Resurrection
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead
by J.I. Packer
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the
spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away
from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord
Jesus. (LUKE 24:1-3)
Jesus resurrection, which was a divine act involving all three Persons
of the Godhead (John 10:17-18; Acts 13:30-35; Rom. 1:4), was not just a resuscitation
of the ruined physical frame that was taken down from the cross for burial.
It was, rather, a transformation of Jesus humanity that enabled him to
appear, vanish, and move unseen from one location to another (Luke 24:31, 36).
It was the creative renewing of his original body, the body that is now fully
glorified and deathless (Phil. 3:21; Heb. 7:16, 24). The Son of God in heaven
still lives in and through that body, and will do so forever. In 1 Corinthians
15:50-54, Paul envisages that Christians who are alive on earth at the moment
of Christs return will undergo a similar transformation, though in 2 Corinthians
5:1-5 he shows himself aware that Christians who die before the Second Coming
will be clothed with their new body (the eternal house in
heaven) as a distinct event, at or after the time of the old bodys
return to dust (Gen. 3:19).
Christianity rests on the certainty of Jesus resurrection as a space-time occurrence in history. All four Gospels highlight it, focusing on the empty tomb and resurrection appearances, and Acts insists on it (Acts 1:3; 2:24-35; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30-32; 13:33-37). Paul regarded the Resurrection as indisputable proof that the message about Jesus as Judge and Saviour is true (Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:1-11, 20).
Jesus resurrection demonstrated his victory over death (Acts 2:24; 1 Cor. 15:54-57), vindicated him as righteous (John 16:10), and indicated his divine identity (Rom. 1:4). It led on to his ascension and enthronement (Acts 1:9-11; 2:34; Phil. 2:9-11; cf. Isa. 53:10-12) and his present heavenly reign. It guarantees the believers present forgiveness and justification (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17) and is the basis of resurrection life in Christ for the believer here and now (John 11:25-26; Rom. 6; Eph. 1:18-2:10; Col. 2:9-15; 3:1-4).
From: Concise Theology: A Guide To Historic Christian Beliefs