What If Christ Did Not Rise From The Dead?

The Resurrection is the fundamental cornerstone of our faith. Many may think it was the crucifixion, which it is an important element in our gospel message. So the question is, what if Christ did not rise from the dead? Could Christianity continue if it was not true?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and was raised from the dead in accordance with the Scriptures. Jesus appeared to many after he was raised, then he ascended to heaven. The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote the following:

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).

There were people in Paul's day that said there was no resurrection. Paul challenged their beliefs with some simple logic. If there was no resurrection, all preaching, past and present, is in vain. It would be worthless to preach Christ because the Resurrection never happened. Paul went on to say we are making God look bad. We are lying about Him because we are proclaiming that He raised Christ. Since Christ is not raised, if the Resurrection never happened, then the dead are not raised. Believers one day will have a resurrected body when Jesus returns. If the Resurrection never happened, then our resurrection will never happen as well.

Next, Paul said, if Christ was not raised, we are still in our sins. Romans 4:25 says Christ was raised for our justification. The Resurrection sealed the deal for our redemption. If we are still in our sins, then why bother living for holiness and attending church. We might do good things hopefully that God will let us into heaven, but that is not good news when we have to work for our salvation. If Christ was not raised, then all who have gone before us are not in heaven with God, but are perishing in hell. Let that sink in.

Finally, if Christ was not raised, then we have no hope. We have no hope of a life free from sin one day. We have no hope that God has forgiven us. Since we have no hope, we should be pitied.

If the Resurrection never happened then all the preachers who we have sat under, lied to us. If they lied to us so did the preachers before them and the preachers before them. That also means our parents did as well and their parents. If the Resurrection is not true than the Bible is not true. If the Bible is not true, than the Apostles lied. That would also make Jesus a lunatic and not who He said He was. That means God deceived us which goes back to the question at the beginning in the garden, "Did God Really Say?" If Christ did not rise from the dead, Christianity is a scam and all its followers are suckers.

The Gospel tells us Christ was raised. There were eyewitnesses and people have experienced God's forgiveness. Their actions show that the Holy Spirit have regenerated them to love God and love others. The Holy Spirit gives us the power (not a superpower) to do the will of God. When we come to God for forgiveness, he is will forgive us (1 John 1:9).

Christ has been raised.