Living in the Power of the Resurrection

“For what I received I passed on 

to you as of first importance: 

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 

that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day 

according to the Scriptures”

 (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

At the very center of Christian faith lies a message of eternal weight. Paul reminds us that above everything else, the gospel stands on this foundation: Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. This, he says, is the truth “of first importance.” Everything else flows from it.

Paul is blunt about the alternative: without the resurrection, faith collapses. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (v.17). Without it, sin would still bind us, and hope would disappear. But Christ is risen! His resurrection is the undeniable proof that our sins are forgiven and the sure promise of our own future resurrection. He is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v.20)—the living guarantee that His victory will be ours.

John Stott captured this reality: “Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. Remove it, and Christianity is destroyed.” Without the resurrection, the cross would stand as a tragedy instead of a triumph. Jesus would be remembered as only a noble martyr, and faith reduced to a moral code. But with the resurrection, despair is turned to hope, death to life, and defeat to everlasting victory. It is not a side doctrine—it is the heartbeat of the gospel. To remove it is to destroy the foundation of faith; to embrace it is to stand on unshakable ground, filled with courage, joy, and hope.

Paul’s life bore witness to this truth. Convinced of the resurrection, he risked his life daily and endured hardship for the sake of the gospel (vv.30–32). For him, resurrection was no abstract theory but a living reality that shaped every decision. That is why he urges believers: “Stop sinning” (v.34). To live in the light of the resurrection is to live wholly for God—with faith made firm, sins forgiven, and hope secured.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You died for our sins and rose again so that death is defeated and hope is secure. Teach us to walk each day in the power of the resurrection—fearless in witness, steadfast in obedience, and joyful in hope. May our lives, like Paul’s, testify to this gospel of first importance. Amen.