July 23

Now is Christ risen from the dead. — 1 Cor 15:20

The resurrection of Christ is the key–stone of the arch of gospel truth.

Paul makes it very plain that if the resurrection did not take place, there is no salvation. “If Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, …your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” All the hopes of Christian faith waited those three days at the sealed grave of Jesus. “But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first–fruits of them that are asleep.”

Then because He hath been raised, your faith is not vain, and all your hopes are sure and eternal; you are not in your sins, the redemption was accepted; then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have not perished, but are alive forevermore.

Christ rose as the first–fruits of the great harvest, and all who sleep in Him shall come too at the end of the day. The first–fruit was a pledge that it would be gathered in and a sample of what the final harvest would be.