Did Jesus truly rose from the dead?

Christians from all over around the world have been insisting that the Man Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead. Our belief in the resurrection of Christ is a major theological truth which is central in our creed, and non negotiable in Christendom, because it is intimately linked to our salvation. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and yet denies the resurrection of Christ is not a Christian even to begin with. But did Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead? Are there historical facts to verify whether Jesus truly resurrected from the dead? Is it even possible for a person to die, and literally rise from the dead bodily without experiencing corruption? History has shown that a person dies once and after that he or she is buried in the grave.

 But we Christian's affirm strongly that Jesus Christ is unique from all others. We are of the view that he died and rose on the third day, and his resurrection vindicated his claim about his identity and the work he came to accomplish on our behalf. The resurrection of Christ is a difficult truth for skeptics to believe and for that reason, they have employed all their powers to discredit the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But the truth of the matter is that Jesus rose from the dead and the bible is the most credible historical book that gives us an accurate and vivid account of the historicity of the most memorable event that ever took place in human history. In this article, my emphasis is to prove to you that Jesus indeed resurrected from the dead.

It is of the utmost importance to know that the four gospels and the book of Acts were written by eyewitnesses or is based on eye witnesses account. Matthew and John for instance were with Jesus from the commencement of his ministry to the end of his ministry. They heard his teachings, saw his miracles and witnessed his death and attested to his resurrection (Matthew 28; 1-20, John 28). They gave a vivid description of the things that transpired in the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus and that also included his resurrection. The author of the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, wrote his books based on eyewitnesses account. 

He collated his accounts from people who walked with Jesus, and were witnesses of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, see (Luke 1; 1-4). The bible is an historical book and has accurately given us an historical fact about the most outstanding event which took place in human history, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The four gospel accounts of the resurrection of Christ, as recorded in the bible is infallible and worthy of all acceptation. I would rather believe in the testimony of the eyewitnesses account as recorded in the gospels, than to believe in the unsound teachings of atheists, and other unbiblical scholars.  

Another way we can know for certain that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, is by the radical preaching of the gospel by Jesus disciples. The disciples were before very timid, they locked themselves in a room for fear of the Jewish authorities when Jesus was laid in the sepulcher, see (John 20; 19). But after they encountered the risen Christ, they were endued with power to witness the truth about the resurrection of Christ, and there was a revolution in the whole city of Jerusalem and to the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1; 8). But what could have made the once fearful disciples to experience a sudden change, to the extent that they were no longer afraid of the religious authorities and were going about preaching the gospel? It is written in the book of Acts: Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree (Acts 5: 29-30). 

At first they were very afraid of the Jewish authorities, but now being summoned before them, they could boldly say, "we ought to obey God than men". The question is, what gave birth to such boldness? It was the truth of the resurrection of Christ, because they had seen and encountered the resurrected Lord. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, there was no way the disciples would have gone about preaching, but because they were more than convinced of the resurrection of Christ, that gave birth to their radical preaching of the gospel.

Another infallible proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the empty tomb. It is an historical fact that Jesus Christ died and was buried, and even archeological findings attest to it. But on the third day, the tomb where our Lord was laid became empty. Nobody stole his body, nor was it burned into ashes and this proves the fact that Jesus truly rose from the dead. Even though, the religious leaders at that time fabricated a lie and gave significant amount of money to the soldiers to spread the lie, just to conceal the truth about the resurrection of Christ: Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep (Matthew 28:11-13).

 The more they tried to spread the lie, the more the truth of the resurrection of Christ gained ascendancy and sunk deep in the hearts of the people. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, it will have been evident, the tomb will not have been empty. Jesus even prophesied his own bodily resurrection even before he died and it was so, as he foretold, see (Matthew 16: 21). I love what the angel said to the women at the tomb: The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying (Matthew 28: 5-6). The empty tomb is an indubitable proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Another proof of the resurrection of Christ is that he appeared to many. Paul by the Spirit wrote down these words in his epistle to the Corinthians: After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15: 6-7). What actually removed doubts from the minds of the disciples and gave them strong conviction was that they beheld the risen Christ, they touched him, and spoke with him and even ate with him, see (John 20 and  21). Jesus did not resurrect as a phantom as some falsely teaches, but he resurrected physically and his body was glorified, no longer to be subject to death. He appeared to many witnesses and this caused them to spread the gospel every where. Jesus physical appearance to his followers irrefutably asserts the truth of his resurrection.

Another strong proof of his resurrection is the fact that the disciples died for their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to church history, most of the early disciples of Christ died as Martyrs. Some were arrested and asked to recant their belief in the resurrection of Christ, but no, they willingly accepted death than to renounce Jesus. They were ill treated and eventually died as Martyrs for their belief in the resurrection of Christ, because they knew from the depth of their heart that Jesus was indeed risen from the dead. 

Why will they seal with their own blood for something they themselves know was a lie? Nobody in his right sense will die for something they believe to be a lie, but will only die for what they believe to be true and that is exactly what the early disciples did. They had more than enough concrete evidence to confirm the truth of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and for that reason they loved not their lives unto death. The death of the early disciples as Martyrs of Christ is more than enough evidence to buttress the truth that Jesus Christ indeed rose from the dead.

Another convincing proof of the resurrection of Christ can be seen in the conversion of apostle Paul. The apostle was formerly a persecutor, blasphemer and a violent aggressor who even consented to the death of Stephen (Acts 7). He was a violent man who went from city to city persecuting and authorizing the arrest of the followers of Jesus. He regarded Christianity as a false religion, until the resurrected Christ himself appeared to him on his way to Damascus and that day was the day of his salvation (Acts 9). Paul became a Christian, he became a new creation and began to preach the same gospel he once despised. But what could have caused the sudden transformation in the life of the apostle? 

The answer can only be traced to his encounter with the resurrected Christ. Jesus physically appeared to him, and he knew from that day that Jesus indeed rose from the dead and was alive, and by the help of the Spirit, he witnessed the resurrection of Christ to innumerable people in his lifetime and was even beheaded for the truth he stood for. The conversion of apostle Paul is a convincing evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Brethren, let us stand firm and continue to herald the gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, because without the resurrection of Christ, there is no such thing as Christianity. Any other teaching that contradicts that which I have penned down in this article I know not. God bless you 

                 A thought to ponder

Our belief in the resurrection of Christ is a major theological truth which is central in our creed, and non negotiable in Christendom, because it is intimately linked to our salvation.

We defend and exposit the truth of the gospel