The Resurrection: Who Cares?

This is the time of year that everyone is talking about the resurrection.  Earlier in the week I wrote two posts on the resurrection.  In the first one, I outlined some biblical arguments for the physical, bodily resurrection.  In the second, I presented a historical argument for the bodily resurrection of Jesus.  But a question still remains.

Why is the bodily resurrection of Jesus such a big deal?

Five reasons:

1. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus physically rose from the grave.

The integrity of the Scriptures is at stake.  The Bible affirms the bodily resurrection of Jesus in all four Gospels and many other NT books as well.  If Jesus was not physically raised from the grave, the Bible is a book of lies that should be ignored.  However, if Jesus was raised from the grave, we are given good reason for trusting the other claims of Scripture as well.

2. The deity of Jesus is at stake.

Jesus promised that He would die and be raised three days later (Luke 18:33).  Jesus also claimed to be God (John 10:30).  If Jesus was raised from the grave, this serves to validate His claim to deity.  If He was not raised from the grave, we must conclude that He is either a lunatic or a liar.  God cannot lie.  The deity of Jesus is dependent on His resurrection.

3. If Christ has not been raised, we are still in our sins.

Paul is very clear on this point in 1 Corinthians 15:17.  The resurrection served to demonstrate that God had accepted the sacrifice of His Son for the sin of the world.  If Jesus has not been raised, there has been no atonement for sin.  If there has been no atonement for sin, we are still in our sin and will one day experience the wrath of God toward our sin.  The power that raised Christ from the grave is also the same power that we depend upon as we fight against sin in our lives (Romans 6:4).  If this power was unable to raise Christ from the grave, it is unable to enable us to successfully fight against sin.

4. If Jesus is dead, Christians across the centuries have wasted their lives.

Of course this implies, as the famous philosopher Lecrae said in one of his songs, that our lives are built around Jesus being alive.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that our faith is futile if Jesus is not alive.  He goes on to say, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Corinthians 15:19).  Christians have suffered for the gospel of Christ.  Christians have died for this gospel.  Many have forsaken fame and fortune in favor of a life committed to serving Christ among the nations.  If Jesus is not alive, it is all one colossal waste.

5. The resurrected Jesus is the firstfruits of our future resurrection.

Jesus, in His resurrection, demonstrated His power over death.  As Christians, we have the hope of a future bodily resurrection ourselves.  We will be raised to sin no more.  We will be raised to live with God forever in a new heaven and new earth.  This is our hope.  This hope is based in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20).  We will one day receive glorified bodies like that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I trust that this list will serve as a reminder to you this Easter of the importance of the resurrection.  There undoubtedly many more reasons that the resurrection is such a big deal.  What do you think about this list?  What others can you come up with?

A Historical Argument for the Resurrection

I wrote on Monday that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is the best apologetic we have as Christians.  It answers the question, "Is there a God?" along with the question, "Which god is really God?"  Christians believe that there really was a man named Jesus who really was crucified and really was raised from the dead.

Some have said that there is no scientific proof that Jesus was raised from the grave.  They are right.  But historical events are not proven scientifically.  If we want to prove that George Washington was the first president of the United States of America, we would not use the scientific method.  We would appeal to history.  The same must be done when arguing for the resurrection of Jesus.

There are a few basic facts that all reasonable historians, both Christian and secular, must admit.

1. There really was a man named Jesus.

2. This man Jesus really was crucified.

3. Three days later, the tomb where Jesus was laid was empty.

I am not saying that no one has ever questioned the accuracy of these statements.  Some have hopelessly attempted to discredit Christianity by chopping the plant off at the roots; they have argued that Jesus never existed.  However, even secular NT scholar Bart Ehrman must admit that Jesus really did exist.  He even seems to grant in the same article that Jesus really was crucified.  It is also difficult to argue that the tomb where Jesus was laid really wasn't empty three days later.

With these historical statements intact, we can now attempt to provide the best answer for this empty tomb phenomenon.  There really are only a few possible answers.

1. Jesus wasn't really dead when put in the tomb.

This, known as the "swoon theory," is perhaps the most ridiculous of them all.  It says that Jesus was not actually dead but merely unconscious.  He then regained consciousness three days later and walked out of the tomb on His own accord.  This view fails to take into consideration the details surrounding Jesus' crucifixion.  Jesus was scourged prior to His crucifixion to the point that He wasn't even able to carry His own cross.  He was then hung on a cross for hours where he struggled to breath and experienced extreme physical torture.  Before taking Him down from the cross, the soldiers determined that He was already dead.  They then stuck a spear through His side for good measure.  There could be no mistaking that this man was dead.  It also would have been impossible for this very weak man to move a very large stone from in front of His tomb.  This solution is full of holes.

