Why is the resurrection important to christians?

Answer 1

This quote is part of Jesus' discourse with Martha:"Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world."' (John Ch 11) The statement in the question says unequivocally that the resurrection and eternal life came with Jesus and in Him and it has nothing to do with the Last Day

Through Christ's atonement and His resurrection, all will be resurrected, without exception. (That does not include Satan and his angels). All will have their body and spirit reunited after their resurrection. Before His atonement, this was not possible. It was He who paid the price for Adam's transgression, which fell upon all mankind, all having sinned.

Answer2: The Greek word a·naʹsta·sis literally means "raising up; standing up." It is used frequently in the Christian Greek Scriptures with reference to the resurrection of the dead. The Hebrew Scriptures at Hosea 13:14, quoted by the Apostle Paul (1Co 15:54, 55), speak of the abolition of death and the rendering powerless of Sheol (Heb., sheʼohlʹ; Gr., haiʹdes). Sheʼohlʹ is rendered in various versions as "grave" and "pit." The dead are spoken of as going there. (Ge 37:35; 1Ki 2:6; Ec 9:10) Its usage in the Scriptures, along with the usage of its Greek equivalent haiʹdes in the Christian Greek Scriptures, shows that it refers, not to an individual grave, but to the common grave of mankind, gravedom. (Eze 32:21-32; Re 20:13; see HADES; SHEOL.) To render Sheol powerless would mean to loosen its hold on those in it, which would imply the emptying of gravedom. This, of course, would require a resurrection, a raising up from the lifeless condition of death or out of the grave for those there.

For the One with the ability and power to create man in His own image, with a perfect body and with the potential for full expression of the marvelous characteristics implanted in the human personality, it would pose no insurmountable problem to resurrect an individual. If scientific principles established by God can be used by scientists to preserve and later reconstruct a visible and audible scene by means of videotape, how easy it is for the great Universal Sovereign and Creator to resurrect a person by repatterning the same personality in a newly formed body. Concerning the revitalizing of Sarah to have a child in her old age, the angel said: "Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?"-Ge 18:14; Jer 32:17, 27.

In the beginning a resurrection was not necessary. It was not a part of God's original purpose for mankind, because death was not the natural, purposed thing for humans. Rather, God indicated that he purposed the earth to be full of living humans, not a deteriorating, dying race. His work was perfect, hence without flaw, imperfection, or sickness. (De 32:4) Jehovah blessed the first human pair, telling them to multiply and fill the earth. (Ge 1:28) Such blessing certainly did not include sickness and death; God set no limited life span for man, but he told Adam that disobedience is what would cause death. This implies that man would otherwise live forever. Disobedience would incur God's disfavor and remove his blessing, bringing a curse.-Ge 2:17; 3:17-19.

Consequently, death was introduced into the human race by the transgression of Adam. (Ro 5:12) Because of their father's sinfulness and resultant imperfection, Adam's offspring could not get a heritage of everlasting life from him; in fact, not even a hope of living forever. "Neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit," said Jesus. (Mt 7:17, 18; Job 14:1, 2) The resurrection was brought in, or added, to overcome this disability for those of Adam's children who would desire to be obedient to God.

The resurrection shows forth not only Jehovah's unlimited power and wisdom but also his love and his mercy and vindicates him as the Preserver of those who serve him. (1Sa 2:6) Having resurrection power, he can go to the extent of showing that his servants will be faithful to him to the very death. He can answer Satan's accusation that asserted that "skin in behalf of skin, and everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul." (Job 2:4) Jehovah can let Satan go the full limit, even to killing some in a vain effort to support his false accusations. (Mt 24:9; Re 2:10; 6:11) The fact that Jehovah's servants are willing to give up life itself in his service proves their service is, not for selfish considerations, but out of love. (Re 12:11) It also proves that they acknowledge Him as the Almighty, the Universal Sovereign, and the God of love, who is able to resurrect them. It proves they render exclusive devotion to Jehovah for his wonderful qualities and not for selfish material reasons. (Consider some of the exclamations of his servants, as recorded at Ro 11:33-36; Re 4:11; 7:12.) The resurrection also is a means by which Jehovah sees that his purpose toward the earth, as stated to Adam, is carried out.-Ge 1:28.

