The Foundation of the Church

Christ’s Death and Resurrection are foundational and indispensable to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.

The Apostle Paul discusses the future resurrection of believers in his second letter to Timothy in response to denials of this “sound teaching.” Faith in the resurrection is central to the doctrine of salvation proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles. This teaching is reliable since it is based on the historical Death and Resurrection of Jesus, and the eyewitness testimony of the Apostles – (Acts 1:21-22, 2 Timothy 1:13).

[Peak - Photo by Sebastian Knoll (Saltzburg) on Unsplash]

Together, Christ’s Death and Resurrection form the bedrock on which the Apostolic Faith is built. Attempting to build with any other construction materials will produce an unstable structure built on a constantly shifting foundation, just as Jesus warned:

• “Every man who hears these words of mine and does them not will be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and struck that house, and it fell, and great was its collapse” – (Matthew 7:26-27).

• “According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man take heed how he builds on it. For other foundation no man is able to install than that which is laid down, which is Jesus Christ. But if any man builds on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man's work will be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each man's work, of what sort it is” – (1 Corinthians 3:10-13).

The theme of “sound teaching” is prominent in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, and the future resurrection is a key component of the Apostolic Faith, since Jesus “nullified death” when God raised him from the dead – (2 Timothy 1:9-10).

Paul describes the center of his Gospel in his first letter to the church of Corinth. Salvation is based on acceptance of and belief in this message:

• “Now, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel that I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word that I preached to you, except you believed in vain. For I delivered to you, among the first things, what also I received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures”– (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The human death and the bodily resurrection of Jesus are essential to the message of salvation, which has been manifested in relatively recent times, although the plan of redemption has existed for eons.

As promised in the Hebrew Scriptures, the arrival of the Messiah initiated the era of fulfillment. This period includes the general resurrection of the dead, which began with Jesus of Nazareth. He was the first man to be resurrected and receive immortality. And so, he is our forerunner. By his Death and Resurrection, he inaugurated our salvation:

• “God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the peculiar purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages but has now been manifested through the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has nullified death and thrown light upon life and incorruptibility, through the means of the gospel” - (2 Timothy 1:9-10).

• “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead…” – (Colossians 1:18).

• “For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation complete through sufferings” – (Hebrews 2:10).

• “Looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” – (Hebrews 12:2).

Paul does not mean that death no longer occurs. The Greek verb translated as “nullified” in Second Timothy does not mean to “destroy” or annihilate something, but to “nullify” it. To make it ineffective and invalidate its legal claim; to disempower a thing or person (‘katargeô’, Strong’s Concordance, #G2673).

The complete termination of Death, of its reality and dominion over humanity, will not occur until “the arrival” or ‘Parousia’ of Jesus (παρουσια). As the Author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes:

• “Since the children are partners in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might nullify [‘katargeô’] him that had the dominion of death, that is, the Devil, and might deliver all those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” - (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Death still occurs, but it can no longer hold us in its iron grip. We need not fear dying since Christ conquered death for us. When he returns, he will abolish Death with absolute finality by raising us from the dead and giving us immortal bodies. “Then comes the End,” and we will shout victoriously:

• “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!” - (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 15:54-57).

• “Do not fear! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. And I became dead; and behold, I am living unto the ages of ages, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades” – (Revelation 1:17-18).

Christ's resurrection has brought life and “immortality” to light. The Greek noun translated as “immortality” does not mean ‘eternal’ or ‘eternity’. Immortality is the opposite of death; it is the state of deathlessness - the absence of death and dying. Those who receive immortal bodies will never die again (‘aphtharsia’, Strong’s Concordance - #G861).

THE NAZARENE’S RESURRECTION

Our belief in Christ’s resurrection is based on the eyewitness testimonies of the Apostles. A key requirement of apostleship was not only that the apostle saw the resurrected Jesus, but that he had witnessed the ministry of Christ from beginning to end:

• “Of the men, therefore, that accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection” – (Acts 1:21-22).

• “And that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day, according to the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve. Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles. And last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also” – (1 Corinthians 15:4-8).

• “So then, you are no more strangers and sojourners but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone” – (Ephesians 2:19-20).

In First Corinthians, Paul links bodily resurrection to immortality, which is not something we possess by nature. All men have been subject to death since the first man disobeyed the commandment of God – (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:50-56).

Immortality was lost when Adam sinned, and death has reigned over all living creatures ever since. Death is the cessation of life. However, we will be raised and transformed when Jesus returns. This will not be the case for all men. Only those who have been redeemed by his death will be raised to “everlasting life” - (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

Paul instructed Timothy to “remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” His past resurrection is the immovable foundation of our faith and the absolute guarantee of our resurrection when Christ returns - (2 Timothy 2:8-18).

• “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who sleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ's at his arrival [‘Parousia’]” - (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

• “The elect may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with everlasting glory <…> If we die with him, we will also live with him <…> If we suffer, we will also reign with him”- (2 Timothy 2:8-18).

Paul was persecuted on account of this message, and central to it is the proclamation that Christ died, and three days later, God raised him from the dead. That proposition was contrary to the beliefs and philosophies of Paul’s time, just as it is incompatible with the ideologies and practices of the current world order - (Acts 17:16-21, 17:32).

Death will not have the final word. “Salvation,” resurrection, and “everlasting glory” will be obtained when Jesus returns to gather his elect. Those who deny this hope engage in “profane and empty babblings” that lead to ungodliness - (1 Corinthians 15:10-20, 1 Timothy 6:20, 2 Timothy 2:16).

Denying the resurrection means rejecting the essence of the Gospel. There is no “Good News” apart from the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Denying resurrection, whether his or ours, is the opposite of “sound teaching.” In First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul rejected denials of this kind with eloquence and logic:

• “For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. Moreover, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. Then they also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. But now has Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who sleep” – (1 Corinthians 15:16-20).

If Jesus does not resurrect the dead upon his arrival, our salvation will remain incomplete, and we, therefore, are without hope and forever lost. Belief in our future resurrection is based on Christ’s past Death and Resurrection. Denying the resurrection is suicidal since it renders the Gospel of Jesus Christ powerless to save us.

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SEE ALSO:

• To the Ends of the Earth - (The Gospel of the Kingdom of God announced by Jesus is a message of life for men and women of every nation and people)

• Raised from the Dead - (Paul anchored all that God has done in the resurrection of Jesus, which also inaugurated the Messianic Age - Galatians 1:1-5)

• The End of Death - (The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the end of the Last Enemy, namely, Death - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

• El Fundamento de la Iglesia - (La Muerte y Resurrección de Cristo son fundamentales e indispensables para las enseñanzas de Jesús y los Apóstoles)