The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Mentor's Guide, MG13

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T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

2 Tim. 1.13 - Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 4.7-8 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. Rev. 12.11 - And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. While this present segment concentrates mainly on Paul’s extended argument in 1 Corinthians 15 about the nature and importance of Jesus’ resurrection, he teaches about the centrality of the resurrection in other passages in his other writings, as well. For instance, in Romans 1.3-4, considered by many scholars to be an ancient creedal statement of the Church, Paul provides the Romans with a concise but important summary statement on the doctrine of Christ, suggesting that Jesus through his resurrection has proven himself to be the Son of God, the Davidic Messiah and Lord (cf. Rom. 14.9). The resurrection of Jesus is the event which, according to Paul, provides salvation (Rom. 10.9-10) and guarantees that all who believe in Jesus Christ will also rise, even as he did (1 Cor. 15.20; 2 Cor. 4.14; 1 Thess. 4.14). Moreover, we find in the writings of Luke some key citations about the resurrection. Jesus declared in his teaching to the Apostles, after his resurrection, that the sufferings and glory of the Messiah, including his rising from the dead, was in fact a key and central theme of the Old Testament (Luke 24.25-27). Peter, in his great Pentecost sermon, proclaimed that the great acts and miracles that Jesus did, especially the resurrection, were key indicators and signs that the Father accepted his actions and approved of his message (Acts 2.22-32). Likewise, the preaching of Paul in his sermons throughout his missionary tours constantly emphasized the centrality of Jesus’ rising from the dead, treating it as the central foundation and basis of his evangelistic message (cf. Acts 13.29-39; 17.30-31).

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