He raised up Christ,
Whom He did not raise up – if in fact the dead do not rise.”
1 Corinthians 15:12-15
The detractors did not attack the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection directly. They did this in a round about way. They attacked the idea of the resurrection of the dead. They questioned the idea of people being raised from the dead as something not worth believing in.
Paul rounded on the detractors by saying that the doctrine of the resurrection must be defended from every aspect! If this teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead (of deceased believers) is accepted, then the issue of Christ’s resurrection is involved. Paul refused to accept that the two things can be separated! He saw through the subtlety of the attack. The enemies of the Gospel were indirectly attacking the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus, by raising doubts about the resurrection of believers.
If the doctrine of the resurrection is indefensible, then the whole Christian faith is in jeopardy. The entire Christian faith could be made to appear “empty” or worse “false” if it can be determined that Christ did not rise from the dead, or that the doctrine of the resurrection is not part and parcel of the Gospel of salvation!
Paul went on to repeat himself in the following passage. He reiterated the following arguments.
“For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile;
You are still in your sins!
Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
Most pitiable.
But now Christ is risen from the dead,
and has become the firstfruits
Of those who have fallen asleep.”
1 Corinthians 15:16-20
Paul mounted a vigorous and powerful defence of the doctrine of the resurrection. He concluded that Christ’s resurrection was of great significance because He was “the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep” (a reference to those who had died). Let us take time to study afresh the significance of Christ’s resurrection. May we find deep joy!