"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David, was raised
from the dead, according to my gospel."—2 Tim. 2:8.
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; and that he was buried; and that _he hath been
raised_ on the third day according to the scriptures."—1 Cor.
15:3, 4.
"Now, if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the
dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of
the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither
hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised,
then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. Yea, and
we are found false witnesses of God, because we witnessed of
God that he hath raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if
so be that he did not rise. But if the dead are not raised;
neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been
raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they
also that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
pitiable."—1 Cor. 15:12-19.
We commemorate to-day the resurrection of Christ from the dead. We
shall see that the resurrection of Christ was a resurrection of the
body of Christ, that it was not merely the indwelling Spirit of Jesus
Christ, clothed upon with a new and entirely different body, that
appeared to the disciples on the first resurrection day, but that it
was the body that was buried, raised again, and that this involves
for us not merely the immortality of our souls, but the resurrection
and eternal continuance of our bodies. Yet there are many who call
themselves Christians and who say that they believe in the Bible, and
who consider themselves perfectly orthodox Christians, who do not
believe in the Resurrection of the Body, they merely believe in the
immortality of the soul.