The Resurrection of Jesus the Christ
When doubt like a deep, dank darkness benumbs and bewilders, it is the knowledge of the triumph of Christ that gives us the strength required. When the question, “Does God exist?” gnaws remorselessly at the fibre of human reason, it is the fact of the resurrection that presents the affirmative answer that transcends philosophy. The message of the apostles is, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, RSV).
The Possibility of Miracles
Our age is skeptical of “miracles.” Yet we acknowledge the “infant nature” of our knowledge of the world. It has been stated over and over again that a miracle could not occur because this would upset the balance of “natural law.” Or, we are told that a “miracle is contradictory to natural law.” However, natural law is simply a term to describe man’s attempt to analyze the events about him. “Natural law” is a flexible expression constantly being revised as man’s knowledge increases.
The vital question is, “What is the nature of our universe?” If we are living in a world of blind, inexorable force and cosmic chance, then we would not expect the presence of the hand of Deity. But if we are living in a world created by a Personal Being of intellect, then we should expect intervention on His part for the creature bearing His image. Especially since man’s existence is involved in a conflict with evil.
The Christian interpretation of the nature of the universe opens the door to the possibility of the miraculous. This does not minimize the orderliness of the world but rather puts the emphasis upon God’s interest in man.
The Historical Nature of the Resurrection
It is one thing to speak of the possibility of an event and quite another to prove that it occurred. The Christian philosophy of history and science shows that miracles are possible in an orderly universe. (In fact, this is the only sort of universe in which a miracle could happen.) Now let us touch on why we do believe that the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection, is an actuality.
Our field of survey is historical. This is the only reasonable approach that can be made. The resurrection is not the subject of biology or physics, but of historical inquiry.
The resurrection has the context of a definite geographical setting and a specific time. The men who are the chief witness to the resurrection are known. Their lives and motives were scrutinized by the Roman world of the first century. Some of their writings have been preserved for us. (Numerous archaeological tests demonstrate the safe transmission of these writings to us.)
Conclusions
Man has said, “No false premise can be consistently elaborated.” The resurrection of Jesus is consistent from the aspect of historical testimony. The resurrection of Jesus is consistent with the view that man is a being of feelings and emotions as well as intellect.
The implications of the resurrection are often a challenge to man’s pride. The resurrection asserts: (1) That man is essentially a spiritual being accountable to his creator, (2) that man is a sinner in need of forgiveness and conversion, (3) and that man can know salvation only through Christ.
Mivart, the biologist, puts it this way:
Assuming for argument’s sake the truth of Christianity, it evidently has not been the intention of its author to make the evidence for it so plain that its rejection would be the mark of intellectual capacity. Conviction is not forced upon men in the way that the knowledge that the government of England is constitutional, or that Paris is the capital of France, is forced upon all who choose to inquire into those subjects. The Christian system is one which puts the strain, as it were, on every faculty of man’s nature and the intellect is not exempted from taking part in the probationary trial. A Moral element enters into the acceptance of that system.
The above article was first published in 20th Century Christian, April 1963 .Virgil R. Trout (1927-2016) was a long time minister among churches of Christ. He was an associate of the late Dr. Thomas B. Warren. Both Warren and Trout authored articles which appeared in a special edition of Gospel Advocate on Christian Evidence (23 January 1969).. Trout served as former Exec. Director of the International Foundation of Religious-Scientific Research, as well as membership in the American Association for the Advancement of Science with classification in physics and philosophy. Virgil Trout did extensive work of great value in the field of Christian Apologetics.