What If Jesus Was Not Raised From the Dead?
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ”
Easter Devotional #4
A few days ago, I woke up around 6:30 am to a stunning sight. From my living room, I could see the sun slowly rising, painting the sky with hues of oranges and yellows. I imagined God creating ‘original paintings’ with the sky as his canvas - for his Glory and our delight. I thought: God is awesome and so good.
All Creation Groans
This world is God's creation, so His Goodness and Beauty are imprinted everywhere. All beauty is a metaphor for God (unknown author). He gives us many things to enjoy: relationships, art, music, nature, food, etc. But it doesn't take a particularly deep thinker to also see that evil and darkness are everywhere. As beautiful as that sunrise was, it was fallen. Because of mankind’s sin, creation itself was corrupted. Animals kill humans, bodies of water drown us, and the very air we breathe can intoxicate us. All creation has been groaning and longing for redemption since sin entered into the world.
And Not Only Creation …
“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Do you feel this inward groaning? In separating us from the Living God, sin also created a void in our hearts - God-shaped holes that can only be filled by him. We all know this from experience, especially as Christians. There is nothing in this creation that can quite scratch our existential itch. No job, no relationship, no banking account, no leisure - nothing. They all always leave us wanting more. We chase after things and when we get them, we realize the void is still there.
Christ’s New World
Consider then the cosmic and multi-layered implications of Jesus’ resurrection. God’s plan contained in the scroll of Revelation 5 is perfect and complete. This means that he will completely undo all the effects of sin in his creation. God will eradicate all sin and evil - on a global scale. God will make a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells perfectly and creation perfectly displays his Glory. Not only that but our perishable bodies will be raised immortal and bear ‘the image of the man of heaven’ (1 Cor. 15:49). Dwelling in the presence of our Father, daily eating and drinking from the fullness of his beauty, we will finally know what it means to be home. We will be filled and fulfilled in our inner beings. I honestly can’t even imagine what that would be like. Friends, we have the assurance of these things because Jesus was raised from the dead.
So, what if Jesus was not raised from the dead?
Ponder. What a grim reality it would be. I will leave you with a few thoughts:
There would be no end to creation’s groanings.
There would be no final and ultimate reckoning for evil.
There would be no new creation, no place where pain and sorrow are nonexistent.
We would be doomed to an eternity of thirsting and never being quenched.
But in fact, Christ was raised from the dead! Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
