The Names of Christ
"NAMES OF CHRIST"© -is a book written by Dr. James Modlish
-reprinted here with the author's permission-

Lesson Sixteen

The Resurrection and The Life
(John 11:25)

Introduction: The doctrine of the resurrection is the foundation stone of Christianity. Many admit the necessity of the death of Christ who deny the importance of the bodily resurrection of Christ. But that Christ's physical resurrection is vitally important is evident from the fundamental connection of this doctrine with Christianity. In (1 Cor. 15:12-19) Paul shows that everything stands or falls with Christ's bodily resurrection: Apostolic preaching is vain (vs. 14), the Corinthians' faith is vain (vs. 14), the apostles are false witnesses (vs. 15), the Corinthians are yet in their sins (vs. 17), those fallen asleep in Christ have perished (vs. 18), and Christians are of all men most miserable (vs. 19), if Christ has not risen. All through the Book of Acts and in Paul's preaching the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ (e.g., Acts 2:24,32; 3:15,26; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30-37; 17:31; Rom. 4:24,25; 6:4,9; 7:4; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Cor. 6:14; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12; I Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 2:8; I Pet. 1:21). Indeed, Paul makes Christ's resurrection an essential part of the Gospel (I Cor. 15:4; 2 Tim. 2:8).

Christianity is the only religion in the world that is built on the concept of the resurrection of its founder.

There are several things that are of great value to us as the result of Christ's resurrection:
 

I. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROOF OF HIS DEITY (Rom. 1:4)

Of all the miracles that Jesus performed during His life, none evidenced His deity more than the raising of the dead. Jairus' daughter (Mk. 5:22-43), the young man of Nain (Lk. 7:11-17), and Lazarus (Jn. 11) were all solemn testimony to the divine power of Christ. Yet, there were others who also came back from the dead at the hand of others - the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24), Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43), and Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12). However, none of the other miracle workers and the ability to defeat death and the grave.

* Christ assigned to Himself the exalted, divine title of "The Resurrection, and the Life". It is God who raiseth the dead and therefore Christ announced Himself to be God!

Perhaps this acknowledgment is why some would prefer to keep Christ in the grave. 

II. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST GIVES AN EVER-LIVING HIGH PRIEST - (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1)

Let us look now at the contrast between the priest of the - Levitical dispensation and this Priest according to the order of Melchisedec. They were many; He is only one. Their priesthood was successional - the son followed the father. Christ has a priesthood which cannot be transferred, seeing that His life is indissoluble.

They were sinful, but He is holy, pure, and spotless. They offered sacrifices in the earthly tabernacle; He presents Himself with His blood in the true sanctuary, which is high above all heavens, which is eternal. He appeared in the very presence before the face of God. In Jesus Christ the eternal Priest, after the order of Melchisedec, all is fulfilled, which in the preparatory dispensation could only be shadowed forth imperfectly and by a variety of ordinances.

Christ, in virtue of His priesthood, can save completely (in a perfect, exhaustive, all comprehensive manner) all who through Him come to God, because He ever liveth to intercede for them.

Salvation is begun by the atoning death of Jesus Christ; it is continued by the resurrection and intercession of Christ.

We have not only a Saviour who died, and so made atonement for sin, but also a Saviour who arose and entered by His own blood into the Holy of Holies - God's very presence - where He ever lives and pleads our case in every new failure. (Compare Lk. 22:31, 32 with Jn. 11:42).

Herein lies our abiding security and our assurance of the ultimate, perfect completeness of Christ's work for us and in us. 

III. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS THE PLEDGE AND GUARANTEE OF OUR OWN RESURRECTION - (I Thess. 4:14; 2 Cor. 4:14)

(Rom. 8:11) - "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you".

Lord Lyttleton and Gilbert West perceived that the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul were the two strongest supports to the Christian faith. Since they were unbelievers in early life, they determined to show that both these teachings were unfounded. So they set to work by the study of the Scriptures and history to disprove these miracles. But since they were honest men, they did not carry out their designs. Their consideration of the evidence convinced them that both doctrines were true, and so they wrote their books to prove the very thing that they had set out to deny. Lord Lyttleton wrote on the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, and Gilbert West on the resurrection of Christ. The title of these books are as follows:

Observations of Saul's Conversion- by Lord Lyttleton, and Observations on the History and Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, by Gilbert West. Infidels in all ages have realized the fact, that with the resurrection of Christ, all miracles become possible. Therefore the importance of this truth for the establishment of the supernatural character of the religion of the Scriptures.
 

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