Jehovah's Witnesses and other cults and various liberal theologians deny the literal physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 15:13-18)
The Gospel is the death, burial, and literal resurrection of Christ through which sinners can be declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ when they repent. (John 3:13-15; Acts 4:15-19; I Corinthians 15:1-4) The Bible clearly teaches the physical resurrection of Christ and all dead. (Job 19:25, 27; Isaiah 26:19; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42-49; Philippians 3:21; Revelation 20:12-13) The resurrection was central to the preaching of the Apostles. (Acts 3:15; 4:1,2; 10:39-41; 17:18; 24:15) Jesus said that His body would be resurrected, and after the resurrection He verified this. (John 2:19-21; Luke 24:36-43) The redeemed will have a body like that of Christ. The body will be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51-52; II Corinthians 5:4; Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 5:23)
Watchtower publications assert that Christ was raised up as a spirit creature, and that He materialized a body to make Himself visible. When JWs make this assertion, challenge them to show Scriptural evidence to back up this claim.
JWs use two accounts about Christ not being recognized by those who knew Him as proof that He was resurrected in a different form. Watchtower publications claim that the disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognise Christ because He was in a different form than when He was crucified. But this interpretation ignores the context. The disciples did not recognise Christ because He did not will it so. (Luke 24:16) After their faith was tested He opened their eyes and they recognized Him. (Luke 24:31) Watchtower publications claim that Christ appeared to Mary as the gardener. But the context makes it clear that it was Mary who made the mistake of thinking Christ was the gardener. (John 20:15-16)
JWs also use I Peter 3:18 to discredit the bodily resurrection. The proposition is set forth that Christ was raised from the dead as a spirit. If JWs give you this interpretation of I Peter 3:18, then show them Romans 8:8-13, Galatians 5:24-25, Ephesians 6:18, Revelation 1:10, and I Peter 4:6.
A favorite passage among JWs is I Corinthians 15:50, which says "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." The term "flesh and blood" occurs only five times in the New Testament, and in each case the reference is to natural man and not to literal flesh and blood. (Matthew 16:17; I Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 1:16; Ephesians 6:12; Hebrews 2:14) Natural man, man in his present earthly nature, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; natural man needs the new birth. (John 3:3-7; I Corinthians 15:39-50)
Denial of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is calling Him accursed, for this would mean that He died under judgment of sin and is still under that judgment. (I Corinthians 12:3)
Name: Arnold Saxton
