Does it really matter that Jesus Christ rose from the dead? The preaching of the early church believed it was an absolute necessity and was central to the essence of Christianity.

Over the centuries critics have sought to prove the resurrection was false, believing that to discredit it would discredit Christianity as a whole. The resurrection took place in the open for all to see. It is not a made up story, a fable, a parable, a moral tale, or an expression of the faith norm of Christ’s followers. Jesus had a real body, experienced real pain on the cross, died a real death, and was placed in a real tomb. And three days later a real dead body came out of a real tomb. Here are some reasons Christ’s resurrection matters.

• Because it shows that God acted in history (Acts 2:32).
• Because it fulfills the Scriptures (I Cor. 15:3-4).
• Because it demonstrates that Christ’s substitutionary death was necessary to break the dominion of sin and death (Heb 9:11-22).
• Because it vindicates Christ’s death as the victory over sin and death (Eph. 1:18-23)
• Because it guarantees that we are released from the dominion of sin and death (Rom. 6:5-14; 8:10-13).
• Because it gives us assurance of our resurrection from the dead (I Cor. 15:12-23; Phil 3:20-21).
• Because it gives us a clear and powerful message to speak to the world (Acts 13:32-39).
• Because it gives us a certain assurance of hope knowing that without Christ’s resurrection we would still be in our sins (I Cor. 15:12-20; 54-57; Rev. 20:6).

“Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57).
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Dominic Aquila is president of New Geneva Seminary in Colorado Springs, Colo., and editor of The Aquila Report.