Is My Faith a Futile Figment of My Imagination?

Q. How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us? 

First, 

• by His resurrection 
• He has overcome death, 
• so that He could make us share in the righteousness 
• which He had obtained for us by His death.

Romans 4:25…who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. 

1 Corinthians 15:16-20 

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 

• And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 
• Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  
• If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 
• But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

1 Peter 1:3-5 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

• to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 
• who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Second, 

•  by His power we too are raised up to a new life.

Romans 6:5-11 

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

• knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 
• For he who has died has been freed from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 

• knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 
• For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 
• Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Ephesians 2:4-6 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 

• even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 
• and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

Colossians 3:1-4 

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 

• Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 
• For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 
• When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Third, 

• Christ’s resurrection is to us a sure pledge of our glorious resurrection.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 

1 Corinthians 15:12-23 

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

• But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
• And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 
• Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. 

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 

• And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 
• Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  
• If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

• For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 
• For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
• But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 

Philippians 3:20-21 

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 

• who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, 
• according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 17