Riff's Christian Journal

I do not know of any religion that does not acknowledge Jesus in some way or another. He might be called a good man, a great teacher or even a prophet. And, as far as I know, none of them will admit that Jesus has risen bodily from the grave. They cannot do so because, if they did, they would then be calling their own religion false. Only Christians believe that Jesus has risen from the grave and only they believe that He is God.

However, what if all of these religions are correct? What if Christians are wrong? What if Jesus is not risen from the grave?

The Apostle Paul explains what this would mean in his letter to the Corinthians. In chapter 15 verses 12 through 19 we read this:

¹² 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? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴ And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁷ And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

Yes, we would be seen as all other religions, as just one of many faiths – all false. For which one would be true? Jesus would be seen as one who was a liar in that he said, “no one comes to the Father except through me(Jesus)”. If Jesus is not the way then what is the way?

That is something about which we do not have to worry for as Paul goes on to say, “²⁰ But now Christ is risen from the dead… ”

The tomb in which Jesus was placed after His resurrection is empty. The reason being that Jesus has risen from the grave and He is alive for evermore. With this truth we have this hope from Hebrews 6: 19, 20:

¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever…

With the resurrection of Jesus from the dead we have this hope that we too can have eternal life. Life that is found only in Jesus. If Jesus is not risen then we have no hope, but the Word of God is very clear that Christ Jesus has risen from the dead, Christianity is the one true religion, nay even more so, it is the one true relationship that God has made between man and Himself confirmed through the resurrection of Christ.

The question of “what if Jesus is not risen?” is one about which we do not have to worry. For Christ is risen and has become first fruits of eternal life that we, who are followers of Jesus, can have the same hope of one day being able to attain eternal life through the resurrection of our own bodies. There is no question about the resurrection of Jesus. There are too many proofs of His resurrection and in His resurrection He has become not only the Giver of life but also the One who assures eternal life for those of us who belong to Him.

Because of this we, too, can say along with the Apostle Peter as he says in 1st Peter 1: 3, 4:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you(us),

For Christ Is Risen! ….. He Is Risen Indeed!