2. The body was stolen.

Others have suggested that the disciples came and stole the body.  They then made up the story of a resurrection.  This seems plausible at first, but there are a couple problems with this solution as well.  The tomb was well-guarded by Roman soldiers.  This was done for the very purpose of preventing the disciples from stealing the body because the Jewish leaders knew of Jesus' prophecies concerning His resurrection.  They didn't want there to be any chance that the disciples would steal the body and then run around saying that Jesus was alive.  This solution also seems improbable considering the fact that almost all of the apostles were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.  Most men are unwilling to die for something they know to be true.  No one is willing to die for something he knows to be a lie.

3. The disciples were merely hallucinating.

If this is true, they must have had some good stuff on the Jerusalem black market.  Certainly this solution answers all of the problems previously raised.  However, it has a problem of its own.  Jesus did not just appear to one person.  He did not appear to only a couple of people.  He appeared to various groups of people on various occasions between His resurrection and ascension.  Paul records some of these appearances in 1 Corinthians 15.  Paul also tells us that Jesus appeared to over 500 men at one time.  Now, it is possible that one man could hallucinate and think he saw Jesus.  I expect it has happened many times over the years.  But hallucination is not a group phenomenon.  500 people do not hallucinate seeing the same thing all at the same time.  This is a really poor solution as well.

4. Jesus really was resurrected from the dead.

This final solution, the solution that the Bible presents, is the best answer to the historical facts mentioned in the first part of this post.  Jesus really was raised from the grave.  He really is alive today.  He really is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf.  He really will return one day, establishing a new heaven and a new earth where we will reside with Him forever. 

Oh, what a day that will be!  Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

He Lives Within My Heart?

Today, I sent out a tweet and a Facebook status about a popular song that is sung in many churches, including my own, this time of year.  I like the song.  I have fond memories of singing it standing by my grandmother's side at Buckingham Baptist Church.  Grandma could be heard singing "He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way" as she moved through the house or went for a walk outside.

The song I am referring to is "He Lives," #533 in the 1991 edition of the Baptist Hymnal.  The line that I called into question says, "You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart."  I have to admit that I cringe a little when I sing this line, but my intent here is not to dog the song.  I want to help us think about the historical evidence for the resurrection and the absolute necessity of a bodily resurrection.

My issue is not with the accuracy of the statement in the song.  As one commenter pointed out, Colossians 1:27 does teach that Christ is within the believer.  My hesitancy regarding this line of the song is caused by the feeling that it gives a poor answer to the question that it asks.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the best apologetic that Christians have in my estimation.  If Jesus is alive, He is God and has a right to demand my worship.  If Jesus is not alive, He is just another man that lived a long time ago with no authority in my life.  Paul says, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:17).

The lyric from the song, while not intending to argue for a spiritual resurrection, leaves that option open.  An adherence to a spiritual resurrection of Jesus is seen in those whose rationalistic worldviews will not allow them to affirm the bodily resurrection.  The biblical accounts know nothing of a merely spiritual resurrection.  Paul was certainly not talking about a spiritual resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:17.

Let me give six biblical arguments for the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1. The body was gone from the tomb (John 20:1-10; Matthew 28:11-15).

John tells us in his Gospel that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb very early and found the stone to be rolled away.  She immediately left and reported back to Peter and John.  They went running to the tomb only to find that the body of Jesus was not there.  Even the guards who were charged with keeping watch over the tomb testified that the tomb was empty.  Had the Gospel writers intended to communicate that Jesus' resurrection was merely spiritual, why the focus on the missing body?

2. Jesus physically appeared to many people (John 20:11-29; 21:1-23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).

John tells us of Jesus' appearance to the disciples on several occasions.  He also tells us that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.  We know that this was a physical appearance because she mistook Him for the gardener (John 20:15).  We are also told in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus appeared to over 500 men at one time.  As if to validate his claim, Paul says that most of them were still alive; you could go and ask them.

3. Thomas was able to touch Jesus' hands and side (John 20:24-29).

When the other disciples declared to Thomas that Jesus was alive, he swore not to believe it unless he could touch the hands and side of Jesus.  Eight days later, Jesus appeared to Thomas and the other disciples.  Thomas was able to touch the hands and side of Jesus.  This would not have been possible had Jesus only been raised spiritually.

