We believe Jesus rose from the dead. But what if it was all a hoax? How would the world and our lives be different?
As Easter draws near and Christians around the world focus their thoughts on the resurrection of Jesus, it is sometimes helpful to consider how the world, our lives, and Christianity would be different if Jesus had not risen from the dead.
Make no mistake, we are not challenging the historical fact of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. We firmly believe in the historical reality of the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus.
But we also know that soon after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians were accused of inventing this story. Some critics claimed that Jesus never died. Others said that the apostles stole the body of Jesus from the grave. Today, there are countless millions of people who still believe that the resurrection is a hoax.
For the April Synchroblog, we want to explore this question in more detail. We want to ask, “What if the resurrection is a lie?”
This might be an uncomfortable question for some, but asking this question will help each of us understand our faith, provide insight to why we follow Jesus, and open up ways of interacting with people who do not believe in the resurrection.
April Synchroblog posts could also ask any of these related questions:
- If the resurrection did not happen, how would the world be different?
- If Jesus did not rise, would you still follow His teachings and example? Why or why not?
- If the resurrection did not occur, what religion (if any) would you be part of? Why would you choose this religion?
- Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 that if Jesus did not rise, our faith is in vain, and we are still in our sins. Because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, this is undoubtedly true, but if Jesus did not rise, what other options are there regarding our sin? How would you deal with it?
- If Jesus did not rise from the dead, but the Scriptures say He did, how would this affect your view of Scripture? How would you now read and understand these passages that talk about His resurrection?
- If Jesus did not rise, how would this affect your view of Jesus? Could He still be God incarnate?
Add your post link in the comments section by 10:00 pm EST, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 to be included in this month’s Synchroblog. The link list will go up on Wednesday, April 11 so you can add it to your post.
We look forward to hearing from you.
synchroblog 
I have gone ahead and written my post for this month’s synchroblog:
Name – Marta
Title – On faith seeking understanding, truth, and theology
Link – http://fidesquaerens.livejournal.com/77300.html
Carol Kuniholm
Risen Indeed
http://wordshalfheard.blogspot.com/2012/04/risen-indeed.html
Tim Nichols
How Would Life be Different if Jesus did not Rise?
http://fullcontactchristianity.org/2012/04/09/how-would-life-be-different-if-jesus-did-not-rise/
Here is my contribution to this month’s synchroblog. I look forward to reading the others!
Kingdom Come or Kingdom Now?
http://www.glennhager.com/?p=719
Carol Kuniholm – (this is a title correction – thanks!)
Risen Indeed? The Hermaneutic Community
http://wordshalfheard.blogspot.com/2012/04/risen-indeed.html
It’s a little disjointed, but I have a contribution …
The Resurrection and The Life
http://www.calacirian.org/?p=1285
Here is mine: The Role of the Resurrection
http://jacobscafe.blogspot.com/2012/04/role-of-resurrection.html
My contribution… “What if the resurrection were a lie”
http://abbiewatters.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/what-if-the-resurrection-were-a-lie/
Here’s my blog. Minnow
Ressurection Impact
http://minnowspeaks.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/resurrection-impact/
Leah
blog: desert spirit’s fire!
post title: April synchroblog | resurrection – or not!
link: http://desertspiritsfire.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-synchroblog-resurrection-or-not.html
Here’s mine. http://wp.me/p1aZj-eV
Title: “Supposing Jesus is dead.”
Link: http://morechrist.blogspot.com/2012/04/supposing-jesus-is-dead.html
Me: K.W. Leslie @ More Christ (http://morechrist.blogspot.com/)
This is one of those subject areas where my thinking is actually a lot more influenced by the pagans I know, than by the Christians I know.
Here is my contribution: The Resurrection I Firmly Believe In http://gracerules.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/the-resurrection-i-firmly-believe-in/
Here’s mine: http://ellenharoutunian.com/2012/04/10/april-2012-synchroblog-is-there-a-christianity-without-the-resurrection/
Here’s mine: http://www.travismamone.net/2012/04/if-resurrection-was-hoax_10.html
Jeannette Altes
What If….
http://truth-makes-freedom.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-if.html
The answer to the question of Jesus’ resurrection is simply Paul’s reference to all things written aforetime (OT) which plays a crucial role in Jesus’ death as the substituting sheep to save the only-begotten son of God actually offered as per John 3:16.
The permanence of Jesus’ death is the exact antitype of the permanent death of the sheep that substituted for Isaac, Abraham’s Only-Begotten-Son.
Once saved from execution after the substituting sheep had been killed in sacrifice, Isaac stood up again from off the altar (anastasis: a standing up, i.e. a resurrection, a raising up, rising) to provide the necessary space on the altar for Abraham to be able to offer the substituting dead sheep to God.
In the antitype fulfillment, Jesus the lamb/sheep substituted for God’s Only-Begotten-Son who remained in the heavenly realm. After he stood up again from the altar of God’s will upon Jesus’ death, he came down to console Jesus’ disciples and confirm God’s purpose states in the promise to Abraham for his seed Israel to once again be in a position to bless all the families of the earth. A promise is a promise. The heavenly only-begotten had come down on numerous occasions as he guided God’s firstborn son Israel (Exodus 4:22) at their Exodus from out of Egypt and continuing from there to guide the seed of Abraham to their destined place in heaven as the Kingdom of God to bless all the families of the earth.
On both occasions, type and antitype, the Sheep/remains dead forever since a life was given for a life of another