The resurrection of the dead, an undeserved kindness on God's part, is essential to mankind's happiness and to the undoing of all the harm, suffering, and oppression that have come upon the human race. These things have befallen man as a result of his imperfection and sickness, the wars he has waged, the murders committed, and the inhumanities practiced by wicked people at the instance of Satan the Devil. We cannot be completely happy if we do not believe in a resurrection. The apostle Paul expressed the feeling in these words: "If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied."-1Co 15:19. See Insight on the Scriptures vol 2 under Resurrection Jehovah's Witnesses official website.

Answer 2

Because that is the reason he came here. Christ was sent to 'save' us from our sins, the reward for which is our own physical and spiritual death, thanks to the mess we have made on this planet. Jesus' resurrection is central to the Christian faith. Without it the crucifixion would be the end of a failed mission. Jesus would have been recognised as a failed prophet (despite his miracles) and soon forgotten. However, he predicted his own resurrection, and it became the ultimate miracle. We must not confuse resurrection with resuscitation of a corpse. He performed this miracle many times (eg raising Lazarus, raising Jairus' daughter) but after their raising they once more died later on. Resurrection means the raising to a new form of life; Jesus' resurrection body was material - it could be touched, he ate, he walked and so on... but it could also materialise and dematerialise at will. Being the first to be raised from death into his resurrection body, he made it clear that he had conquered death for good, and that, believing in him we could do the same through his name, and that, one day too we would be with him in heaven. Paul makes it clear in his first letter to the Christians at Corinth : For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. He also tells us that if the Resurrection did not happen, then Christianity is all in vain and Christians are to be pitied as gullible fools. But as it didhappen, then we have a wonderful relationship with God restored, and the gateway to heaven is opened. The resurrection is central then to the Christian faith. And it happened. Any scepticism will soon be dispelled (if you are sceptical about it) if you read Frank Morrison's 'Who moved the Stone?' available still from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones etc. Morrison was an atheist who did not believe in the resurrection, and decided to write a book to prove it didn't happen, gathering evidence to fuel his belief. However as the evidence was assembled he realised that he was wrong, and he ended up becoming converted and realising just how central the fact of the resurrection was to Christian belief. The resurrection was important because it made the religion more marketable. Islam, which originated from the same Abrahamic theology, disputes the fallacy of resurrection. It was emperor Constantine and his cunning advisors who were responsible for concocting the resurrection fallacy. They also conveniently omitted the facts about the period in India and Tibet, from the age of approximately thirteen to the age of twenty-five. These actions were done to turn Christ into a God after he was murdered by the same clergy.

Answer 3

The ultimate reason for the resurrection of Jesus is to occupy the throne of "heaven". A sacrificial lamb does not need to be resurrected for the atonement to suffice. Pontius Pilate asked Jesus if he was indeed a king. Jesus' answer to Pilate gives us a very important clue; "My kingdom is not of this world". If Jesus was the "son" of the creator of all the universe, this would not be a truthful answer. Another important clue is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. "Our Father who is in heaven... your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..." . The coronation of Jesus has already occurred. His kingdom is approaching [ in every sense] and the two kingdoms will become as one. There is a war looming which will be won by the forces of "heaven". [ H.A.A.R.P. will fail!]

Answer 4

because resurrection Sunday is the day that Jesus rose from the grave

The bedrock of hope for Christian resurrection is the resurrection of Jesus, the foundation of gospel preaching.

The resurrection hope is also based upon the other 8 examples of resurrections in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Jesus, his apostles and many others preached about the resurrection. It is, or it should be, at the core of all Christian beliefs. Just two examples of this.... Acts 24:15 "And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." John 5:28, 29 "Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voiceand come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment." There are many others.

The scriptures have a running theme showing how God will use his Kingdom to restore to mankind what was lost by Adam and Eve. The resurrection is just one way that God, through Jesus, will do this. How long did God intend Adam and Eve to live? Forever, of course. Death was not something God intended to plague mankind, for God is love. Death is the works of the devil. John 3:8 "... For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to break up the works of the Devil."

Answer 5

Christ's resurrection was significant because it demonstrated that He overcame death. This is important because believers have faith that they will overcome death like Christ.

Answer 6

It is the proof that he defeated death, and was not beaten by it.

Answer 7

Those who believe, even though they die, will rise again and walk again on the right hand of GOD.