4. Jesus ate (John 21:1-14; Luke 24:36-43).

John's Gospel tells us that Jesus cooked a breakfast of bread and fish for the disciples.  It does not tell us that Jesus ate though.  Luke, however, tells us that Jesus proved that He was physically standing before His disciples by taking a piece of broiled fish and eating it before them.  Spirits don't eat.  Embodied people do.

5.  Jesus physically ascended (Acts 1:6-11).

The straightforward reading of Acts 1 demonstrates that Jesus was physically present with His disciples prior to His ascension.  He spoke to them with final instructions to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.  Then He physically ascended into heaven.

6.  Jesus is physically coming back (1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21-22).

We are told in Ephesians 1 that Jesus is right now seated at the right hand of the Father.  The Scriptures also testify to the fact that He will return.  He will return to bring judgment on those who remain in their sin.  He will establish a new physical dwelling place for those who are in Christ where we will dwell with God, and He will dwell with us.  The physical resurrection of Jesus is our hope of a future physical resurrection.  Christ is the firstfruits.

I trust that this list gives you confidence that the Bible teaches the bodily resurrection of Jesus.  But is a resurrection the best explanation for the empty tomb?  Can we trust the biblical record?  I will argue in my next post later in the week that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is in fact the best explanation for the empty tomb.

Review: The Third Day

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to look over a unique resource.  It is a "comic book" based on the resurrection narrative of Luke 22-24.  It is called The Third Day and is published by The Good Book Company.

I had not previously seen anything like it.  Though it claimed to be derived directly from the pages of Scripture, I was immediately skeptical.  A Bible comic book?  Isn't that an oxymoron?  Apparently not.  This resource is everything that it claimed to be and more.

The Third Day is biblical accurate, beautifully illustrated, and brilliantly organized.  The text is taken directly from the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation of Luke 22-24.  It is done in a way that is compelling and engaging.  It really makes the story of Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension come to life.

If I were to make one suggestion, it would be to improve the cover.  I would not be likely to pick this up off the shelf due to the cover.  Once you open it, however, you see that the cover is not representative of what is inside.  The artwork on the inside is topnotch.

I would recommend this as a resource to be given to young teenagers.  They may find that The Third Day helps the story to come alive for them.  It is very well done.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program.

Book Review: Guiltless Living

Guiltless Living by Ginger Hubbard takes a look at the believer's serial sin problem in a manner that is both humorous and convicting.  Hubbard weaves personal stories throughout the book to demonstrate the sin of her own heart and connect with the reader.  After each story she quickly zeroes in on the grace of God and the help He offers in fighting against sin.

I must admit that the title of the book troubled me before reading.  Even after reading, I still wish a different title had been chosen.  I was afraid that this was going to be another book that focuses on the grace of God to the neglect of His righteous requirement of obedience.  I feared that I would be urged to rid my life of guilt over sin simply by focusing on the grace available through Christ.  A thorough reading demonstrated that this fear was unfounded.  I should have known that to be the case based on my familiarity with another of Hubbard's books, Don't Make Me Count to Three!

Urging a person to focus on the grace of God in Christ is certainly part of the gospel.  It is absolutely essential that we magnify this grace.  However, it is not a complete gospel if we stop there; progressive sanctification must follow.  Thankfully, Hubbard did not stop with a partial gospel.  She went on to provide helpful instruction for the believer's fight against sin.

Another strength of this book is that it does not stop with behavior.  Our problem is not ultimately that our behavior is bad; we have a bad heart.  We need the gospel so deeply because while we may alter our behavior by trying harder and doing better, we do not have the power to change our hearts.  Only the Spirit of God can do that supernatural work.

Hubbard demonstrates throughout the book a good knowledge of the Scriptures and an ability to apply them well.  I found this refreshing as well.

I would certainly recommend this book to those struggling under the weight of sin.  I think it would be especially helpful for women as they can likely relate to many of the personal examples that Hubbard provides.  I will likely add it to the book rack at our church.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews program.

Movie Review: God's Not Dead - Part 2

Ok, this post may not be popular.  I am a Christian.  I was supposed to love God's Not Dead.  Well, I didn't.  The movie was not all bad as I said in my last post.  It wasn't even mostly bad as this post may seem to indicate.  The idea behind the movie was good, but I must quibble with some of the details.  Below are a few of the things with which I took issue.

