The Christian faith stands or falls on the truthfulness of Christ’s resurrection. It is a cardinal doctrine of Christianity. Every year many people recognize and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead in special “Easter” services. Though Christians are not authorized in Scripture to celebrate Easter (or Christmas either) as special holy days, we ought to be happy attention is being given to spiritual things and that belief in the resurrection doctrine is being promoted.
Easter is a word that likely comes from the name of a Teutonic goddess of spring. Easter is not a biblical term. Pascha, the Greek word for Passover, is mistranslated one time in the Authorized Version (KJV) as Easter (Acts 12:4). The other 28 times this word occurs in Scripture, it is correctly rendered Passover. Again, there is no authority in God’s Word for Christians to celebrate the resurrection on “Easter” as a religious holy day.
Christians are to remember the Savior and proclaim his death till he comes again in the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). This does not lessen the importance of the virgin birth and the triumphant resurrection. In point of fact, the truthfulness of the miraculous birth and the reality of the resurrection are vital truths taught in God’s Word.
The resurrection is important because it is proof of the power of God and proof that Jesus is the divine Son of God. The resurrection of Jesus is cause to believe and know that we will be raised from the dead in the last day (1 Corinthians 15:20ff). Since Christ was raised, we can be forgiven of sins when we obey the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:17; cf. Acts 2:38; 22:16). From the time Jesus was raised and ascended back to the Father, He has ruled and reigned over His kingdom as King of kings and Lord of lords (Acts 2:32-36; 1 Timothy 6:15). Because of the resurrection, God gives us the victory over death and sin (1 Corinthians 15:57).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the “best attested fact in human history” according to Professor Thomas Arnold, world renowned historian of Rugby. If Jesus was not raised, our faith is vain and we are still living in sin (1 Corinthians 15:17). If Jesus was not raised, Christianity is a phony religion no better than any other religion. If there is no resurrection, our trying to live faithful Christian lives is a big waste of time. However, the truth is: He is risen (Matthew 28:6)!
