“Why is the resurrection so important?”

October 2010 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: Why is the Resurrection so important to Christians?

ANSWER: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb makes Christianity significantly different from all other religious systems of the world. Like Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism, and many other religions are based upon strong moral codes which govern the lives of their followers. But unlike Christianity, the leaders who set forth their codes for living have not been able to prove them to be of any value beyond the grave.

The followers of other religions place their faith in systems of rules that lead nowhere with any certainty. Christians, on the other hand, place their faith in Jesus Christ who has conquered sin by dying on the cross, and death by rising from the tomb. If we exclude the Resurrection from Christianity, we are left with nothing more than a moral code that leads nowhere. That’s what Paul meant when he told the Corinthians, “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” He also added, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (1 Cor. 15:17,14 NKJV).

It is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, not merely a moral code, that is at the very foundation of the Christian’s faith. He is our hope, not just on Easter Sunday when so many celebrate His victory over death, but every day. His glorious resurrection is our daily assurance that we follow a Leader who is also our Savior. He not only gives us a code to govern our lives on earth, but also a promise that if we follow Him, we will never perish, and no one will ever be able to snatch us away from Him (Jn. 10:28). Other religions may have moral codes, but none has a Savior who died on the cross and then rose from the tomb. The fact that His tomb is empty is proof that our faith is not.

Answered by Larry Ondrejack