The tomb is empty, and that is the foundation of our faith and hope for our own resurrection from the dead.
First Corinthians 15 is a critical chapter on the hope that Jesus’ resurrection gives us. In it, Paul makes the case that the celebration of Easter is more than a celebration of the past. It is also a pointer to the future resurrected bodies and the glory we will have in Christ.
God created the world in joy; He created, and He saw that it was good. But that did not last. When Adam and Eve sinned, they changed themselves, ushering in death and alienation between God, themselves, others, and creation. Without the celebration of Easter, we would have remained in that death. There would have been no hope, and we would be the most pitied for putting our faith in someone who is dead (1 Corinthians 15:12–19).
As it is, our story began well and will also end well. The resurrection of Christ points to future resurrection. We will no longer struggle against sin, sorrow, or death. Instead, Christ will do away with all evil. Everything will be defeated, in subjection to Him (1 Corinthians 15:28). Not only that, but He will renew all things and give us fullness of life in Him.
Part of the mystery of the resurrection is that when Christ comes again, we will all be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). When He comes, we will be made like Him, and we will be given new bodies.
That future may seem far off, and it may seem of little consequence to us now while we are in this temporal world. But it is of the utmost importance, and we need to prepare for it now. You will never regret spending more time in God’s Word or in prayer, using your time wisely. On the other hand, you will regret spending too much time in the things of the world.
Meditate on the things that will endure. You can choose the way of hope and peace, even in the midst of the uncertainty of this world. Your time here is short—so use it well, for the maximum effect for eternal gain. Let us join in the celebration of Easter, by focusing on Christ and looking ahead to the joy to come.
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For more on the resurrection, read Ken Boa’s article series on how the resurrection is the pillar of Christianity.
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In the article below, Dr. Boa synthesizes material from several teaching sessions from his series Biblical Principles for Marriage and from portions of his spiritual formation text Conformed to His Image (primarily from chapter 18, “Holistic Spirituality”). Dr. Boa focuses on agape love as one of the five forms of loves (based on the different Greek words). After reviewing all forms, he gives reasons for why agape is the greatest.
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