A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 4: The Gospe l s : The Man i fes tat i on of Chr i s t , Par t I I I 127

things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.

b. 1 John 3.8 – Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

c. Col. 1.13 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son.

d. Col. 2.15 – He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

3. No Christian faith exists without the resurrection!

C. The argument for the centrality of the resurrection and the resurrection of Christ, 1 Cor. 15.12-20

1. If no resurrection exists, then Christ Jesus himself has not been raised, v. 13.

2. And if Christ himself has not been raised

a. The apostles’ preaching is in vain (worthless), and our faith in that preaching is in vain (worthless), v. 14.

b. The apostles misrepresented God (i.e., they lied about God) since they testified that God raised up Jesus from the dead, v. 15.