 
   DOCTRINE: RESURRECTION OF CHRIST 
 
  1. Introduction, definition and description: 
   1.1. Resurrection is "the act of rising from the dead or returning 
to life" (The American Heritage Dictionary, page 1054). Resurrection 
refers to the physical body. It means that God will instantaneously 
make a new kind of body for each believer. This new kind of body will 
replace the old body. This new body will be made off the pattern of 
the old body (Lk 24.2-3 with 39-40; 1 Cor 15.35-54). 
   1.2. Jesus Christ's physical body was changed to a new body. It was 
the same and yet different. Jesus Christ's soul and human spirit had 
not died, so they returned to the new body and it became alive. This 
happened on the third day after He had physically died while on the 
cross (Matt 27.50; Lk 23.46; Jn 2.19, 22; 19.30; 20.14-19; Acts 2.24, 
32; 3.15; Rom 4.24; 10.9). 
   1.3. Resurrection is different from resuscitation. Resurrection 
results in a new body that will never die again. Resuscitation means 
that the body has been revived or given life again, but that body is 
the same old body and will die again (2 Kgs 4.32-35; 13.21; Lk 
7.11-16; Jn 11.38-45; 1 Cor 15.54). 
  2. Resurrection in the Old Testament period: 
   2.1. Resurrection was taught and believed in the Old Testament 
period (Job 19.25-27; Psm 16.10; Dan 12.1-3; Zech 12.10; Jn 11.24). 
   2.2. The death and resurrection of Christ were predicted prior to 
the events (Psm 16.10; Zech 12.10; Matt 16.21; Mk 9.31; Lk 18.31-33; 
Jn 2.19-22). 
  3. There must be physical death before there can be physical 
resurrection. The miraculous change of the living believer's body at 
the rapture will result in a resurrection body, but that will not be 
physical resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15.50-54; 1 Thes 4.16-17). 
   3.1. Jesus Christ died spiritually (Matt 27.45-46; Mk 15.33-34; Lk 
23.44-45; Jn 19.28-31) and physically (Matt 27.50; Mk 15.37; Lk 23.46; 
Jn 19.30) while on the cross. 
   3.2. The physical death of Christ was certain. 
     3.2.1. It was described in each gospel (Matt 27, Mark 15, Lk 23, 
Jn 19). 
    3.2.2. The soldiers confirmed His death (Jn 19.31-34). 
    3.2.3. The women who removed the body and prepared it for the 
burial confirmed His death (Matt 27.61; Mk 15.47; Lk 23.55-56). 
    3.2.4. Joseph and Nicodemus buried the Lord. This act by them 
confirmed His death (Mk 15.42-47; Jn 19.38-39). 
   3.3. The physical resurrection of Christ was certain. The early 
church accused the Jews of killing the Messiah. This was a dangerous 
statement if there was not evidence and common acceptance of that 
evidence (Acts 2.31-36; 3.14-15; 4.10; 5.30-31; 7.52). The evidence 
included: 
    3.3.1. The stone which had been officially sealed had been removed 
so that people could look in and see the empty grave (Matt 27.60-66; 
28.2; Mk 16.3-4; Lk 24.1-2; Jn 20.1-2). 
    3.3.2. The grave was empty when people came to see it. Jesus had 
left (Matt 28.5-6; Mk 16.6; Lk 24.3; Jn 20.2). 
    3.3.3. The officials recognized that Jesus' body was gone. They 
tried to cover up this fact (Matt 27.62-66 with 28.11-15). 
    3.3.4. The grave clothes which had been carefully wrapped on Jesus 
were still in the grave. The face-cloth was lying separate from the 
other wrappings. According to the New Bible Dictionary page 172, at 
that time in history the body would be washed, anointed, wrapped in 
linen garments with spices, then the arms and legs were bound and the 
face covered with a cloth. This was done with Jesus' body. When He 
arose the wrappings were right where the body had been. Only the face- 
cloth was in a different position. Grave robbers would not have done 
this (Matt 27.59-60; Mk 15.46; Lk 23.53-56; Jn 19.39-40 with Jn 
20.5-7). 
     3.3.5. Jesus Christ appeared to many people after He arose. They 
confirmed that He was alive in a resurrection body. These people 
included Mary Magdalene (Mk 16.9-11; Jn 20.15-17), five other women 
(Matt 28.9-10), Peter (1 Cor 15.5), two believers on the road to 
Emmaus (Mk 16.12; Lk 24.13-33), ten disciples (Jn 20.19-25), eleven 
disciples (Mk 16.14; Jn 20.26-29), seven disciples by the sea (Jn 
21.1-2), five hundred believers (1 Cor 15.7), James, His half brother 
(1 Cor 15.7), eleven disciples while on a mountain in Galilee (Matt 
28.16-20), the disciples at the ascension (Acts 1.3-11), and Paul (1 
Cor 15.8). 
  4. What was Jesus Christ's resurrection body like? Characteristics 
     of the resurrection body: 
   4.1. Could be seen (Jn 20.14). 
   4.2. Could be touched and felt (Matt 28.9; Lk 24.39-40; Jn 20.17, 
        27-28). 
   4.3. Was flesh and bones, not mere spirit (Lk 24.39-40; Jn 20.17, 
        27-28). 
   4.4. Had ability to breath (Jn 20.22). 
   4.5. Had ability to eat (Lk 24.41-43). 
   4.6. The voice was the same and he could speak with people (Matt 
        28.18-20; Jn 20.16). 
   4.7. Was not restricted by time, space, or physical barriers (Lk 
        30-38, 50-51; Jn 20. 19, 26; Acts 1.9-11). 
  5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proved that He, His doctrine, 
His actions, His victory over sin, death, and Satan, His promises, His 
offer of salvation, His place in history, His plan for history, and 
His acceptance by God the Father are all true (Rom 1.4; 4.25; 1 Cor 
15.12-28). 
  6. Principles to apply because of Christ's resurrection: 
   6.1. Jesus Christ is Who He said He is (Rom 1.4). 
   6.2. Jesus Christ succeeded in removing the sin barrier between God 
and man (Jn 20.17; Rom 4.25; Eph 2.1-8). 
   6.3. The church, Christian way of life, the future resurrection, 
and the future for God's creation are certain because Jesus Christ 
arose from the dead. 
    6.3.1. The church was formed with Christ as the living head (Eph 
1.20-23). 
    6.3.2. The Holy Spirit came to indwell and fill church age 
believers in order to carry out His ministries in believers (Jn 
14.16-17, 26; 16.7, 13; Acts 1.8; Rom 8.4, 11, 13; Eph 5.18). 
    6.3.3. The resurrection power has been provided in order to live 
the Christian way of life (Eph 1.19-20; 3.16; Phil 3.10). 
    6.3.4. The primary objective for believers during the inter-advent 
period (represent Christ by witnessing and learning Bible doctrine) is 
based upon the authority of resurrected Jesus Christ (Matt 28.18-20). 
    6.3.5. Future resurrection to eternal life has been made certain 
by the resurrection of Christ (Jn 5.24-29; 1 Cor 15.20-24; 2 Cor 4.14; 
1 Pet 1.3). 
    6.3.6. The believer's resurrection body will be the same kind of 
body as Jesus Christ's resurrection body (1 Cor 15.49-53; Phil 3.21; 1 
Thes 4.13-18; Jn 3.2). 
    6.3.7. The future for God's creation is certain (Rom 8.18-25; 1 
Cor 15.20-28; Rev 19-22). 
   6.4. Believers ought to honour Him as Lord and God (Jn 20.28). 
 
 
COPYWRIGHT 1987 by Tod M. Kennedy 
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