Why Jesus’ Resurrection Guarantees Yours

Written by Hannah Hammond

1 Corinthians 15:20-28

We often live with uncertainty. Will our career path work out? Will our loved ones remain safe? But the Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, anchors our faith in one truth that is entirely and profoundly certain: The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees our own.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul addresses serious doubts troubling the believers. Influenced by prevailing Greek thought, some Corinthians believed the body was inferior to the spirit and questioned the idea of a future bodily resurrection. They imagined the immortal soul continued, but they denied a future physical awakening.

But Paul insisted that the doctrine of resurrection is not a secondary matter. It is so central to the Christian faith that if there is no resurrection of the dead, it results in the repudiation of the gospel, leaving believers still in our sins.

But the Apostle Paul insisted that this doctrine is not negotiable. If there is no resurrection of the dead, the whole truth of the gospel is at stake, leaving us still in our sins. Our faith must rest on one profound, certain truth: Jesus’ resurrection is the central motif in God’s divine act of restoration.

Our hope, Paul argues, is not based on wishful thinking but on a divine act of restoration already accomplished.

This certainty challenges us to re-centre our hope today.

Here are three profound truths Paul gives us about the certainty of our resurrection:

1. The Undeniable Guarantee: Jesus as the Firstfruits

Paul establishes the inevitability of our resurrection by proclaiming Jesus as the ‘firstfruits’ (1 Cor 15:20).

When an ancient farmer gathered the first ripened crops, those ‘firstfruits’ were a promise—a guarantee that a massive, greater harvest was yet to come. Jesus’ resurrection is the initial stage, setting in motion the defeat of death itself. Paul uses the powerful perfect tense, stating that the Messiah “has been raised“. This enforces the certainty of His resurrection and provides the foundation for the inevitability of the resurrection of all who believe.

If Jesus rose physically (and Paul argues from the common ground of belief in Christ’s bodily resurrection), then death cannot ultimately be defeated unless we also rise. Our resurrection is demanded by His.

2. The Victory Analogy: Trading Adam’s Death for Christ’s Life

To explain the absolute necessity of our future resurrection, Paul draws a clear line between the first man (Adam) and the victorious Messiah (Christ):

‘For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.’ (1 Cor 15:21–22)

Just as our shared humanity means we are ‘in Adam’ and share his sin and inevitable death, our faith means we are ‘in Christ’ and participate in His victory. Because Christ’s resurrection proved the efficacy of His atoning death, our resurrection is inevitable.

Jesus’ resurrection validates His messiahship. His return to life—which echoes the Jewish association of the third day with the resurrection of the dead—is the turning point in God’s divine purpose for creation. This is victory over all His enemies, including the last enemy: death itself.

3. The Ultimate Goal: Complete Restoration

What is the purpose of this victory? It is the restoration of all things, rooted in Paul’s explicit messianic theology.

Paul asserts that what God has determined must come to pass. Messiah reigns with authority and power, having subjected all powers under His feet. This is the fulfilment of Israel’s eschatological hope, and it affirms the goodness of creation.

The resurrection is the first stage in a renewal process that culminates in the final reconciliation of all authority back to God the Father. When Christ delivers the kingdom to the Father, God will be ‘all in all’ (1 Cor 15:28). This doesn’t mean a pantheistic vision, but rather a realization that God is the Creator and Ruler over everything.

Paul’s deep hope—which was rooted in thoroughly Jewish eschatology—was the renewal of all creation through resurrection.

Reflection:

If you are ‘in Christ,’ your resurrection is an inseparable consequence of His. This truth shifts our perspective from focusing on the temporary reality of death to the certain, ultimate reality of divine victory and restoration.

We are guaranteed to participate in Christ’s victory over the final enemy. We have the certainty that His resurrection necessitates ours. This should be the source of unshakable confidence in our daily walk.

Dear Lord, thank you for the guarantee of the resurrection, which assures us that death is not the end, but merely a temporary step toward Your complete restoration. Help us to live today in light of the coming harvest, knowing that Your victory guarantees ours. Amen.

The books that helped shape this devotional are listed below in the bibliography.

Bibliography

Fee, G. D. The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Michigan: Eerdmans, 1991.
Kreitzer, L. J. ‘Resurrection’ in G. F. Hawthorne et al. Dictionary of Paul and his Letters. Illinois: Downers Grove, 1993, 805-812.
Morris, L. 1 Corinthians. Nottingham: IVP, 2008.
Wright, N. T. Paul and the Faithfulness of God: Parts III and IV. London: SPCK, 2013.
Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of God. London: SPCK, 2003.
Garland, D. E. ‘Book of 1 Corinthians,’ in K.J. Vanhoozer et al. Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Michigan: Baker Academic, 2005, 133-138.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Hannah — a writer with a background in theology and illustration. Alongside my own work, I offer writing, editing, and proofreading support for theological and creative projects.

Work with Me

As well as editing and proofreading projects, I contribute essays and reflections for wider publications. If you’re looking for thoughtful, accessible theology,

Explore

Essays and reflections delivered weekly.

Unsubscribe anytime.