Can you be a Christian without believing the resurrection?
Christians are very different in many ways. We are Democrats and Republicans as well as independents. We come from all over the country and all over the world.
All of those different origins and backgrounds makes us different, but there is something that makes us very much alike.We are people who call Jesus Lord and Savior. We are united by our common love for Him.
Paul didn’t answer the question, “Can you be a Christian without believing the resurrection?” but He certainly dealt with the importance of the resurrection.
He told us that the resurrection is the essential element of the Christian faith. It is the resurrection of Jesus which affirmed the significance and power of His death.
As he took our place on the cross, the resurrection shows the power of the cross to bring hope, forgiveness, and righteousness in our lives.
Those early disciples had a hard time believing the resurrection because they were overjoyed at the prospect (Luke 24:41). It was one of those things we often say was “too good to be true.”
Without the resurrection, we simply do not see the power of the death of Christ on the cross. Recently, I read a pastor’s remarks that without the resurrection the crucifixion was simply the sad ending of a good man. But with the resurrection, his death gives us an eternal hope and that sad Friday turned into Good Friday.
Paul summed it up in this way, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17)). Paul said, without the resurrection “we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19).
But Christ has been raised and that makes all the difference.
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4 Responses
As an attorney, I usually want to elicit “yes” “no” questions when cross examining a witness on the stand but definitely the answer to this question is no.
I would contend that Paul did answer this question in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 when he describes the Gospel “by which also you are saved” (1 Cor. 15:2) when he includes the resurrection as a part of that Gospel. The Christian’s belief in the resurrection is as necessary as the belief in his sacrificial atonement.
Thanks for a good reply
An excellent response to the sad folks who believe otherwise.