Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Tuesday, 22 April 2025 07:27

The claim that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead had spread across the known world at the time. Whether one believes in the resurrection or not, its impact on the birth and growth of the early Church is undeniable. The followers of Jesus, once fearful and scattered, became emboldened proclaimers of the risen Messiah. We have looked at the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection, and now we will look at the impact of the resurrection on the Church and the world around it.
by Cody Anderson Corinth Missionary Baptist Church

Paul, who once persecuted the followers of Christ, is now a staunch advocate and leader of the early Church. Everything hinged on the resurrection of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:14 he says, “and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain,” (NASB). According to Paul, the entire Christian message stands or falls on the reality of the resurrection. The resurrection was never a fairytale or myth. Since it was a real event, it had consequences that would echo throughout all eternity.
Those consequences are not just spiritual for the believer. Theologically, the resurrection is not merely an extraordinary miracle; it is the definitive proof of Jesus’ divine identity and the validation of His redemptive work. Paul writes in Romans 4:25, “He who was delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was raised because of our justification,” (NASB). The resurrection signals that God has accepted the sacrifice of Christ on behalf of sinners, confirming that the debt of sin has been fully paid. It also brought about emotions and physical turmoil. Before the resurrection, the disciples were described as fearful and in hiding. Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times, and many had fled at His arrest. After the resurrection, these same men now filled with the Holy Spirit, would live a fiery life to proclaim the gospel. Only weeks later, these same men began to preach openly in Jerusalem, facing imprisonment and persecution.
This transformation was spiritual. It was a real event, and one that had an undeniable impact on the disciples. Luke records in Acts 4:33, “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all,” (NASB). For the early church, the resurrection was not only a past event but a present reality. It offered new life for all those who believed. The resurrection also serves as the guarantee of a future hope. It is the assurance that believers, too, will be raised. Paul writes, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep,” (1 Corinthians 15:20, NASB). This was the confirmation for them that they were now in eternal communion with God.
Skeptics have always questioned the resurrection. Matthew even records the spreading of the false account that the guards were bribed to say that His body was stolen. The courage and conviction of the early believers leaves no doubt that they were fully convinced of the validity of the resurrection. Men do not go to their deaths for a fabricated story they know to be a lie. The resurrection of Jesus redefined reality and revealed the heart of God’s redemptive plan. It affirms that death is not the end, sin does not have the final word, and Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God.