The Resurrection from the Dead

The priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees were greatly disturbed that John and Peter were preaching "in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." (Acts 4:2).

The subject of Christ's resurrection came up for discussion this past Lord's Day in Sunday School class. In the Apostles Creed, we affirm together our common and firm belief that Jesus Christ "was crucified, dead, and buried, He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty:... "

The resurrection is among many things we confess to firmly believe. Some of these things are miraculous, they defy scientific natural law. Because they are miraculous, an unbeliever will accuse the Christian of believing absurd and impossible things. Because they believe it to be absurd to believe in Christ's resurrection from the dead, some will ridicule such beliefs.

So, we ask ourselves; is it absurd to believe in the resurrection of the dead? Is it impossible for the dead to be raised back to life?

It is absolutely most reasonable to believe that Almighty God, who creates and gives life, has power to resurrect. What is absurd is what the unbeliever affirms daily; that totally inanimate material has or can spontaneously spring to life of its own and surrounding inanimate resources. It is absurd to believe that some kind of bovine animal became a whale through a series of genetic mutations, or that fish scales through the process of time became skin, or hair, or feathers; or that a frog-like creature can eventually become a prince and it doesn't really require a kiss from a beautiful maiden.

The unbeliever affirms innumerable absurd, irrational, inconsistent, and arbitrary concepts. His worldview is completely bankrupt of sense. This is a bankruptcy of reason; he is unable to maintain thought to an ultimately rational conclusion. This is a bankruptcy of morality; he is unable to provide any ethical basis for his often rabid moral sensibilities. This is a bankruptcy of life purpose and meaning; he is unable to provide any basis for progress vs. stagnation, poverty vs. wealth.

For the unbeliever, who believes many absurd things, it seems that "faith" is not the right word. As Christians we read that "faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped, the EVIDENCE of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1). "Faith," as we understand it from this reference must be belief in what is supported by substance and evidence. It is not at all absurd to believe that Almighty God created the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them; and that He governs the world by His Almighty power and word. The extreme complexity of all around us testifies repeatedly, loudly, and unmistakably to His divine power as Creator.

DR