Theologian Erich Sauer has written:  “The present age is Easter time.  It begins with the resurrection of the Redeemer and ends with the resurrection of the redeemed.  Between lies the spiritual resurrection of those called into life through Christ.  So we live between two Easters, and in the power of the first Easter we go to meet the last Easter.”  The last Easter to which Sauer refers is, of course, the bodily resurrection of the saved.  Scripture speaks of that resurrection of the righteous in several places calling it the first resurrection.  The second is the resurrection of the unrighteous (John 5:29).  It is of the first resurrection that Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 15. 

The apostle has reminded the Corinthians that they already believed in Christ’s resurrection (15:1-11) and that logically they must also believe in their own resurrection and that of all saints, mentioning several disastrous and absurd consequences that would result if they were not raised.

Paul makes it clear that without the resurrection, Christianity is a farce.  In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 he plainly states that if Christ is not raised from the dead then our sins are not forgiven, there is no faith and if our hope is in this life only, we are those who are to be pitied.

In light of all that the Bible has to say about the necessity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Christian faith (Romans 10:9), it always amazes me that there are people who deny the resurrection but still claim to be Christians.  This article by Dr Albert Mohler tells of one such testimony.

The story is told of Harold Fortescue, a budding newspaper reporter, who was sent to cover a local social function.  It was his first assignment.  He expanded himself and submitted to his editor two dozen pages of typewritten oratory.  The editor did not even glance at it, but handed it right back with the words, “Cut it in half.” Crestfallen, Fortescue complied.  Again the editor handed it back with the dry comment, “Cut it in half again.” Grumbling under his breath the youthful reporter did as he was told.  When he handed in the finished article the editor handed it back once more.  “Now reduce it to a single page,” he said.  The horrified reporter ventured a protest.  His boss cut him off.  “Young man,” he said, “you have evidently overlooked the fact that when the Creator of the universe gives His account of Creation He does so in ten words: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”‘  

The first chapter of Genesis is one of the most God-centered chapters in the Bible.  God is mentioned by name thirty-two times in thirty-one verses.  Add to that the use of personal pronouns, and He is mentioned no less than forty-three times. 

Thus, on the very first page of Scripture the Holy Spirit brings us into the presence of God and keeps us there.  No wonder Satan hates this chapter! No wonder he has brought up his heavy artillery to discredit it in the minds of men.  Abandon Genesis 1-as unfactual and unreliable, as mere mythology, as a doctored-up copy of the Babylonian creation epic, as totally unacceptable to modern science-and Satan has won. 

If the Holy Spirit cannot be trusted when He tells of creation, how can He be trusted when He tells of salvation? If what He says about earth in Genesis 1 can be questioned, then what He says about heaven in Revelation 22 can be questioned.  If the Holy Spirit cannot be trusted in Genesis 1, how can He be trusted in John 3:16?

Someone has wisely said, “if you can believe one verse in the Bible you can believe it all” that verse is Genesis 1:1.  In our day scientific achievements like the Hubble telescope are allowing us to see like never before the awesome grandeur of our universe and reinforce for us the truth of Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” (ESV).

Strange things can happen in church as evidenced by the video below.

One of the great failings of the 21st century church is the failure to clearly proclaim the gospel.  Many churches and believers instead proclaim moralism and think it is the gospel.  This mistake is quite common in Southern Baptist churches and can be difficult for the average Christian to discern. 

Dr Albert Mohler has an excellent explanation of the difference between the gospel and moralism here.

I read an interesting article in the blogsphere today which asked the question:  Do all religions lead to God?  Really that is somewhat of a trick question.  The writer said that the answer is actually yes, all religions will take you to God.

Listen to the words of John 14:6 where Jesus said: “I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

Other religions will bring you to God.  Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam-they all eventually bring you to God.  Mormonism, Christian Science, paganism, animism, and Roman Catholicism will bring you to God. 

Every practitioner of every religion created by man and/or demon will, by that religion, be brought to God.  But note carefully: none of those religions will bring us to God as Father!  They will bring man to God as Judge. 

They will bring men to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment clothed in the filthy rags of his own righteousness (Isaiah 64:6), without excuse, hopeless, guilty and damned eternally (Matthew 12:36; Acts 17:31; Romans 1:20, 32; 2:16; Revelation 20:11-15), falling continually and infinitely short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

The only way to God as Father is through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Regenerated by His sovereign grace and declared righteous on the basis of His finished work on the cross.

All religions lead to God for damning judgment.  Only through Christ can we come to God as Father.