Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead?

Quick Answer: Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead? The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves His divinity – that He has power over sin and death. But the resurrection is also important to the believer, as it is the means by which we have received new, resurrection life and new identity in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:17; Colossians 3:1).

Diving Deeper: If Jesus has not been raised from the dead, then He is not the Son of God (Romans 1:4). This would mean He was simply one among many religious teachers. It would also signal that His claims of being resurrection life (John 11:25) and eternal life (John 14:6) are completely false. If death held ultimate victory over Jesus, then He could not be life. The resurrection, however, demonstrates Him to both be the Son of God and resurrection life itself. 

Second, the Apostle Paul declares that, without the resurrection, our “faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). Without the resurrection, we do not have a new identity or victory over sin (Romans 6, Colossians 3:1). Our old selves died with Christ (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20), but our new selves were raised with Him (Colossians 2:13). Our spiritual resurrection with Christ transformed us from slaves of sin into slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18).

The resurrection also set us free from the power of death, the tool that Satan used to hold us captive (1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Hebrews 2:14-15). We can look to the resurrection and know that we are not only born again spiritually but will be raised with new resurrection bodies as well (1 Corinthians 15:42).

Let’s Make It a Conversation!
1. How does the resurrection prove Jesus’ identity?
2. How does the resurrection change your identity?
3. What does the resurrection of Jesus mean to you personally?