I undoubtedly possess a greater desire to write the information contained in my column today than I have perhaps felt about any other topic that I have ever presented. Because of its nature and universal significance, there is no other issue or subject that has had a greater impact on mankind and history as our consideration today. What was the most essential event to transpire in the annals of human history? Certainly this question will generate multiple answers and responses due to the beliefs and priorities of everyone who will give it some serious consideration. From a strictly scientific perspective, there are those who will cite the major breakthroughs and discoveries that have altered and advanced the well-being of humanity down through the ages. The discovery of certain medical procedures and medicines that have saved multiple millions from fatal diseases would certainly be the choice of many. In the field of engineering and physics, there have been many groundbreaking discoveries and inventions that have literally brought man out of the dark ages into a bold new day of technological advancements, where changes are happening so fast it is hard to keep up with them. Many will put forth an intellectual argument that from a political perspective that events like the signing of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and such like, would certainly warrant consideration as the most essential event in history. Militarists and those who are students of wars and their impact and effect on humanity would assuredly cite one of the great conflicts like World War I, World War II, or one of the ancient wars of history as being the most essential event in history. From a religious perspective, certainly those who embrace a belief in God, whether Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or some other belief, would make a bold defense and declaration that the day their particular religion was started was the greatest day in history. From a Judeo-Christian perspective, many would declare that the creation of man, the global flood, the incarnation, or the birth of The Church on the day of Pentecost, as being considered as the greatest event in history. Truly, all of these events rank at the top of the chart, in my estimation, as being one of the greatest events in history. Nevertheless, there is an event that ranks as numero uno in the rating of the most essential event in history that I will devote the rest of this column explaining and defending.
All of the biblical and historical occurrences that I have already mentioned are inerrant truths that are set in stone. They help to constitute the historical narrative of humanity and each one is an indispensable part of the divine drama of God’s dealing with man. However, all of these biblical events would have lost their inerrancy and infallibility had Christ not risen from the dead. Tenets like the Incarnation, the Abrahamic Covenant, and all the inspired beliefs derived from both the Old and New Testament would lose their credibility and place of inerrancy as being the absolute truth and supreme standard, whereby all other truths must be tried, if Christ had not risen from the dead. His claim to be the Son of God, the Creator of all things, the Jewish Messiah, and Savior of humanity rested upon the teachings and prophesies in the Old Testament from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Malachi about His credentials, coming, crucifixion, and triumphant resurrection would have been a fabrication, a fairy tale, and a farce. Just imagine, if you can, if the cover-up story concocted by the Pharisees and chief religious leaders of Jesus’ time was true and that they had not really bribed the Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb to lie and say that His disciples came and stole His body while they slept, how miserable and completely chaotic this world would be? Had Christ not truly risen from the dead, Christianity would not have been born and there would not be a church or Christian community that has impacted and influenced the course of history and human affairs in a profound and positive way, far more than any other religion, ideology, philosophy, or political persuasion. Had Christ not risen from the dead, many of the nations like Great Britain, France, Spain, America, and many more would have never been formed. If Christ had not risen from the dead, many colleges and universities, many hospitals and medical centers, many discoveries and inventions that have blessed and alleviated the agony and suffering of man would have never been developed and realized. In a true sense, not only is Jesus Christ the central character and thread in all of the scriptural narrative that ties everything together, He is the central and indispensable person in all of human history that every nation, tribe, and individual will ultimately and assuredly give an account and homage to with a bowing of the knees.
There is no more appropriate way to conclude this column with today than by closing with these very relevant words, from the Apostle Paul on the subject of the Resurrection – the most essential event in history.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)