The Resurrection—Answering the Skeptics

By Charles F. Stanley

Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Critics of our faith find it hard to
believe. Even Christians sometimes wrestle with doubts regarding His resurrection.
Does it matter whether or not our Savior rose from the dead? The apostle Paul
certainly thought so. He wrote, “If Christ has not risen, then our preaching is vain,
and your faith is also vain . . . and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is
worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:14,17).
Let’s look at a few theories that attempt to discredit the resurrection and examine
the evidence that disproves them.
The swoon theory maintains that Jesus was not really dead but only
fainted on the cross. After He was laid in the grave, the cool, damp environment
of the cave revived Him.
There are numerous problems with this from both a biblical and practical
perspective. The Bible said Jesus was dead. He “yielded up His Spirit” (Matt.
27:50). Even the Pharisees wanted the tomb sealed, “lest His disciples come and
steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead’” (Matt. 27:64).
From a practical point of view, those who hold to the swoon theory do not
understand the horrors of crucifixion. Even the soldiers who went to break Jesus’
legs realized they didn’t have to because He was dead. Furthermore, no one just
awakened from a swoon could push away the huge stone that sealed the door to
the tomb, much less subdue the guards stationed there.
Others claim that Jesus’ body was stolen. Two groups of people could have
taken it: His friends or His enemies. Many of His disciples went to their graves still
claiming Jesus was the Christ and that He rose from the dead. People don’t typically
die for what they know to be a lie.
His enemies had a better opportunity to steal the body. They could have struck a
deal with the soldiers standing guard. Even so, Jesus’ enemies had no reason to
steal His body. But if they had stolen it, when news of the resurrection surfaced,
wouldn’t they have produced the body to disprove rumors that Christ was alive? Of
course they would. The only reasonable explanation is that He died, was buried,
and rose from the dead. After all this, He walked the earth for 40 days.
Some believe that Christ’s followers merely imagined seeing Him
alive. After Jesus arose, He appeared both to individuals—such as Mary Magdalene
(John 20:11-18) and Peter (1 Cor. 15:5)—and to small groups of people—such as
the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27) and His disciples (John
20:26-29; Acts 1:3-11). First Corinthians 15:6 tells of five hundred followers seeing
Him at once.
When skeptics assert that only a handful of people imagined seeing the Lord Jesus,
they have a hard time refuting His appearance to 500 people. It is impossible to
think that a crowd this size would imagine the same thing, no matter how grief-
stricken they were.
The fact is, He said He would rise, and He did. The disciples’ lives were
transformed. Many boldly held their faith to the point of martyrdom. Even the day
of worship was changed from Saturday to Sunday to celebrate His resurrection.
How does the resurrection give us hope? There was a time when I would
nearly become physically ill when I thought about having to bury my mother one
day. My father died when I was nine months old, and she and I were a team as I
grew up. She loved me with all her being, and I loved her.
One Easter Sunday, she fell down some basement steps. It was not long after that
she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. In November of that same year, God
took her home to Himself.
Although deeply saddened, I knew it was not a final parting. If I served a Savior
who was still in the grave, I would have no hope whatsoever that my mom is also
alive. But I know that “because He lives, all fear is gone.” What I dreaded for so
long was cloaked in His victory.
Of course, we grieve when someone we love is taken by death. But we mourn
differently than the world does (1 Thess. 4:13). We look forward to a wonderful
reunion with all the faithful departed and our Savior, who died—and lives—for us!
If Jesus had remained dead, we would have nothing—no, hope, no faith, no
comfort. But we have a living Savior who transcended the laws of death and
crushed them forever. His resurrection assures yours. Because He lives, you will
live forever.
Adapted from “Charles Stanley’s Handbook for Christian Living” (1996).
Copyright 2011 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights
reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for
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