1. All of the non-Christians were portrayed as evil numbskulls.

This is an unhelpful characterization.  Professor Radisson was an egotistical bully.  Mark, the successful businessman, was a self-centered jerk.  The Muslim father was an abusive tyrant.  If the creators of the movie wanted to build a straw man and utterly demolish it, they succeeded.  If they wanted to demonstrate how Christians can effectively engage a lost world, they came up short. 

In Matthew 9:36, Jesus looked on the crowd of lost people and saw them as sheep without a shepherd.  He did not demonize them.  He ministered truth to them that they might repent and believe in Him.  The ministry of Jesus to unbelievers should always be held up as a model for Christians to follow.

Believe it or not, unbelievers actually do good things.  They feed the hungry.  They care for the poor.  Many times they do this better than Christians.  Now certainly the Scriptures say that even our good deeds are as filthy rags to God.  Unbelievers do not feed the hungry and take care of the poor as worship to God, but this does not completely negate their good deeds.

2. The words in black matter too.

One of America's bearded heroes, Willie Robertson, is interviewed in the movie by a disrespectful young reporter.  She asks several demeaning questions of Willie and his wife, Korie.  Willie and Korie respond to these questions as graciously as one could reasonably expect.  Then Willie responds to one of the questions by quoting a Bible verse.  He follows the quotation up with, "And that's in red so it's important."

For starters, an atheist with no religious background may not even know what he means by that.  But that isn't my point here.  Christians do not believe that the words in red are somehow more important than the words in black.  I believe that the entire Bible, Genesis to Revelation, is the very Word of God.  When I read the Bible it is as if God is speaking, because He is.  Willie's remark was a cute thing to say, but it was dead wrong and extremely unhelpful.

3. What about the resurrection?

I said in my last post that I appreciated the concept of the movie.  Christians need to be prepared to give a defense for their faith.  However, I felt that Josh failed to utilize the best arguments at our disposal. 

Most reasonable unbelievers will grant that there really was a man named Jesus who lived just over 2,000 years ago.  They will grant that He really was crucified.  They will even grant that His followers claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus.

This leaves us with only a few choices for explanation.  1) His followers thought they saw the resurrected Jesus, but were merely hallucinating.  The only problem with this is that hallucination is not a group phenomenon.  The resurrected Jesus appeared to over 500 people at one time.  2) The disciples stole the body.  Unfortunately for those who argue for this solution, the tomb was well-guarded.  Also, most of the apostles were martyred for their faith.  You don't go to your death for something you know to be a lie.  3) Jesus really was resurrected.  This seems to be the best explanation for why the body was missing from the tomb.

While this apologetic is not likely to convince an atheist to convert (there are no surefire arguments for the existence or non-existence of God), it is the best argument for the existence of God in my opinion.  It also does not stop with arguing for the existence of God.  It argues for the belief that Jesus is God, which is at the center of the Christian faith.

4. I am not intimidated by evolution.

Josh begins his arguments for the existence of God by granting that the world is billions of years old.  I realize that many solid, Bible-believing Christians agree with this position; I do not.  I think that good arguments exist for a young earth.  I believe that God created the earth just as the narrative of Genesis records, in six literal days.  I do not make this a test of orthodoxy necessarily, but do believe that it is a very legitimate position and even the best position.  The converse is a very slippery slope.

5. Theism is not Christianity.

After the movie, someone told me that it was great how all of the students in Josh's class converted to Christianity.  Unfortunately, that is not what the movie portrays.  Martin, a student from China, is the only classmate shown who converted to Christianity.  The rest of the class converted to theism.  They denounced their original statement that God is dead by standing and saying, "God is not dead."  I don't think that is what Paul had in mind in Romans 10 when he wrote that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  What about repentance?  What about faith in Jesus?

I have to say that I did not pick up on this initially; my wife did.  She is sharp and keeps me on my toes.  I am thankful for her discernment.

Conclusion:

There were other things throughout the movie that raised my eyebrows.  The list above, however, is a good representation of some of the problems I found.  The Noah movie has received a lot of criticism from Christians, and rightly so it seems.  I have not seen it yet, and probably won't until it shows up in my local Redbox.  However, many of the same Christians who despise the Noah movie so much are in love with God's Not Dead.

God's Not Dead is not all bad as I have said before.  It is, in my estimation though, potentially more harmful than Noah to the undiscerning eye.  Noah is very obviously inaccurate.  God's Not Dead is more subtly misleading.  I took my youth group to see the movie.  I don't regret that decision.  I am also glad that I was able to sit down with them afterward and discuss some of the problems with the movie.  If you choose to see the movie, I encourage you to watch discerningly.